Throwout bearing noise is confusing but knowing what the rascal does
helps. The only time the throwout bearing does anything and has any pressure
on it is when you press the clutch pedal down to the floor and this is the
only time the gears in the transmission stop turning. The rest of the time it
just hangs on the input shaft housing of the transmission and if the engine is
running, the gears are turning. On some hydraulic clutches it does not
retract completely away from the pressure plate and may sit there and just
touch the fingers and rattle.
So:
Noise with your foot off the clutch is either in the transmission or the
throwout bearing is just touching the pressure plate fingers and rattling.
Noise stops by just barely touching the clutch pedal is the throwout
bearing just touching the pressure plate fingers and rattling.
Noise stops with clutch fully depressed is something in the transmission.
Noise starts as you depress the clutch and continues all the time the
clutch is down is throwout bearing. I have never seen a catastrophic throw
out bearing failure. I have never let a noisy one go that long. But I can
just imagine it would not be a pretty sight nor an inexpensive one either.
Skip Patnode
'67 Duetto
Norfolk, Va.
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