just drove my car for the first time in a week after being away on a trip. half of the times that i shifted, on letting out the clutch i heard a gross and moderately high-pitched squeal of half a second long. it didn't seem to matter which gear i was in or how quickly i released the pedal. i couldn't tell where it was coming from. any guesses?

t.i.a.!

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'77 240D, 504H, OM617.952, etc.

I would suspect you have a throw out bearing that is getting tired. Since you have to pull the transmission to service it, I would let it squeak. It might go for a long time.

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Junqueyardjim
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. C.S. Lewis



1983 Mercedes W123 240D 4 Speed 285,000 on the road with a 617 turbo, beautiful butter yellow, license plate # 83 240D INDIANA

2003 Jaguar Type X, AWD. beautiful, good mileage,
Mom's car, but I won't let her drive it!

duly noted jim, thank you for the observation!

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'77 240D, 504H, OM617.952, etc.

If you have too pull the tranny, not a bad job as far as pulling trannys, its probably ready for the other components, pressure plate, clutch disc and pilot bearing. Its not such an easy job that you would wont to do it again real soon so I would start collecting all the parts for the complete job. If you have to pay someone to do this you really dont want to do it again. A shop would want too resurface the fly wheel, which is a good idea if its grooved badly.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

Just to rule it out, check the belt driven accessories to make sure it's not the source.




.

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1983 123.133 California
- GreaseCar Veg System

thanks folks. tranny pulling: aargh, i just had the flywheel rebalanced, new clutch and pilot bearing done!

richard: good idea to check 'em, but how to do so without driving with the hood open?

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'77 240D, 504H, OM617.952, etc.

that screech is now lasting longer than the clutch release takes - as much as a couple of seconds - and intermittently occurring even when the engine is warm. is that something a funny throwout bearing could possibly do?

based on the strong correlation with clutching i never bothered to check the belts, but i guess i will now - make sure the wear is symmetrical and that the tension is correct. that's it, right?

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'77 240D, 504H, OM617.952, etc.

More important is to reach down and see if you can turn the alternator pulley using the cooling fins. If you can the belt can squeal.

I like the test better of putting in the clutch and releasing it in neutral at idle from what you believe. This to indicate if it is the bearing or not.

...check belt driven accessories, the tensioner on my v8 always seemed to squeal as an indication it was starting to go bad.

It's a belt. I'd suspect it has nothing to do with the clutch.

The alternator spinning up and down puts a lot of strain on the belt. If it isn't tightened correctly or if it's worn down enough that contact area is smaller than required, it'll squeal.

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'84 190D 2.2 5MT (Red/Palomino) Current car. Love it!
'85 190D 2.2 Auto *Cali* (Blue/Blue) *sold*
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Although may sound screwey, have you checked your front brake pads? That sacraficial piece of metal makes a sound like the one you're describing and I have it while I am shifting gears and I would have coorelated that sound with the clutch; however, I determiend it is the brakes. I'm just too lazy and "busy" to swap in a cheap set of brake pads.

thanks folks, this noise is definitely the alternator pulley, i can turn the blades by hand against the belt tension. it started happening after i installed an amplifier FWIW. i guess it's not connected to the throwout bearing problem which sounded so similar.

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'77 240D, 504H, OM617.952, etc.

Screech is a very powerful form of home made alcohol in parts of the east coast of Canada where I live. Many members would probably like a taste of the stuff as it is quite popular.

Actually why I posted this is by just taking a bar of face soap and rubbing the v part of the exposed belt or belts can give the belt traction for a test.

This I used to reserve for say vacation time when I had no tools nor the inclination to tighten up the alternator belt for a few days. It works incidentally. Unless the belt is crazy loose I suppose.

an alternator adjustment resolved it. thanks richard for the accurate diagnosis!

barry, i would have thought soap would have the opposite effect. let us know when your screech retail project goes live.

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'77 240D, 504H, OM617.952, etc.

I think it is the glycerine in the soap that acts as a temporary belt dressing. It does work I can assure you though even if that is not the reason.