Ok, I am new here, but not really new. I just took a few years off from following Prelude stuff when I gave more attention to the new car in my driveway and relegated the Prelude to light track duty only. I didn't have time to keep up with forums on both of my cars, and frankly I got fed up with the "my VTECH isn't working right" questions every day.
Anyway, I replaced the clutch, bearing, belts, pump on my 97 base 5-spd at 110K miles in 2004. One of the springs had cracked and it was seizing the clutch at random times. I'm now at 149K miles and I have a terrible squealing noise only when I engage the clutch in first gear. It lasts for a second or two and is not extremely loud, but distinctly audible inside the car and to people nearby. A mechanic friend thinks it might be a bad throw off bearing, but that doesn't sound right to me. I've considered that it might be suspension-related, but it seems more tied to clutch engagement than just vehicle movement. Any thoughts?
Oil leak onto the clutch can also cause squealing. Mainly from rear main, but also from head gasket oil leaks can get to the clutch
Interesting.. and it likely wouldn't persist past engaging in first gear on startup because the oil might get scrubbed off at that point. It does happen at stoplights, though, which isn't a lot of time for oil to leak - if it was leaking that much at a stoplight interval, then I would think it would be be a very noticeable leak. I'll look into that, though - thanks.
bad clutch :P. only real way to tell is to get that transmission off. But before hand if your engine is clean you can check for leaks anywhere. If not, when its warm out get your engine steam cleaned and drive it for a while and look to see if oil is leaking
Other than having to add between 1/2 and 1 Qt of oil in-between changes, I have not seen any indication of an oil leak. And adding the oil is not unusual for us, either. That's why I don't believe that it is a leak.
On an unrelated note, it was throwing a "running rich" code during the summer until the weather cooled, and nothing since. Recently I got the EGR Insufficient Flow, and I'm cleaning EGR valve and ports this weekend. I just thought I would see if I got address this clutch problem while I'm on this.
I do think that checking the rear seal is a good idea.
It could be the actual output shaft and the collar/sleeve that rides on it(for the operation of the throwout bearing). It could be somewhat dry, and causing a squealing of some sort.
But it's weird that it is only when you disengage the clutch with the trans shifted into first.
So you are sure it doesn't do it to ANY degree in any other gear.
...it's weird that it is only when you disengage the clutch with the trans shifted into first.
So you are sure it doesn't do it to ANY degree in any other gear.
To be honest, it's gone on for a while and I have accustomed myself to it, so I am not as conscious of it as I used to be, but I know it's still there. I am almost completely sure that it happens if I start off from 1st gear or 2nd gear. I do not ever recall it happening in reverse, though. And I don't start off in 3rd or higher, but if I did, the Mugen header/exhaust and CAI at those revs would make it hard to hear anything else.
Last edited by leftbrain99; 02-24-2010 at 01:50 PM.
From the moment you start to push that clutch down that squeaking intiates ? Or does it start once you start to release your clutch or when you completely have released the clutch pedal
My old act clutch had some steel prods coming out of the disc and mine started squeaking BAD more of a squealing at lower rpms whenever i engaged at persay anywhere from 2k-3k anything higher i could not hear it or it was gone i also had a slight rear main seal leak at the time i took it off to look what was going on i replaced the disk and seal and cleaned till it shined no problems after that not. this would definitly happen to me in revers though.. hmmm its just similar to how mine was
From the moment you start to push that clutch down that squeaking intiates ? Or does it start once you start to release your clutch or when you completely have released the clutch pedal
Pushing the clutch pedal is technically disengaging the clutch. That produces no noise in my case. It is when I have released the clutch pedal (fully engaging the clutch) and am in forward motion when I can create the noise. This noise lasts for little more than one full second. It does sound like a rubbing sound, lower in pitch than a belt squeal, almost certainly metal against metal.
I'm starting to think that the lack of lubrication on the main shaft at the clutch release bearing seems to make the most sense. Perhaps the transaxle load is a factor, and this load would be greatest in low gear coming from a standstill. I cannot explain why reverse would not create the noise, but maybe there is some other mechanical factor for that.
Anyway, I appreciate the suggestions - keep them coming! I will be checking that rear seal for any leaks, too.
I was thinking the springs on the pressure plate.. so one more time it starts to make the noise once the clutch is reangaged, not during the time your are letting off the clutch pedal to engage... yes ?
I was thinking the springs on the pressure plate.. so one more time it starts to make the noise once the clutch is reangaged, not during the time your are letting off the clutch pedal to engage... yes ?
Correct. No noise while letting off the pedal. Only full engagement. What does that indicate to you?
I will be furious if it's a pressure plate spring. That's what went out on my first clutch, but that went over 100K miles. This clutch hasn't gone 40K and the car was not getting anywhere near the amount of abuse on the track since swapping clutches.
hmmm if that bearing would definitely make alot of sound if it was dry especially when the clutch engaged how long has it been going on i wouldnt give that bearing more than 2 weeks without lubrication
It does happen in every gear, BTW. I was recreating it in third gear going over speed bumps and in fourth gear coming out of a turn off heading downhill. It's not even necessarily coming from a standstill. I listened for reverse a few times and it may be just difficult to hear it over the whine of that gear, which is about the same pitch.
^^See, you made it sound like it only happened in first gear on your original post....
That could be something randomly vibrating. But it could be anything clutch related...
I think you need to tear everything apart instead of wasting your time on here assuming what it could be. Because no matter how much you talk with us, you won't know a single thing.
I think you need to tear everything apart instead of wasting your time on here assuming what it could be. Because no matter how much you talk with us, you won't know a single thing.
Yeah, yeah, yeah - I know. I was just hoping I might find someone here who has had the exact same experience before I throw a weekend away. And I hate to pull everything and then find out I need to order a clutch. sigh.
Did more searching. When I saw the above thread before, I saw the several responses describing ABS pump noise, so I disregarded the entire thread. But on rereading, the OP and several others are describing my exact noise. Like a chair scooting back on hardwood floor is just about a perfect description. Still can't find any verdicts on a solution or exactly what the problem is, but I'm pleased that I'm not alone, completely.
EDIT: And this is a YouTube clip of an Accord making the noise. I cannot recreate it that consistently, and mine is much more subtle, but that's the noise and the same circumstance.
The source of your problem is a bad clutch bearing...Ive had this happen to me twice now, and its the same thing everytime. You step on the clutch and it goes away, and then you release it and it starts to make that sound right? Yea thats the bearing. End of story.
if i understand you correctly youre saying the noise is only present when your foot is no longer on the clutch pedal (clutch is fully engaged) and you give it gas? also the noise is present immediately after every gear change? that doesnt sound like a throwout bearing or pressure plate spring problem at all because those two things are only under stress while youre holding the clutch pedal down (clutch disengaged). it seems more like it could be related to the clutch disc somehow. maybe something dumb like one of the springs on the disc is messed up. maybe your clutch is out of alignment or your flywheel is cracked or warped. i dunno these are all guesses cuz its hard to say without experimenting for myself. did this suddenly start happening due to abuse?
correct. well, it happens while the clutch is slipping into engagement. it ends once the clutch is fully engaged. no noise while the pedal is down. I've heard it in 1st through 4th gears coming from a halt or near standstill (speed bump, turning,...). no performance hit, it's just an annoyance, but could be a sign of problems to come.
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