Odd sound when moving off in first or reverse

marcusus · Postby **marcusus** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 2:22 am

So, as the subject says, I'm getting an odd sound when I move off in first or in reverse. The closeset word I can think of to describe the sound is a squeak, or perhaps a squeal. It only seems to happen if I'm riding the clutch slightly for a slow start. It doesn't happen whilst I'm moving in any other gear (or I don't notice it!), and it doesn't make as much of the noise if I take off normally. I haven't noticed any power problems, and it doesn't feel like there's any slippage. It just makes that noise on a slow take off.

I'm guessing this is something clutch related, but it'd be good if I could narrow it down a bit to know exactly what it could be.

I'll see how it goes tomorrow and try and be a bit more descriptive with the sound, but any suggestions thus far would be much appreciated.

davekmoore · Postby **davekmoore** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 2:32 am

Clutch release bearing?

marcusus · Postby **marcusus** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 2:40 am

davekmoore wrote:Clutch release bearing?

Any idea what a faulty one of these would sound like? And what the symptoms would be if this was the faulty part?

Russellb · Postby **Russellb** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 6:55 am

[quote="marcusus It only seems to happen if I'm riding the clutch slightly for a slow start. and it doesn't make as much of the noise if I take off normally. [/quote]
its Not the Release bearing. The sound that you decribe could be the friction plate as it takes up on the flywheel/pressure plate
has you car had a clutch put in it before you got it ? I had the same thing with a copper ceramic friction plate

Postby **NitroDann** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 8:10 am

thats what a non organic clutch sounds like slipping.

Dann

rossint · Postby **rossint** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 11:34 am

My car has a copper ceramic clutch plate in it and does the same thing, only when taking off from standing still. It's pretty annoying but just have to live with it until I replace the clutch I would say, fortunately the car's not my daily drive.

marcusus · Postby **marcusus** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 9:08 pm

After thinking of some more descriptive words for the sound, I'm thinking something along the lines of grind/grate/scrape type of sound. It makes sense that it could be the friction plate, and it's just had a bit more wear on one part of it. If the flywheel is spinning and I engage the clutch from standstill, there'll be a little bit of slippage until it fully grips, which is when it sounds like the problem is happening.

It also seems to be doing it very rarely when I try and engage first. But once I take it out of gear and put it back in again, it doesn't happen.

I've never changed the clutch in my ownership of the car, and I doubt any of the previous owners did. It's an NB8A, so it's got a few years under its belt. In the end, it does sound like a clutch problem, regardless of whether it's specifically the friction plate or something else. Perhaps it's time for a new clutch?

rossint · Postby **rossint** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 9:21 pm

Mines definitely a squeal type of sound, a friend thought the rear brakes had seized when he heard it and it does sound a little like break squeal but not exactly the same. No grinding or scraping.

marcusus · Postby **marcusus** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 9:26 pm

rossint wrote:Mines definitely a squeal type of sound, a friend thought the rear brakes had seized when he heard it and it does sound a little like break squeal but not exactly the same. No grinding or scraping.

I guess that's a close description. It's just such a hard noise to pin down... Grinding/scraping is a bit too harsh for the sound it's making, but it still kinda sounds like that. It's almost a combo of all those sounds, but also quite quick too.

JBT · Postby **JBT** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 9:57 pm

Spigot bearing. They can go from a squeak (to a howl as the problem worsens) just as the clutch starts to take up from a standstill in 1st or reverse. In any event, you'll have to pull the gearbox to find out.

marcusus · Postby **marcusus** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 12:42 am

JBT wrote:Spigot bearing. They can go from a squeak (to a howl as the problem worsens) just as the clutch starts to take up from a standstill in 1st or reverse. In any event, you'll have to pull the gearbox to find out.

Seems to be looking that way. If it's going to be pulled apart, I may as well put in a new clutch and flywheel.

Meanwhile, I think the most appropriate sound description would be a creak. It almost sounds like a stiff door being opened.