Is This Noise The Throw Out Bearing?

[zzmac]

My car has a Tremec 500 in it. The car runs fine and no issues changing gears etc..

The following happens a lot of the time but not all of the time and I can't hear this noise while I'm driving. When coming to a stoplight and I'm decelerating, at say 10 mph I depress the clutch pedal and coast to a stop. Just as the car is coming to a stop and shortly after it's stopped, I'll hear a spinning/whirring sound coming from the clutch area for 2-3 seconds.

Does this sound like the throwout bearing? If not, what might it be? And whatever it is, is it ok to just keep driving til it gets worse and then change whatever it is?

Thanks.

[madmaxx]

Yes and completely normal, no action necessary. If you must change in 100k miles

[Blas]

Have you tried bleeding the system or checking the adjusting rod on the slave cylinder? When you are stopped and the noise is happening are you in neutral or do you have the clutch pedal depressed and in gear? If depressed, if you slightly let up on the pedal, does the noise change or stop?

[zzmac]

Normally I'm in 3rd gear, I'll depress the clutch and as I'm coasting to a stop I'll shift into first. So the car's in gear when I'm stopped. I haven't tried anything mechanical as yet and haven't tried letting up on the pedal to see if it stops.

Originally Posted by Blas

Have you tried bleeding the system or checking the adjusting rod on the slave cylinder? When you are stopped and the noise is happening are you in neutral or do you have the clutch pedal depressed and in gear? If depressed, if you slightly let up on the pedal, does the noise change or stop?

[vector1]

sounds like air in the hydraulics, letting the tb out slightly enough to touch the diaphragm while you have the pedal depressed.

see if you can replicate the sound by letting the clutch pedal out slowly after being depressed.

[patrickt]

Madmaxx and I are going to start a sticky-response for posts like this. It will read: "Bleed and adjust the clutch, then forget about it." This is two of these posts in the last two days.

[zzmac]

I'll try that (if it ever stops raining) but so far the only time I hear the spinning/whirring noise is as previously described. I don't hear it when I take off from a stop.

Originally Posted by vector1

sounds like air in the hydraulics, letting the tb out slightly enough to touch the diaphragm while you have the pedal depressed.

see if you can replicate the sound by letting the clutch pedal out slowly after being depressed.

[madmaxx]

These are replicas of 1965 cars with aggresive cams and heavy duty transmissions. People hear a noise and get concerned. By the way log onto one of the mustang forums and you will hear the exact same noise complaints. I had a miata, it had gear rollover noise and at times whirling noise and many others. It made it from the start but I didn't notice until 1k miles sold with 130K miles and still running strong and current owner has 150K miles on original clutch. I beat the car senselss while I owned it.

On the other side if you have a corvette and you hear a noise get to a garage it is going to break down, even if you dont it is going to break down, LOL!!

[zzmac]

I like your first answer the best Madmaxx because there's no work involved. Remind me to have it checked in 97,500 miles.

[elmariachi]

Originally Posted by zzmac

I like your first answer the best Madmaxx because there's no work involved. Remind me to have it checked in 97,500 miles.

Madmaxx lives here in Houston where its 95* and 50* humidity today. All standard answers this time of year involve "No labor required at this time."

[madmaxx]

I wish it were that cool!!!!!!!!! Try 99 and 50% humidity for the last 28 days, we usually do not see this until late July early August. June is usually one of our wettest months so I planted sod about mid may, not a drop of rain since then. If you have an outdoor activitiy and want to prevent rain I will sell you a piece of my sod and I guarantee you it will not rain LOL!!!

As far as the noises, I have chased them all in the past with no improvement so I would hope others would learn from my mistakes.

Our cars even dailey drivers for all practical purposes see no wear. I work in a plant environment where equipment runs at 3600 rpm, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In fact our mean time between failure on pumps is 4.4 years. That is equivalent to 1,927,200 miles assuming 50 mph. In reality it is much worse if the pump has a 3.375" shaft turning at 3600 rpm, it is 1734 miles per day, or 632,959 miles per year is what the linear distance the shaft turns. We will pick up a bearing vibration and change it at the next turnaround, usually 6 months down the road, so even when we think the bearing is bad it will travel another 312,000 miles.

I really do not think the throw out bearing will wear out if it is in constant contact with the clutch fingers at all times.

Originally Posted by elmariachi

Madmaxx lives here in Houston where its 95* and 50* humidity today. All standard answers this time of year involve "No labor required at this time."

[Blas]

The throw-out bearing rides on a set of rollers. I just replaced mine, and it spun freely, but it was somewhat deformed: that is, both pieces were no longer concentric about a common centerline. I'll bet your clutch slave rod just needs to be adjusted to just break contact with the fingers. The fact that you said it goes away after a second or two sounds like a lag time in the hydraulics allowing it to rub momentarly. Is there a spring on the slave cylinder piston?

[zzmac]

I'm going to get the car up on jackstands for the first time this week and I'll report back. No harm if I leave the car up on stands for a few days?

[Blas]

No problem...

[cavedog57]

Originally Posted by zzmac

I'm going to get the car up on jackstands for the first time this week and I'll report back. No harm if I leave the car up on stands for a few days?

Problem? Mine lived on jack stands, until recently.