When I engage the clutch in 1st gear, especially when I am on a hill, I hear this humming/vibrating/rubbing noise. My car only makes this noise in first gear and mostly when there is lots of load on the clutch. I drive a 2001 Prelude 5spd base model. Do any of you know what this can be?

 

I have exacty the same problem with my clutch, also from a 5th gen lude. Im thinking the TOB is worn out. should I go ahead and get a new clutch?

 

The TOB will only make noise when the clutch pedal is pressed to the floor.

 

ok then could the clutch disk itself be making this noise? perhaps the flywheel is damaged?

 

The only way the clutch disk itself could make noise if its slipping or maybe if it's broke or cracked. Does the tranny make any noise when you let the clutch out when it's parked and in nuetral? If so, I'd say it's your main shaft bearing going out. How many miles does the tranny have on it?

 

The tranny has ~50K miles on it. The noise only occurs when I slip the clutch in first, especially going uphill. No noises in neutral. Additionally, the clutch pedal has gotten soft and it doesn't seem to grab hard at all. lots of slippage. Taking all that into account, I'm pretty sure its the clutch, not the tranny. <--wishful thinking

 

may be the clutch throw out or and diff bearing in the tranny i have replaced some of them from a humming noise

 

From that description I'd say it something in the clutch not the tranny then. I guess your clutch has seen its fair share of abuse?

 

yea I'll admit that I have abused the clutch from time to time, mostly to create an excuse to get a light flywheel. Anyway thanks for the input, just ordered a clutch and flywheel, will install this saturday. hopefully that will make these problems go away

 

It should make the noise go away. When you remove the tranny,check you main shaft bearings. Just grab the shaft sticking out of the tranny and move it up and down + in and out. It should feel solid. Good luck

 

mines does that too, its the act clutches i find that makes that squealing noise