Clutch Noise - Advice Needed

[Timk]

Hi,

This is further to my earlier post, which unfortunately prompted no responses!

I have a 80 Avant tdi 1994 with 150k miles.

Had a report of a noisy clutch thrust release bearing after some service work last week at local dealer.

The noise is not a scream or anything dramatic, and I hadnt noticed it previously - may have been there for some time - you only really here it clearly with the door open.

Oddly, the clutch noise only seems to occur when operating the clutch.
Peaking in a slight rattly warble as you apply a little pressure, then reducing to a more hollow distant rotational noise as the clutch is
fully depressed.

Another mechanic told me today that he wasnt even sure it was the clutch thrust bearing, as this noise is usually heard with the clutch up, and could even be a problem relating to the input shaft or "something else". Would have to take it all apart to confirm.

Now I am planning to go on a 4000mile trip next week, and probably do not have time to get it seen to before the trip.

Can anyone offer any comments on a) whether it is likely to be the thrust bearing b) how long it is likely to take to get much worse c) what the failure mode is likely to be.

The clutch is the original and I have owned the car since new. Anybody been driving around with a noisy clutch for some time?

Would really appreciate some reassurance / cautionary warning!

Cheers,

Timk

[m4xmw]

Provided the clutch is not juddering or very noisy, or the pedal very high up to engage, I`d say you`ll be fine for some time yet.
Its upto you though...it wont be a particularly expensive clutch change?
I`m on my original clutch @148k and its a 2.3e 1990 90.

Hope this helps
Mark

[guyg]

Oddly, the clutch noise only seems to occur when operating the clutch.Timk

This is typical of the onset of thrust bearing failure, it's only under load when you depress the pedal to disengage the clutch.

could even be a problem relating to the input shaft or "something else".

If there is a noisy bearing on the input shaft, the noise will stop when you depress the clutch as you are disconnecting the drive to the input shaft.

From what you describe probably 90% likelyhood of impending thrust bearing failure. They get hot and dry and start to squeal and moan a bit. They can go on for some time before they break up.

If I was facing a 4000 mile trip, I'd probably get it done, but if it did fail while you're away, changing a bearing [or clutch] isn't rocket science but is is a labour intensive job needing full garage facilities.

If you do get it done, replace the whole clutch as a kit; if you're going somewhere remote, get a kit before you go and take it with you - if it did fail, you'd save a wait for parts...

Cheers

Guy

[Timk]

Provided the clutch is not juddering or very noisy, or the pedal very high up to engage, I`d say you`ll be fine for some time yet.
Its upto you though...it wont be a particularly expensive clutch change?
I`m on my original clutch @148k and its a 2.3e 1990 90.

Hope this helps
Mark

There is no noticeable problem at all apart from the noise - and you really only hear it with the door open, so I am probably going to go on the road with it. I also heard "unfortunate" things about Mr Clutch, but unfortunately I cant find a small outfit that has the time to do the clutch change in the next week.

Thanks for the reassurance,

Timk

(Sorry this is split across two threads now...).

[Timk]

This is typical of the onset of thrust bearing failure, it's only under load when you depress the pedal to disengage the clutch.



If there is a noisy bearing on the input shaft, the noise will stop when you depress the clutch as you are disconnecting the drive to the input shaft.

From what you describe probably 90% likelyhood of impending thrust bearing failure. They get hot and dry and start to squeal and moan a bit. They can go on for some time before they break up.

If I was facing a 4000 mile trip, I'd probably get it done, but if it did fail while you're away, changing a bearing [or clutch] isn't rocket science but is is a labour intensive job needing full garage facilities.

If you do get it done, replace the whole clutch as a kit; if you're going somewhere remote, get a kit before you go and take it with you - if it did fail, you'd save a wait for parts...

Cheers

Guy

Well as I am going to Germany and Switzerland, I will probably leave it for the moment, and possibly get it done while I am there. Switzerland is not a bad place to get work done, and Audi 80s are more common than the proverbial ford escort there.

Thanks for the advice and reassurance.

[Carouser]

Hi There

Apologies, I don't meant to hijack this thread, but your problem appears to be simliar to mine and since this is only my second post, I wasn't entirely sure where I should have placed it.

In a nutshell, I have a 1998 VW Sharan, 2.8 VR6 on 100k miles. Engine and gearbox appear rock solid, however I do get a noticable 'warbling' is the best way to describe it when I engage the clutch while pulling away in first.

It doesn't do it in any other gear and doesn't do it when cold, only when warm.

I wasn't sure whether it was clutch or gearbox.

Trouble is, I cover 600 miles per week, so if this is something that is going to get worse and end in catastrophic failure, I need to get on top of it now.

Many thanks

Carouser

[bobdabuilda]

Hi There

Apologies, I don't meant to hijack this thread, but your problem appears to be simliar to mine and since this is only my second post, I wasn't entirely sure where I should have placed it.

In a nutshell, I have a 1998 VW Sharan, 2.8 VR6 on 100k miles. Engine and gearbox appear rock solid, however I do get a noticable 'warbling' is the best way to describe it when I engage the clutch while pulling away in first.

It doesn't do it in any other gear and doesn't do it when cold, only when warm.

I wasn't sure whether it was clutch or gearbox.

Trouble is, I cover 600 miles per week, so if this is something that is going to get worse and end in catastrophic failure, I need to get on top of it now.

Many thanks

Carouser

I get the exact same problem on my audi 1.8SE a4 avant. The noise is like a rapid high pitched 'whoop whoop whoop whoop whoop' sound similar to the noise Dr noidberg makes on the Futurama cartoon when hes wound up.... The clutch doesn't slip or judder though..... clutch release bearing or DMF problem?

[Carouser]

Thank you for your response.

Yep, have it on good authority from a mechanic mate of mine that it's the clutch release bearing.

Advice I got was it is safe to drive, but ultimately it will fail and the bearing will break into several thousand pieces and will end in catastrophic failure of the clutch.

Full clutch kit for my VR6 was around £300+. Worth doing the plates if renewing the bearing.

Not sure on the cost of labour or what it involves. Is it possible to get the gearbox of a transvers V6 engine out without having to drop the engine too?

Suffice to say it is going to cost money. Having said that, I have covered nearly 10,000 miles since I first noticed the noise and it hasn't got notably worse...

Carouser

[bobdabuilda]

Thanks for the reply, looks like a costly job then!

[Carouser]

Unfortunately, it looks that way.

How about this though...

Have been losing a lot of water and burning oil unnecessarily for some time now. No smoke from the exhaust, no obvious pools of water under the car, but definitely getting through ample amounts of both.

More recently, however, I've been topping up the water at least 2.5litres per time over say....1,500 miles, which is a lot by any means.

Dad and I looked under the bonnet today and we could see a constant drip...drip...drip from around the engine block. Very, very hard to see where it is coming from given the VR6 has been shoe-horned into a very small space, amongst all of the other paraphernalia...

We both agreed this looks like the cylinder head gasket as gone... How misterable is that?

Having been told that the timing chains were on their way out (and this is only on a 113,000 mile engine) it looked like I was heading towards the scrapper.

However...given the body work in the car is immaculate, as is the interior, I enjoy driving the car and to me has many years left, I looked into having the engine totally rebuilt, including all gaskets, timing chains, re-bore, piston rings, crank shafts etc..etc...

I got a quote for £1,600 on the same engine, not a part ex rebuild, and all works done in five days.

This would probably solve most of my problems in one hit.

Also, while the engine is out I am going to ask about having the clutch done too.

Sounds like a lot of money, but it's £1,600 for what will be a brand new engine with 60,000 mile or 5 year warranty in a car I know the history of.

I reckon this worth considering.

Am going to post an entirely separate thread on this subject, so if you are interested, keep an eye out for the details.

Best wishes

Carouser