Weird loud vibration from clutch

Hi all,

Recently I've been getting a weird vibration from the clutch.

It only happens on the first clutch engagement in the morning, and then does not happen after that.

My driveway is slightly sloped to the road, so I roll in neutral backwards to the road, and then when I shift into 1st and let the clutch out, there is a loud vibration. But just for that one shift, as the vibration does not come back until the next morning.

I think it's not the throw-out bearing, possibly a torque tube bearing?

Any other ideas?

Andy

You stated weird vibration in first clutch and then not again after.

But just to clarify is that cause you are then moving after 1st gear and vibration isn't felt shifting to second or third after.

What about immediately stopping and clutching out of 1st again right after you have that first vibration to see if you can reproduce the issue from cold and hard stop to 1st?

If there is a problem with the throw out bearing, it will get louder when you push the clutch pedal in and it should go away or become less severe when you release the clutch pedal. The torque tube is rotating whenever the clutch pedal is released so the torque tube bearings will make noise all the time unless the clutch pedal is pressed in and the rear wheels are not moving. The torque tube will make noise in neutral with the engine running if you have your foot off the clutch pedal. It might not be as loud in neutral compared to under load but if you have an issue with the torque tube bearings, you should be able to hear it with a stethoscope. It sounds to me like there might be something to do with the friction coefficient of the clutch disc if it goes away after the first application. It takes one heat cycle of the clutch disc to make it go away. Does the clutch disc somehow get wet, maybe high humidity, or does it have oil on it? Clutch chatter can be caused by the clutch disc being contaminated, pressure plate issues, bad engine or transmission mounts, or poor alignment of the bellhousing to the rear of the engine. Typically, these symptoms should happen all the time and not just the first application. Good luck, Gil.

Gutterboy wrote:
What about immediately stopping and clutching out of 1st again right after you have that first vibration to see if you can reproduce the issue from cold and hard stop to 1st?

I did this (start engine, shift into 1st, get weird vibration, shift out of 1st into neutral, shift back into 1st again) and yes, the vibration happened again, but it was much less than the first time. I then immediately did the cycle over a 3rd time and the vibration was almost non-existent on the 3rd try.

gwistrup wrote: It sounds to me like there might be something to do with the friction coefficient of the clutch disc if it goes away after the first application.  It takes one heat cycle of the clutch disc to make it go away.  Does the clutch disc somehow get wet, maybe high humidity, or does it have oil on it?  Clutch chatter can be caused by the clutch disc being contaminated, pressure plate issues, bad engine or transmission mounts, or poor alignment of the bellhousing to the rear of the engine. Typically, these symptoms should happen all the time and not just the first application.  Good luck, Gil.

Thanks Gil, I'll put the car up and check those things. I'm in SoCal, so there has been no rain/water nor humidity for months. And yes, that this symptom pretty much only happens on the first application and not all the time is a weird one.

Maybe clutch disc contamination, that reduces as it warms up, as you said.

Andy

Hi all, so the noise is (not surprisingly) getting louder the more I drive it.

I'm now thinking it's a pilot bearing/tip of the driveshaft issue. When I had the clutch out previously about 10-12 years ago, the front tip of the driveshaft was a little worn, and my machinist friend next door machined a little steel "cap" to go over the worn tip and fit inside the pilot bearing. And I'm thinking that cap or the pilot bearing or both are failing.

Anyway, does anyone know where I can purchase a rebuilt torque tube?

TIA!

Andy

http://www.blackseard.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7:torque-tube-rebuild-services&catid=1:products&Itemid=3

Hotrodz of Dallas wrote:http://www.blackseard.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7:torque-tube-rebuild-services&catid=1:products&Itemid=3

Thank you!

Andy

Hi all, this is the front end of a driveshaft I'm thinking of buying. I believe the front end of my present driveshaft is too worn.

Anyway, how does this look to you all? Acceptable? Too worn?



Andy

Looks ok... get them to mic it. It's supposed to be 15mm

Thanks Spence, will do.

Just to update, unfortunately I've been super busy and unable to dig into this at all.

And, with each passing day the grinding sound has gotten louder and louder and louder...

...until yesterday, when the noise stopped completely. There is simply no noise.

The clutch now works exactly as it should and there is no noise, no grinding sound, at all.

Happy Days!!!

Hopefully, it stays that way!

For anyone that's interested, I daily the car and the clutch is still perfect. The only explanation I can think of is that the clutch surface got contaminated.