I installed a new clutch kit less than a year ago and have only a few hundred miles on it. Going to a show last week the car developed an intermittant metallic squeal (VERY loud) when pressing on the clutch when coming to a stop and the same noise when starting off... but only in first gear, all other shifts (to 2nd, 3rd, 4th) were quiet. This happens only about 25% of the time. The throw out bearing is a carbon ring type, not a roller/ball bearing. Any ideas?
he said there is no bearing, it has a carbon ring. If the carbon ring "goes away" there will be a lot of free play....along with the screech
OK, did some more work... I have a "bore scope" and poked it thru the clutch lever hole in the bell housing. Got a look at the throw out bearing (it is a "carbon ring"-that is a graphite ring) and there is is about 3/8" left on it- I took out a spare and that is about the amount on a new bearing, so that isn't it. It is beginning to sound more and more like the pilot (which is a sintered bronze bushing). One other possibility is the thrust washers on the crankshaft, but these would be at their worst when the clutch is all the way in. I think I may have screwed up and put a dab of grease on the tip of the clutch shaft before I reassembled. Why that would mess things up is beyond me but I have seen references to that.
Why didn't you bother to tell us the make and year of your car...There are some very smart guys here on the HAMB,but I have yet to meet a mind reader..or is it off topic for the HAMB?
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