I think I may have a bad throw out bearing. Occasional chatter from under the car. Goes away when I depress the clutch. However, I can't make the chatter happen, it just comes and goes, seemingly at random.

Has anyone done this job?

Is this something that, if left unattended, will damage other components?

The car is MY 1987, obviously a 5-speed.

Thanks ya'll

Ben Thorp

 

Ben,

A bad TOB will not chatter. It will make a noise, rattle, or make high pitch whine. The TOB is under the most load when the pedal is depressed. If the chatter goes away when the pedal is depressed, then it’s not the TOB.

What do you mean by chatter? Clutch chatter feels like a vibration, more pronounced when taking off from a dead stop. It will go away when the car is moving and the clutch pedal is released. If you have these symptoms, it’s the clutch or clutch fork that’s bad.

Steve C
The Great White

 

Just had it replaced. I heard a high pitch sound, not too loud. Any pressure on the clutch pedal at all eliminated the noise.

 

If the nylon ball on the upper end of the clutch release arm is gone, the arm can rattle or chatter. You can check by removing the air filter housing and wriggling the clutch arm at the top.