Throw out bearings... what's the harm?

I just had a new clutch put into my car about 5 weeks ago. On Friday I noticed a slight squeaking or rattle coming from the rear of the car while the clutch is out. With the clutch in, it goes away.

I'm fairly sure that is either the throw out bearing or the ball joint, what do you think?

Then, what is the harm of letting it rattle or squeak? (It is very minor and you cannot hear it from inside the car).

Thanks, Brad

worst case? the bearing disentigrates and chews up the fingers on your clutch, which then destroys the release cylinder or clutch fork. so not only might you end up having to pull everything out again, but you could end up replacing your just-replaced clutch as well. is this a new throwout bearing? thats usually a "while you're in there" thing, like the release cylinder

In my experience...some of them make noise. Ideally, they'd get replaced, but it's a big job, so if they funciton fine and the noise stays consistent, they just don't get replaced.

I've got one on my dually that growls like crazy when it's cold, but works fine and quiets down rather quickly as it warms up.

Clem

Sounds from what you said that you had the shop replace the clutch?

Is there a warranty on the work? If so take it back in to have the shop look at it.

BradLTL wrote: I just had a new clutch put into my car about 5 weeks ago. On Friday I noticed a slight squeaking or rattle coming from the rear of the car while the clutch is out.

Isn't the clutch near the front?

Look at your receipt for the clutch job, there should be a list of parts. See if they replaced the throw out bearing, but I don't see how it could effect a noise out back.

Dan

You motor doesn't happen to look like a small tire does it?

We actually had something similar happen with my co-teams miata on BABE last year. The "bearing" made noise when you pushed in the clutch, slowly over the lenght of the return trip the clutch stopped disengauging. What we all thought was just bearing noise turned out to be a bum pressure plate that eventually disintegrated. If it was done at a shop I'd have it checked, sometimes things just aren't what they sound like.

914Driver wrote: Isn't the clutch near the front?

Porsche? nope.

Didn't know it was a Porsche.

Can you get the car up in the air while it's running? Put a guy in the car, cycle the clutch and get under it.

Dan

I had a throw out bearing completely disintegrate after an autocross in my BGT. Left me stranded on the way home. Far cry from a Boxster, maybe, but the principle is the same. Small part, big headache. Engine had to come out to replace a $5.00 part, so I went ahead and replaced everything.

Same symptoms BTW, a slight shudder and wierd noises while depressing and releasing the clutch pedal, also lowered idle speed if the pedal remained depressed. I then remained depressed until I came up with an extra $500 I didn't budget for to set everything straight.

I had a rattle when the clutch pedal was out in my AWD DSM for three plus years (got quiet when I engauged it). Replaced by a shop ... Had a new bearing ... rattled as soon as I got it home. I could chip four tires in the cold and launch like a drag car (I didn't drag it regularly). Three years or so later I sold it still making noise, no issues.

If you put pressure on the clutch pedal without pushing it in, does the noise go away? If so, apply some grease on the tip of the slave cylinder piston where it meets the fork. That was the cause of my squeak.

I have push the clutch pedal in about 10% of the throw before it stops making noise. Not sure if the clutch is engaged at all at that point though.

When the clutch pedal is in, there is no noise or shudder. When the pedal is out, there is only a rattle or squeal. The squeal does seem to change with the engine speed. If you add revs, the squeal speeds up.

yep....replace it.