Started my car yesterday morning and before moving it from the driveway I heard what I can only describe as a spinning or whirring noise under the car and then I got a mild vibration in the shifter like when you miss a gear. sounds like something slipping in the clutch. anyone else have a similar experience? if it is the clutch, what do you folks recommend as a good replacement? thx

 

Mine does the same thing, but only sometimes. It happens when the clutch is pushed in and the clutch would be spinning a different speed than the flywheel. Its really not the clutch as in the disc or pressure plate, but its either the throwout bearing or the pilot bearing. If it only happens some the time, it may just need to be reseated, which may happen on its own. But, if it's a constant issue that happens between every shift, it might be about to go out on you. Mine just recently stopped doing it, and my clutch is still working perfectly.

 

It doesn't happen with every shift. this is the first time I noticed it. I also noticed that the car has been bucking or jumping when going over rough roads. it's almost as if the shaking of the car is causing whatever the problem is in the clutch to show its self. is it possible that going over the rough road is causing this problem with the throwout bearing to 'temporarily disengage the clutch' and therefore she bucks/jumps. forgive my ignorance but what exactly does the throwout bearing do?

 

When you push the clutch pedal in, it pushes the clutch fork, which is connected to the throwout bearing. The TO pushed against the diaphram spring, releasing the clutch. When this happens the bearing spins. It doesn't spin at all when the clutch is released. The pilot bearing is on the end of the input shaft right at the flywheel which will spin when the clutch is spinning a different speed than the flywheel. That bucking or jumping thing may be something with the clutch, or a suspension problem, or a maybe even a tranny mount.