twitchett

So, I just had a bunch of maintenance completed on my car and now there is a brand new noise. I just replaced the clutch, flywheel, IMS, RMS, chain tensioners, 02 sensors and fuel filter. You think the car would be perfect, but a few days after I picked it up it developed a new noise. It started intermittently, but now it appears to be there all the time. There appears to also be a whirring noise at idle, so I am hoping it is the water pump. Oddly enough, it is hard to hear at the rear wheels and from behind the car, but right in front of the rear wheel is where it is loudest. Sounds a little rattly at times and knockier at others. I believe the water pump is original (1998) and I have also considered scoring, although there is no soot or burning of oil. I have also had the car bore scored twice (once during PPI and again through the sump when I decided to re-seal). The car has been in the shop a lot lately and no one has seemed to notice this noise no have there been any other symptoms.


Any ideas would be great!

Mason

JohnCA58

Remove the engine belt and run the engine without the belt, if noise is still there, then you know it is not the water pump. if noise is gone, rotate the pulleys to see which components feel rough.

Ahsai

Press in the clutch and see if the noise goes away.

twitchett

Totally forgot to remove the belt, so I will try that and try seeing if it reacts to the clutch. Thanks guys!

Tyler H

I just did all that myself. How many miles since? My chain tensioners were maybe a little louder immediately after, but then quieted back to normal.

Of course the M96 noise 'noids are in full effect right after a wallet-invasive mainenance tike that.

It doesn't sound weird to me in the video, except for maybe some tensioner noise right at the end.

yaknart33

I think Ahsai is on to it .Sounds more like a possible clutch release /throw out bearing related noise.That would be why the noise is more pronounced in front of the rear tire .

twitchett

I am still waiting for a call from my indy to bring it back in since his parts are warrantied. He thinks it is the chain tensioner he installed failing out of the box and has advised me not to drive much if possible. The car was started yesterday after changing out the water pump in order to burp the system, but the sound wasn't there (of course... a tech was present with me and thinks I am just crazy). Perhaps I will go for a short drive today to make sure the cooling system is good and perhaps try to recreate the noise and then check the clutch. With the belt off the pulleys all seemed perfect, other than the water pump that had some bearing noise. It seems loud for something as simple as a clutch release/throw out bearing, then again I am no expert!

I will let you guys know!

twitchett

Update. Just got the car back from the indy and he said he never heard the noise. I could not re-create the noise the entire week leading up to me taking him the car. I figure maybe it is gone, but once I got off the highway I could hear it still. This gave me the opportunity to test it with the clutch depressed. Turns out, it does make the noise go away when the clutch is engaged, which is good news since it isn't a cylinder failing or something. Would this be the throw out bearing? The invoice says a clutch kit was used, so I assume this part would have been included in that repair. Any ideas?

Thanks!

Ahsai

Good. One more test. When you hear the noise again at idle, put it in neutral then without pressing the clutch, pull the shift stick toward the rear of the car for half an inch or so (or until you feel some resistance) and see if the noise goes away. Don't pull it too far obviously.

twitchett

Sound was pretty loud today so it was very easy to see that the clutch eliminates the noise.

Ahsai, thank you so much for helping me with this. Pulling the shifter towards third gear in neutral does quiet the sound down significantly.

Ahsai

I'm pretty sure it's on the transmission/clutch side then. It's likely one of the shifter arms rattling (too much free play). It can be reproduced by shaking the arm under the car by hand (with engine off). If not that, it's something inside the clutch then.