Confirm Bearing Noise Problem

[Justice777]

Think I'm on the right track but feel the need to confirm.
Trans / clutch area noise - engine running, trans in neutral, sounds like a dry bearing sound, with clutch pedal up. Sound goes completely away when clutch pedal depressed.
Have I read correctly that this is trans input shaft (aka pilot) bearing noise?

Follow up question - If I use (yet to purchase) a Harbor Freight Low Lift trans jack, will I be able to get car high enough on jack stands to roll trans out from under it? HF specs state min. jack height is 7 1/4". Anyone know how high / tall is bell housing?

Edit: Can't seem to locate my 24", 3/8" drive extension. Should I purchase a 1/2" drive extension assortment instead of 3/8" drive? I know I'll need a long ratchet extension to reach top bell housing bolts.


Thanks for all your help!

[bobplyler]

Sounds like the pilot bearing

[zachmac]

Think I'm on the right track but feel the need to confirm.
Trans / clutch area noise - engine running, trans in neutral, sounds like a dry bearing sound, with clutch pedal up. Sound goes completely away when clutch pedal depressed.
Have I read correctly that this is trans input shaft (aka pilot) bearing noise?

Follow up question - If I use (yet to purchase) a Harbor Freight Low Lift trans jack, will I be able to get car high enough on jack stands to roll trans out from under it? HF specs state min. jack height is 7 1/4". Anyone know how high / tall is bell housing?

Edit: Can't seem to locate my 24", 3/8" drive extension. Should I purchase a 1/2" drive extension assortment instead of 3/8" drive? I know I'll need a long ratchet extension to reach top bell housing bolts.


Thanks for all your help!

Definitely sounds like pilot bearing noise BUT before you drop the tranny try adjusting the clutch. An iout of adjustment clutch can cause throw out bearing "rattle".

[Nanonevol]

Should you drop the trans, you will need extensions. I don't recall the formula of wrenches but a long and a shorter extension and a swivel. I think 1/2" should be fine.

[Justice777]

Think I'm on the right track but feel the need to confirm.
Trans / clutch area noise - engine running, trans in neutral, sounds like a dry bearing sound, with clutch pedal up. Sound goes completely away when clutch pedal depressed.
Have I read correctly that this is trans input shaft (aka pilot) bearing noise?

Follow up question - If I use (yet to purchase) a Harbor Freight Low Lift trans jack, will I be able to get car high enough on jack stands to roll trans out from under it? HF specs state min. jack height is 7 1/4". Anyone know how high / tall is bell housing?

Edit: Can't seem to locate my 24", 3/8" drive extension. Should I purchase a 1/2" drive extension assortment instead of 3/8" drive? I know I'll need a long ratchet extension to reach top bell housing bolts.


Thanks for all your help!

Definitely sounds like pilot bearing noise BUT before you drop the tranny try adjusting the clutch. An iout of adjustment clutch can cause throw out bearing "rattle".

Thanks everyone.
I know that clutch pedal / friction starts at around 1/2 way from the floor which is not where I'd like it to grab.
Any idea if I should adjust cable shorter or longer or just try both and listen for change in noise?

[zachmac]

There are a couple of good you tube videos on the clutch adjustment. Basically you should only have about 1 inch of travel before the clutch starts to engage. Sounds to me like you need to shorten it up quite a bit.

[Justice777]

Thank you. 1" off floor is exactly where I like it to grab.

[KevAndAndi]

That 1” of travel is supposed to be at the top, not the bottom. I don’t think you would ever get the clutch to grab with the pedal 1” off the floor.

[zachmac]

That 1” of travel is supposed to be at the top, not the bottom. I don’t think you would ever get the clutch to grab with the pedal 1” off the floor.

This is correct. I should have posted about 1 inch of play before the clutch CABLE begins to DISENGAGE the clutch. The adjustment has you take slack out of the cable such that you encounter resistance (clutch springs on the pressure plate) after about 1 inch of travel from the top. I think I probably have about 2 inches of travel from the floor up before the clutch starts to engage with the travel between there and one inch short of top being the engagement pedal travel.

[Justice777]

That 1” of travel is supposed to be at the top, not the bottom. I don’t think you would ever get the clutch to grab with the pedal 1” off the floor.

I think you misunderstand. Of course clutch would never work with a total of 1" travel on the pedal. I am saying full pedal throw - whatever that is, say 7". Press pedal the full 7" to shift, but clutch engages at about 1" = 2' off the floor. Most every car I have driven is within this range unless it needed adjustment. If throw is 7", then my clutch engages at around 3" - 4" off the floor which I do not like.

[ORFORD2004]

If you want your clutch to engage later, you will need to adjust longer.

[wetminkey]

Proper clutch adjustment will result in about 1" of "play" before engagement of the clutch mechanism. Therefore, clutch engagement begins after 1" of pedal travel toward the floor.
That allows the clutch to fully disengage (plus an inch of travel), but begins the engagement of the clutch as soon as possible.
If you have driven cars that required 7" of clutch pedal travel before the mechanism engages then they have been grossly out of adjustment.
I sure hope this helps.
Todd.

[Justice777]

Proper clutch adjustment will result in about 1" of "play" before engagement of the clutch mechanism. Therefore, clutch engagement begins after 1" of pedal travel toward the floor.
That allows the clutch to fully disengage (plus an inch of travel), but begins the engagement of the clutch as soon as possible.
If you have driven cars that required 7" of clutch pedal travel before the mechanism engages then they have been grossly out of adjustment.
I sure hope this helps.
Todd.

Thanks.

If you have driven cars that required 7" of clutch pedal travel before the mechanism engages then they have been grossly out of adjustment.

No - As I said "if 7" is FULL pedal throw."
Anyway, I get what you all are saying now. Thanks.

[wetminkey]

Cool! I'm glad to help!
I like to have my clutches adjusted right to that 1 - 2" play. That way you can 'speed shift", which is a stab at the clutch pedal while providing pressure to the shift lever and releasing the throttle slightly,...
But adjustment can be no tighter or the clutch release bearing will not fully disengage from the pressure plate flanges.
Hope this will help you have more fun with your car!
Todd.

[MikeHynes]

I've experienced the same symptoms with an X1/9 which doesn't have a pilot bearing. It was caused by a failing throw out bearing. I don't think it would be a bad idea to be ready to change that too "while you're in there".