Clutch problems - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Scott98 · #1 01-14-2007, 10:40 PM

I just put in a new clutch and am now noticing something I'm afraid of. When the car is in neutral and I let the clutch out it starts making a slight noise that goes away when I push in the clutch pedal. I'm afraid it might be the pilot bearing. Any ideas? Is there a way I could have installed it wrong? I can't think of any. I used anti-seize on the input shaft.

Scott

leathermang · #2 01-14-2007, 10:44 PM

The throwout bearing is only ' working' when you have the clutch depressed... if your bearings were shot for instance then that is when you would hear and probably feel it...
I would activate everything through the gears a few times and see if you can still hear it...then report back...

#3 01-14-2007, 10:46 PM

It's the gears turning inside the tranny. Unless it's really loud, don't worry about it.

leathermang · #4 01-14-2007, 10:51 PM

Lets guess at the logical scenario...
you took out the trans fluid to make it lighter to handle doing the clutch job...you forgot to put it back in...
and now it is dry and screaching ?
LOL
hopefully not...
but have you put Redline MTL into it ?

Scott98 · #5 01-14-2007, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leathermang

Lets guess at the logical scenario...
you took out the trans fluid to make it lighter to handle doing the clutch job...you forgot to put it back in...
and now it is dry and screaching ?
LOL
hopefully not...
but have you put Redline MTL into it ?

It's full of Redline MTL. Recently changed. The car is NOT moving when I hear the noise and the car has to be in neutral with the clutch OUT.

Scott

Scott98 · #6 01-14-2007, 10:52 PM

Here's what I've got. When the car is sitting completely still, the tranny is in neutral, and the clutch pedal is not pressed down, I hear the noise. Once I push in the clutch, the noise goes away. There are no other times I get that sound. It's only when the car is still, in neutral and the clutch isn't pressed down. I'm thinking pilot bearing but I'm by no means a clutch expert.

Any more ideas?

Thanks,

Scott

#7 01-14-2007, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott98

Here's what I've got. When the car is sitting completely still, the tranny is in neutral, and the clutch pedal is not pressed down, I hear the noise. Once I push in the clutch, the noise goes away. There are no other times I get that sound.

That's the sound of the gears turning.

kerry · #8 01-14-2007, 11:00 PM

I don't see how it could be the pilot bearing because the input shaft and the flywheel/pilot bearing are turning together when the clutch is not engaged.
It could however be the throwout bearing. I have heard such sounds in the past on other vehicles. The sound goes away when the bearing is loaded up by stepping on the clutch. It could be caused by just a light pressure on the throwout bearing. Try adjusting the slave cylinder or clutch pedal so that there is more freedom for the throwout bearing.
Did you put in a new throwout bearing?

Scott98 · #9 01-14-2007, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry edwards

It could be caused by just a light pressure on the throwout bearing. Try adjusting the slave cylinder or clutch pedal so that there is more freedom for the throwout bearing.
Did you put in a new throwout bearing?

I installed a new throwout bearing and a new slave cylinder. I've put about 1,000 miles on the clutch so far and swear it only started doing this today but who knows. How do you adjust the slave cylinder? I didn't think there was any adjustment.

t walgamuth · #10 01-15-2007, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForcedInduction

It's the gears turning inside the tranny. Unless it's really loud, don't worry about it.

the trannys are notorious for rattling a bit in neutral with the clutch out. a bad throw out would rattle with the clutch depressed.

tom w

Scott98 · #11 01-15-2007, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

the trannys are notorious for rattling a bit in neutral with the clutch out. a bad throw out would rattle with the clutch depressed.

tom w

I think I will replace the "shim" that goes between the slave cylinder and tranny housing. It's supposed to be there and won't be much trouble at all to do. I will report back once I do this. Maybe it is just the gears but I should know for sure once I replace that piece.

Scott

Stevo · #12 01-15-2007, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott98

I think I will replace the "shim" that goes between the slave cylinder and tranny housing. It's supposed to be there and won't be much trouble at all to do. I will report back once I do this. Maybe it is just the gears but I should know for sure once I replace that piece.

Scott

That fat "shim" is designed so you can stick a gauge in and check how much the clutch disc has warn, you don't need it. The tranny in my "78" makes that noise, I don't believe theres a problem. I would agree it could be the throw out bearing but that doesn't seem likely in your case.

ykobayashi · #13 06-20-2007, 10:55 AM

I have this problem in my W123. When the clutch is down, the very slight grinding sound goes away. I like the thought that it might be gears, because that makes sense. Also K.E.'s explanation of a spring finger dragging on the throwout makes sense. My sound goes away if I pump the clutch a couple of times. It also goes away when I hold the clutch DOWN.

I've theorized it could be either gears, input shaft bearing, little roller bearing behind input shaft bearing or a dragging clutch spring that gets realigned when I pump the clutch.

I'm thinking of replacing my clutch soon but I'll be really mad if I replace the pilot bearing, throwout and clutch/pp and it still grinds when cold.

When I was a kid my dad changed his Pinto clutch. We were really poor(and dumb) so he didn't buy the throwout bearing. It was a little rough so he sprayed WD40 in it. What do you think happened? Yup, when the clutch was pressed DOWN it made a grinding sound after the WD dried up.

So I've been a bit confused. I'm glad to hear this problem came up after your clutch job, which means it probably isn't the input shaft bearing or tranny parts...unless a slight mismatch in shaft alignment after you put things together is messing things up. Naahhh. Impossible.

Good luck, I'm really curious to see what the problem was. The fact that it happened after your clutch job probably means it isn't the gears. Something is dragging in there.

Yoko Kobayashi