While driving today I started noticing loud noises from the transmission.. If I was slowing down and would push the clutch down and coast, say coming up on a red light, after several seconds a rubbing/grinding noise would start coming from the transmission and the shifter would vibrate pretty bad.. It also did it after I would downshift and coast with the clutch pedal in, but if I let off the clutch and put it into gear it would stop.. I'm pretty sure it's not just the shifter because it does it in neutral as well.. It seems too loud to be something not worth worrying about, any ideas on what it is and how bad this is gonna be for me?

I just dropped close to 800 to replace my clutch and pressure plate (like 380 for parts and 375 for labor.. then another small problem ran it up to 800).. So I'm near broke now and I'm afraid I'm gonna be forced to let the car sit for awhile if it needs a new transmission..

But has anyone experienced this before? It's my first manual so I'm not as knowledgeable about transmissions and such, never had to worry about them before.

Thanks.

 

TTT.. Anyone have any ideas?

Or should I put this in the Drivetrain forum? I figured it wasn't too specific so it'd be better off in the general LT1 Tech...

 

WOW, I cant belive it but you are the ONLY other person with this problem that I've seen. I've been having this problem ever since I put in my first SPEC clutch. With clutch pushed in and coasting down, i hear/feel a slight grinding...especially with downshifting.

This was happening before I blew my 2-3 synchros about a year and a half ago. I had the trand rebuilt with a new clutch (old one malfunctioned) and this problem was still there. Everyone I ask doesnt really notice it or says its not that big of a deal. It also seems to happen either cold, or after driving on LONG trips. But not after warmed up for a while

Id like to know what this could be as well

 

It was cold, but it was towards the end of my trip so the car was warmed up... Not sure how much the transmission warms up though.

I was wondering if when the clutch was installed it was adjusted improperly and it's not fully disengaging..

But I don't know if it's the synchros cause it's after I shift into that gear but before I let off the clutch.. Don't the synchros only work during the actual movement of the shifter?

I'll be relieved if it's nothing to worry about, but the sound could get pretty annoying if I have to hear it every day.. Oh well, guess I just can't ever slow down...

 

Your clutch is going bad from my point of view, if it were something major with your tranny it would happen all the time

 

Nice screenname lol..

I hope it's not the clutch though, I just replaced that about a week or two ago..

 

are you sure u did it correctly?? thx bout the name, not to question your ability to work on cars but theres always that chance

 

I took it to my mechanic, so I hope it was done correctly.. I may drop by and have him check it out..

 

it should be guaranteed so he should do it for free unless its something not related to your clutch

 

First off.... it really does not sound liek a clutch problem. I'd say it is the transmission.

do some troubleshooting with a friend helping..
first jack up the rear. put the tranny in gear and have someone stand on the clutch with the car shut off. Do the rear wheels turn easily? if so.. the clutch is releasing fully.

next.... remove the driveshaft. (4 bolts) turn the output shaft in each gear by hand with the clutch disengaged. it should be very smooth like silk, and not make any noise.

if these tests fail.. it may be time to find a good used transmission. I've seen them pretty cheap on these message boards.

The best way to test these transmissions without tearing them apart is with a sensative hand. turn the input & output shaft very slow and feel it out.

when I did my clutch this fall I tested my trans. I set it on the workbench and turned the shafts. It was silk smooth in all 6 gears. I tested it completey removed from the car and empty of fluid.

Swapping the 6-speed is a pretty easy job. I've done it by myself in a day. Dont be afraid to give it a shot if you have to.

good luck!

 

I have the same problem you describe. After a long drive, I will get a grinding / rubbing sound when trying to downshift. I have yet to dig into the problem, since it still works fine. It does make a lot of noise. It has been doing it on and off for a year and a half now.

BRAD

 

I've had this same exact problem for a while now just like all you guys, It wasn't my clutch cause i replaced my clutch and everything and it was still doing that, I believe it is the throw-out bearing that is doing the noise, we've looked at it at my work, I work at a dealership and I'm a mechanic, and so far that appears to be the problem. You should be able to still drive it for a while what i do is as soon as it starts making that noise just release the clutch and pump it a couple of times and it usually stops. I'm not 100% sure it is so if someone knows exactly what it is let me know.

Cisco

 

It didn't do it at all today, but I stopped by the mechanic anyway.. He said it was possibly the synchros sticking... But I kinda doubt that.. I also just put a new throwout bearing in with the clutch and pressure plate, so it probably isn't that.. I'm gonna take it by the mechanic later this week to change the transmission fluid just in case, he said he had a similar problem on one of his cars and that took care of it for the most part...

I will try pumping the clutch pedal next time it happens to see if it helps...

And Tabahr, thanks for the ideas.. I'm gonna try to make time this weekend to do those tests, unless my mechanic notices anything when I take it back in later this week..

If I figure out what it is, I'll let everyone know.. But I'm wondering if it has to do with the cold because it was fine today and it was a little warmer... Then again there were a lot of colder days before and I didn't have any problems on those days..

 

Im glad im not the only one anymore. It cant be the clutch from my point of view...

Before MY tranny failed I had this problem. When the tranny failed, it turned out one of the springs on the pressure plate broke and the clutch would not disengage correctly which blew out my synchros (this was on a 4000 mile SPEC stage II clutch). I called SPEC and told them the problem, and they sent me another unit plus a new flywheel (old one was burnt) for a huge discount. Anyway, tranny was fixed along with new clutch installed and the grinding problem came right back. So I almost thought this was a common case but none

 

could it be the throwout bearing?