Guess this sound! Bad clutch?

-
Righty Tighty

Righty Tighty

Blame it on the dog
FABO Gold Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2019
Messages
2,992
Reaction score
3,570
Location
Sahuarita, AZ
Picked up this ‘68 Barracuda a few days ago that hasn’t been run in several years. I freshened the fluids, etc, and it started right up. I noticed a strange sound coming from the hump near the firewall that goes away when I depress the clutch pedal.

Hopefully you can hear it in the video, you might have to turn up the volume. What’s this sound?

 
It will still be bad but leaving an air gap between clutch fingers and bearing will limit the noise.
 
Okay. I'll try to adjust it to limit the noise until I can replace it. I've worked on Torqueflites before but never a manual. I don't imagine it will be too difficult.
 
I have one more question. This is actually a 3 speed column shift, A903 I think. I have a new throw out bearing on the shelf, but it’s for an 833. I can’t seem to find a definitive part number for the 903 throw out bearing, is the 833 bearing the same as the one for the 903?
 
Im not sure but I bet its the same as long as the input shaft diameter is the same. The 18 spline trans has a larger input shaft and a specific throwout bearing for it.
 
Thank you. I think I found the correct p/n for the bearing for the 903, I’ll check the number on the one I currently have.

Right now I’m looking through the FSM reading up on clutch adjustment. Doesn’t seem too bad and I think it’ll make a lot more sense once I’m under the car.
 
hang on guys lets think about this.
When he steps on the clutch, the sound goes away...... but the TO bearing is still spinning! Whereas
the disc has stopped spinning.
But when he takes his foot off the pedal, the noise comes back as the trans comes up to speed.

In My Opinion, the racket is coming from the front bearing.
 
Thanks AJ for the input. Is there a way to troubleshoot and find out which it is without dropping the transmission? Other than depressing the pedal and listening when the noise starts?
 
yes; chose one or both;
Test-1
Set the parking brake or block the wheels to keep the car from moving. Put the trans in neutral.
Check to make sure the TO bearing is NOT touching the clutch fingers. This is guaranteed to make the TO bearing quiet while running. You can do this by; 1) dropping the inspection cover and looking, or 2) adjusting the freeplay and if necessary pulling the TO fork towards the front of the car. If you have more than a half inch of freeplay, then you are already in business, assuming your anti-rattle spring is installed correctly. Sometimes they go missing. Then;

Start the engine. As soon as the engine starts, the entire clutch begins to turn, including the input gear and cluster gear, but NOT the TO bearing, because it is NOT touching anything, you made sure of that. This is irrespective of if the trans is in Neutral or not. If you have this noise in neutral, with the rear wheels Not turning, the only thing that can cause it is the front bearing.
To me, it sounds like the trans has no oil in it. If true, and the car was operated like this, then the trans may have been toasted.

Test-2
Check the oil level and fill it as may be necessary, then go for a roadtest. Get the car up to top gear. If the noise more or less goes away, then the diagnoses is correct.
In top gear, everything inside the trans on the mainshaft from crank to driveshaft is all spinning together at the same rpm. The cluster is going for a free ride, and there is close to zero power being pumped into it; and so the front bearing is doing little to no work other than just supporting the input gear. In this mode, the noise should be considerably quieter.
 
AJ/FormS said:
assuming your anti-rattle spring is installed correctly. Sometimes they go missing.
Click to expand...
Is this the spring you're referring to?
Screen Shot 2022-08-21 at 8.57.08 PM.png

AJ/FormS said:
Then;

Start the engine. As soon as the engine starts, the entire clutch begins to turn, including the input gear and cluster gear, but NOT the TO bearing, because it is NOT touching anything, you made sure of that. This is irrespective of if the trans is in Neutral or not. If you have this noise in neutral, with the rear wheels Not turning, the only thing that can cause it is the front bearing.
To me, it sounds like the trans has no oil in it. If true, and the car was operated like this, then the trans may have been toasted.

Test-2
Check the oil level and fill it as may be necessary, then go for a roadtest. Get the car up to top gear. If the noise more or less goes away, then the diagnoses is correct.
In top gear, everything inside the trans on the mainshaft from crank to driveshaft is all spinning together at the same rpm. The cluster is going for a free ride, and there is close to zero power being pumped into it; and so the front bearing is doing little to no work other than just supporting the input gear. In this mode, the noise should be considerably quieter.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the step-by-step. Seems simple enough and I will try to make time to test it out tomorrow. If we're being completely honest here, I did not check the transmission for oil, but you can bet that will be the first thing I check when I get under the car. Right before removing the inspection cover to have a look at the TO bearing....
 
Righty Tighty said:
I have one more question. This is actually a 3 speed column shift, A903 I think. I have a new throw out bearing on the shelf, but it’s for an 833. I can’t seem to find a definitive part number for the 903 throw out bearing, is the 833 bearing the same as the one for the 903?
Click to expand...
Pull it , and Mike em
 
AJ/FormS said:
yes; chose one or both;
Test-1
Set the parking brake or block the wheels to keep the car from moving. Put the trans in neutral.
Check to make sure the TO bearing is NOT touching the clutch fingers. This is guaranteed to make the TO bearing quiet while running. You can do this by; 1) dropping the inspection cover and looking, or 2) adjusting the freeplay and if necessary pulling the TO fork towards the front of the car. If you have more than a half inch of freeplay, then you are already in business, assuming your anti-rattle spring is installed correctly. Sometimes they go missing. Then;

Start the engine. As soon as the engine starts, the entire clutch begins to turn, including the input gear and cluster gear, but NOT the TO bearing, because it is NOT touching anything, you made sure of that. This is irrespective of if the trans is in Neutral or not. If you have this noise in neutral, with the rear wheels Not turning, the only thing that can cause it is the front bearing.
To me, it sounds like the trans has no oil in it. If true, and the car was operated like this, then the trans may have been toasted.

Test-2
Check the oil level and fill it as may be necessary, then go for a roadtest. Get the car up to top gear. If the noise more or less goes away, then the diagnoses is correct.
In top gear, everything inside the trans on the mainshaft from crank to driveshaft is all spinning together at the same rpm. The cluster is going for a free ride, and there is close to zero power being pumped into it; and so the front bearing is doing little to no work other than just supporting the input gear. In this mode, the noise should be considerably quieter.
Click to expand...
Well AJ, I think you called this one. First off, I checked the oil level in the transmission and it was very low. VERY low. Stupid me checked and freshened all of the fluids prior to start up except that one. I simply forgot. So I topped that off and took it for a road test. It may have been psychological, but the car sounded much better, however the noise was present in 1st and 2nd gears, went away in 3rd.

I'm still going to check the throwout bearing to ensure it's set correctly, but going on what you've said regarding the front bearing doing little work in top gear, sounds like I've found it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top