Clutch job: What bearings "while i'm in there"

Doing a clutch on a car with 210k miles. Clutch kit has a pilot bearing.

What other bearings should i do while i've got everything apart? Motor will come out with transmission for various gaskets as well, so as long as it's not INSIDE the motor or INSIDE the transmission, i can replace it pretty easily.

I am getting some noise right now with the clutch pedal released that goes away when i put the clutch pedal in. Don't remember what causes this. (Input shaft bearing?) It's not a squeal... more like a gigantic vacuum/boost leak noise.

Throwout bearing for sure, it's the one that usually makes the SSSSHHHHHHH noise with the clutch depressed. I would also be tempted to change the rear main on the engine and the front seal on the transmission depending on how hard they are to change and whether or not there are an signs of leaks.

That would be the throwout bearing causing your noise. "Premium" clutch kits usually include one, replace it.

Do the rear main if the flywheel is coming out.

Swank Force One wrote: I am getting some noise right now with the clutch pedal released that goes away when i put the clutch pedal in. Don't remember what causes this. (Input shaft bearing?) It's not a squeal... more like a gigantic vacuum/boost leak noise.

Reading comprehension fail on my part.

Clutch released would indicate a bearing on the input shaft in the transmission. The throwout bearing should be unloaded and freewheeling with the clutch released.

I'd still do the throwout bearing, but I'd be very tempted to go into the transmission, while it was on the ground, and find that noise. That or source a transmission to swap in. Bearing noises can turn into catastrophic failure in a hurry.

My bad... throwout bearing came with kit. Rear main seal will be replaced, just wondering about bearings.

As well as what they're all called. I have the feeling that the internet has 3 different names for each bearing. Example: rockauto has no listing for "throwout bearing."

As for the noise... been going on for 4.5 years now. I don't think it's going to grenade the trans.

Swank Force One wrote: As well as what they're all called. I have the feeling that the internet has 3 different names for each bearing. Example: rockauto has no listing for "throwout bearing."

I've only ever seen "throwout" or "clutch release," both of which are pretty logical.

is there a guide tube the throw out bearing slides on? If the tob is making noise there's likely wear on the guide tube or maybe that's more of a bmw thing.

With worn out transmissions, I like to play the "increase viscosity till it shuts up" game and see how long it will limp along.

My last car, when I bought it, had black/silver fluid in it, then it ran straight synchromesh for a while, loud, then I pulled it to change the slave, found at last 1/16" of slop in the input and put it back in with fluid that was 1qt synchromesh, 1 bottle STP and 10w40 to top off. Then a year later the fill plug/dipstick fell out and went noticed for two days of driving. When I flushed it out after this, the ATF I flushed it with was pretty metallic too. After that it went to 1 bottle lucas trans fix, 1/2 bottle STP I had lying around and 20w50 to top off, drove it for nearly anther year and sold it running quiet and shifting fine(other than cold mornings). This was over the course of two and a half years of me beating the crap out of it. I doubt the trans will be the death of that POS rusty sunfire.

I'm really not worried about the trans. I have two spares.

What other bearings should I do?

If you already have the pilot and release bearing, what else is there to do? I mean, engine bottom end, trans internals, driveshaft, wheel bearings? It's not like a clutch assembly has a bazillion bearings.

I just have the throwout bearing, or whatever bearing comes with clutch kits. There is a bearing I can get to on the motor, but I have no idea what it's called.

The pilot bushing? Chances are it doesn't need replaced, it's there to help keep the input shaft in alignment. Other than the parts in the clutch kit, there would only be seals there that can be replaced without tearing into either the motor or trans.

Swank Force One wrote: I just have the throwout bearing, or whatever bearing comes with clutch kits. There is a bearing I can get to on the motor, but I have no idea what it's called.

Clutch kits generally come with a pilot AND release bearing, so you are missing at least one. I disagree with moparman; replace the pilot. Many cars I have done the job on use a needle bearing in lieu of a bushing, and bad stuff happens when they seize or the needles fall out. Hence why Nismo reinforced pilot bearings are an honest-to-god product.

I have absolutely no idea what bearing on the motor you would be able to get to with only the trans out unless this job is being done on a water-cooled Porsche flat six.

For clarification. The diagram is intended to say that the pilot setup can be any one of the three options, not that all three are present.

Da fuq?

Ok so... pilot bearing = input shaft bearing and throwout bearing = release bearing?

My motor uses a sealed style bearing for the pilot/input shaft/whatever other multiple names exist for the same damn pary bearing.

Swank Force One wrote: Da fuq? Ok so... pilot bearing = input shaft bearing and throwout bearing = release bearing? My motor uses a sealed style bearing for the pilot/input shaft/whatever other multiple names exist for the same damn pary bearing.

Edit: oops I was wrong!

You can probably tell I've done this job way too many times...I am inevitably the friend that gets called to "help" and ends up doing 75% of the work. On that note, you will probably need a puller to get the old one out. Harbor freight has them cheap.

No, pilot bearing is pilot bearing input shaft bearing is the one inside the trans holding the input shaft on the bellhousing end.

Kenny_McCormic wrote: No, pilot bearing is pilot bearing input shaft bearing is the one inside the trans holding the input shaft on the bellhousing end.

You are correct, not sure what I was thinking when I read previous post...the pilot bearing goes ON the input shaft, but it is not the input shaft bearing.

So all I can get to is pilot and throwout? Throwout on trans, pilot in/on motor?

Kenny_McCormic wrote: With worn out transmissions, I like to play the "increase viscosity till it shuts up" game and see how long it will limp along. My last car, when I bought it, had black/silver fluid in it, then it ran straight synchromesh for a while, loud, then I pulled it to change the slave, found at last 1/16" of slop in the input and put it back in with fluid that was 1qt synchromesh, 1 bottle STP and 10w40 to top off. Then a year later the fill plug/dipstick fell out and went noticed for two days of driving. When I flushed it out after this, the ATF I flushed it with was pretty metallic too. After that it went to 1 bottle lucas trans fix, 1/2 bottle STP I had lying around and 20w50 to top off, drove it for nearly anther year and sold it running quiet and shifting fine(other than cold mornings). This was over the course of two and a half years of me beating the crap out of it. I doubt the trans will be the death of that POS rusty sunfire.

I don't get it? I thought 10-40 and 20-50 would be a much lighter viscosity than anything that typically goes in a transmission.

Isn't transmission fluid more typically in the 70w-90 area?

In reply to z31maniac:

No. You're talking about old stuff, for the most part, with 70w. Like the T-5 in Mustangs and a ton of other stuff, they call for ATF. Some use plain motor oil, like 30w. It really depends.

In reply to z31maniac:

Motor and gear lube run on different scales. I'm talking about motor oil. The final mix was north of 140 weight gear hot. The trans in question called for synchromesh which is hair thicker hot than ATF, something like 75weight gear.

Swank Force One wrote: Da fuq? Ok so... pilot bearing = input shaft bearing and throwout bearing = release bearing? My motor uses a sealed style bearing for the pilot/input shaft/whatever other multiple names exist for the same damn pary bearing.

Assuming we're talking about the PILOT bearing, if yours is sealed good for you. If its NOT, make sure to replace it and make sure you put it in the right way!

I got to re-do a clutch job the previous owner's mechanic did because they put the pilot bearing (needle style) in backwards. There is a little seal that needs to go between the motor and the transmission on one end of the needle pilot bearing...otherwise you get dust in it from the clutch and 20,000 miles later it makes loud noises

I'd replace a sealed pilot bearing each time it needs a new clutch disk too. If it goes bad, you just trashed the input shaft, the crank, or both.