High pitched squealing - clutch release bearing?

[_leon_ 0]

Hoping someone can help! From cold idle (no gear engaged of course) and clutch not pressed I can hear a 'tapping metal' kind of noise - very irregular and not too loud. Rev and just get the same. Drive the car (in gear clutch up) and once over 2k rpm I can hear a loud squealing noise - enough to turn heads on the street. This whine/squeal gets slightly higher pitched the higher up the rev range I get. No loss of power though. The key thing here though is - when moving and gear engaged - push the clutch down and the noise disappears (not instantly but fades after 1-2 seconds). Lift the clutch again and the noise is back.

 

A mate reckons its the clutch release bearings are dry and causing it. I've been working away from home and the car only gets driven at the weekends - he reckons this is the cause. What does it wound like to you? Anything I can try to rule out a few other candidates? And any ideas of work involved/costs? I first labelled the noise as a worn idler pulley or belt squeal. Any help massively appreciated - I need to drive it to London from Scotland soon!

 

Cheers 8)

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

If it various the noise with the clutch it can only be release bearing or box noise,but i doubt if its the box,idlers are common to run dry in the conditions they are in mate.

[_leon_ 0]

If it various the noise with the clutch it can only be release bearing or box noise,but i doubt if its the box,idlers are common to run dry in the conditions they are in mate.

 

When I tried using a long screwdriver to see where the noise was coming from - it seemed to come from under the car. I suspected the idler pulley initially - but seems its not that. Driving along at 70 on the motorway I can hear it squealing away...

 

Whats the work involved? Gearbox off? how urgent is it to fix?

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

The sound will resonate and using a long screwdriver will be hard to pin point. It will be a box off job mate,and I would do it soon as the squealing will be a dry bearing or it could be metal contact which means failure at anytime. :(

[_leon_ 0]

The sound will resonate and using a long screwdriver will be hard to pin point. It will be a box off job mate,and I would do it soon as the squealing will be a dry bearing or it could be metal contact which means failure at anytime. :(

 

Just a new clutch kit thats needed then? Or is it likely a new release bearing is all thats needed? If the former - any good clutches to go for rather than replacing with a vag clutch? You're probably a good person to ask that question ;)

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

The sound will resonate and using a long screwdriver will be hard to pin point. It will be a box off job mate,and I would do it soon as the squealing will be a dry bearing or it could be metal contact which means failure at anytime. :(

 

Just a new clutch kit thats needed then? Or is it likely a new release bearing is all thats needed? If the former - any good clutches to go for rather than replacing with a vag clutch? You're probably a good person to ask that question ;)[/quote:glac50u6]

 

Best fit a clutch kit if your in that deep,as for types of clutch to use on a stock engine ive used all names and brands ,LUK or Sachs make plenty OEM replacment parts.

[_leon_ 0]

cheers bud. Its not stock though - its vortech'ed - NickVR6s old vr.

[Supercharged 2]

cheers bud. Its not stock though - its vortech'ed - NickVR6s old vr.

 

OEM are pretty damn good to be honest and I would think it would last ok on a 250bhp engine...

 

Might be worth having a word with Nick or Vince at Stealth as i'm fairly sure that car had a clutch less than a year ago as part of the timing chains job...

[_leon_ 0]

Thats right - it did have the clutch changed same time as the chains. Its possible the release bearings were crap or grease has just worked its way out? Pretty sure the LUK VR clutches can handle 300bhp ok - just may have been an opportunity for something better - taking the box off isnt something i want to do too often!

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

I ran over 300hp on my old VR with a old LUK clutch so it will be fine and the SC VR's are linear in power curve which helps allot.

[_leon_ 0]

cool cheers James 8)

[junkie 0]

Drive the car (in gear clutch up) and once over 2k rpm I can hear a loud squealing noise - enough to turn heads on the street. This whine/squeal gets slightly higher pitched the higher up the rev range I get. No loss of power though. The key thing here though is - when moving and gear engaged - push the clutch down and the noise disappears (not instantly but fades after 1-2 seconds). Lift the clutch again and the noise is back.

Cheers 8)

 

Surely you have figured out its to do with that great big dirty supercharger under the bonnet :lol: all you say above really points to it for me.

[Supercharged 2]

^ LOL, I was waiting for him to realise...

 

Funniest thing about that car is Nick didn't tell his Mrs he'd bought a charger - when she heard the noise and questioned it he told her it needed a new alternator - genius!

[junkie 0]

Absolute pure genius to nick lol :lol:

 

Does she still not know to this day.

[_leon_ 0]

I don't think its the charger - the sound isn't coming from there. if it was the charger - wouldnt revving with the clutch pedal pressed down then make the same sound?

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

I'm surprised you can hear anything with charger whining away :lol:

[_leon_ 0]

i can hear it at motorway speeds! the squealing not the charger

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

I don't think its the charger - the sound isn't coming from there. if it was the charger - wouldnt revving with the clutch pedal pressed down then make the same sound?

 

 

its not just tell them to piss off :lol:

[_leon_ 0]

hehe sunday morning blondeness. guys - pi$$ off!

[junkie 0]

Stop been so feckin serious leon :lol: and sorry bud somebody had to say the charger. :lol:

[_leon_ 0]

On the drive home today it wasn't making nearly as much noise - although at 3.5k could consistently hear it. Listened around the car again and its definitely coming from the driver (belt) side. I'm suspecting the power steering pump now - as the location of the noise seems to point directly at it. Only thing against that is the loss of noise once the clutch is pressed in. Could it be due to the loss of revs and load that causes it to quieten down - or is that just silly talk? :lol:

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

On the drive home today it wasn't making nearly as much noise - although at 3.5k could consistently hear it. Listened around the car again and its definitely coming from the driver (belt) side. I'm suspecting the power steering pump now - as the location of the noise seems to point directly at it. Only thing against that is the loss of noise once the clutch is pressed in. Could it be due to the loss of revs and load that causes it to quieten down - or is that just silly talk? :lol:

 

 

Maybe you should remove your belt and start it up to eliminate any engine gearbox noise then if possible refit your oem tensioner and belt and start it as to rule out the charger.

[adevr6 0]

any lateral wobble on the water pump pulley?this will shreek like hell.i have just had my vortech bearings uprated-believe me if they were mashed you would hear a chatter bearing noise a lot louder than normal.is the ribbed belt tensioned properly?over tensioning will drastically shorten thier life span.