Clutch Rattling Sound

**Rhinohuey** · 04-29-2007, 10:17 PM

When ever I am driving slow (like through a parking lot) and I'm in first gear with my rpms pretty high (like 2500-2800) and I hit the clutch to slow down or come to a stop, I get this bad, really loud rattling sound coming from something in the drivetrain and I can't figure out for the life of me what it is. I've had people ride in the car with me to help me listen, and at times we are sure its coming from the clutch and other times it sounds like something is going on with the rear end to somehow make the transmission and shifter rattle.

An example is the other day when I was pulling out of the pump at the gas station but I didn't want to shift into second becuase I knew I was just going to have to slow down again because of another car coming (my rmps were about 2600) and I hit the clutch to avoid the shaking that comes from slowing down in a MT car with it engaged in a gear. Right when i hit the cluth, this bad banging or rattling sound came from somewhere near the cluth (I think)

Does anyone have any idea what could be making this sound? Or is it maybe that I just don't know how to use the clutch the right way? (I'm 99% sure its not a normal sound though) Any input would be appreciated. Thanks

**secondgearscratch** · 04-29-2007, 10:33 PM

Originally Posted by Rhinohuey

When ever I am driving slow (like through a parking lot) and I'm in first gear with my rpms pretty high (like 2500-2800) and I hit the clutch to slow down or come to a stop, I get this bad, really loud rattling sound coming from something in the drivetrain and I can't figure out for the life of me what it is. I've had people ride in the car with me to help me listen, and at times we are sure its coming from the clutch and other times it sounds like something is going on with the rear end to somehow make the transmission and shifter rattle.

this could be attributed to a variety of things, none of which are really THAT serious. if it sounds distant then it may be a the u joint in the yoke connecting the driveshaft to the rear end housing. leave car in neutral, get under there and see if you can move the driveshaft at all. alittle rotation is normal, but up and down is a sure sign of a u joint with bad or no bearings. if thats the case, an hour of your time and $11 bucks, thats all she wrote.

if it is clutch related and there is nothing wrong with engagement, then it could be throw out bearing chatter. this happens when A. a clutch assembly is new or not broken in, B. the throw out bearing is badly worn, C. the clutch fingers may be damaged but that would hinder engagement. try just letting out the clutch slowly from a dead stop and see if its just chattering. if performance isnt hindered, then dont worry too much about it. throw out bearings are easy to replace, just alittle tedious getting to it.

Originally Posted by Rhinohuey

An example is the other day when I was pulling out of the pump at the gas station but I didn't want to shift into second becuase I knew I was just going to have to slow down again because of another car coming (my rmps were about 2600) and I hit the clutch to avoid the shaking that comes from slowing down in a MT car with it engaged in a gear. Right when i hit the cluth, this bad banging or rattling sound came from somewhere near the cluth (I think)

refer to up top...

Originally Posted by Rhinohuey

Does anyone have any idea what could be making this sound? Or is it maybe that I just don't know how to use the clutch the right way? (I'm 99% sure its not a normal sound though) Any input would be appreciated. Thanks

there isnt too many wrong ways to use a clutch. you engage it, you disengage it.
dont worry, it doesnt sound major at all....
lay off the powershifting though....

**Rhinohuey** · 04-29-2007, 10:40 PM

Originally Posted by secondgearscratch

try just letting out the clutch slowly from a dead stop and see if its just chattering.

So just to see if its chattering, I should (with the engine running I assume) slowly let the clutch out with or without it being engaged in a gear? And should I be giving it gas when I do this or not?

Thanks alot for your help by the way.

**secondgearscratch** · 04-29-2007, 10:44 PM

Originally Posted by Rhinohuey

So just to see if its chattering, I should (with the engine running I assume) slowly let the clutch out with or without it being engaged in a gear? And should I be giving it gas when I do this or not?

Thanks alot for your help by the way.

when the car is on, just let out the clutch slowly until you get moving forward. on a flat surface you dont have to give it any gas to get it moving forward. listen to where the noise is in relation to where the clutch pedal is at that point. if it chatters when this happens and it seems like its coming from the front my money would be on throw out bearing chatter. not a big deal man.

is there any engagement issues? any trouble getting into gear or pedal sticking or slipping?

no problem btw.

**Rhinohuey** · 04-30-2007, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by secondgearscratch

is there any engagement issues? any trouble getting into gear or pedal sticking or slipping?

It always seems to engage fine. The clutch sticks very, very little. And I forgot to point this out before, but the loud rattling sound happens alot when I quickly give it a lot of throttle in first gear and immediatly hit the clutch to go into second. (to avoid skip shift) But I will try what you said to see if I notice any clutch chatter. Thanks alot.

**secondgearscratch** · 04-30-2007, 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by Rhinohuey

It always seems to engage fine. The clutch sticks very, very little. And I forgot to point this out before, but the loud rattling sound happens alot when I quickly give it a lot of throttle in first gear and immediatly hit the clutch to go into second. (to avoid skip shift) But I will try what you said to see if I notice any clutch chatter. Thanks alot.

not trying to insult you at all, but have you thought about the exhaust rattling. of course i dont know the sound, but i would think you could tell so it probably isnt that. my vote is throw out bearing, and if you have no issues perse, then dont worry too much. no problem btw.

**30thbird** · 05-01-2007, 12:25 PM

I was thinking this sound could be due to a broken clutch damper spring . These springs cushion the lash when you are on/ of throttle. A broken one( there are 4 or 5) might make the noise you describe under those conditions.

**Rhinohuey** · 05-01-2007, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by secondgearscratch

not trying to insult you at all, but have you thought about the exhaust rattling. of course i dont know the sound, but i would think you could tell so it probably isnt that. my vote is throw out bearing, and if you have no issues perse, then dont worry too much. no problem btw.

I'm sure its not the exhuast, it is definatley some sort of drivetrain problem. Today when I was driving home I noticed it also does it really bad when ever I have to downshift and I let out on the clutch. (Unless I do it really, really slowly) I think the rattling/clunking sound is the absolute worst when I am downshifting like this.

Originally Posted by 30thbird

I was thinking this sound could be due to a broken clutch damper spring . These springs cushion the lash when you are on/ of throttle. A broken one( there are 4 or 5) might make the noise you describe under those conditions.

Other people I have talked to said that this is what they thought it was. I don't know hardly anything about how a clutch works, but I thought that I would get really bad clutch chatter, even under normal use, if this was the case.

**30thbird** · 05-02-2007, 03:21 AM

You may not get chatter because you have experience with the clutch apply and have compensated for any added chatter by adjusting your apply rate.

**redss454** · 05-02-2007, 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by Rhinohuey

... and I hit the clutch to avoid the shaking that comes from slowing down in a MT car with it engaged in a gear.

Sorry I can't be much help with the actual problem at hand, but your car "shakes" when you engine break it? My '00 Z and 600hp Chevelle (with a race-minded clutch) don't "shake", they just kind of nose down and slow. If the whole car shakes, I would think maybe something is out of balance? The whole car shaking wouldn't sit very easily with me.

With that said, I do get some shaking in my Chevelle's shifter (and some clutch chatter) when trying to take off slowly in first gear or reverse. It only happens when the engine is to the point where it almost stalls out, and only happens a great once in awhile, but I attribute it to me, not the clutch.

Chris

**Rhinohuey** · 05-02-2007, 09:47 PM

Originally Posted by redss454

Sorry I can't be much help with the actual problem at hand, but your car "shakes" when you engine break it? My '00 Z and 600hp Chevelle (with a race-minded clutch) don't "shake", they just kind of nose down and slow. If the whole car shakes, I would think maybe something is out of balance? The whole car shaking wouldn't sit very easily with me.

With that said, I do get some shaking in my Chevelle's shifter (and some clutch chatter) when trying to take off slowly in first gear or reverse. It only happens when the engine is to the point where it almost stalls out, and only happens a great once in awhile, but I attribute it to me, not the clutch.

Chris

Mine always shimmys a little bit (forward to back) when I am decelerating in
1st gear. It always happens right when I go from throttle to no no throttle or when the rpms start getting kind of low. Is the shimmy not normal? I'm only 16, and this is the first MT car I've ever had or ridden in so I always just assumed it was normal.

**Rhinohuey** · 05-02-2007, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by 30thbird

I was thinking this sound could be due to a broken clutch damper spring . These springs cushion the lash when you are on/ of throttle. A broken one( there are 4 or 5) might make the noise you describe under those conditions.

I'm starting to think this might be the problem. I spent a couple of hours today driving the car with the window down, trying to listen really hard where the sound was coming from and now I'm about 70% sure it is coming from the clutch area. And, now that I think about it, it sounds just like the pressure plate or clutch plate or whatever it is is shaking back in forth before it stabilizes either in the engaged or disengaged position. (I think thats what is sounds like.)

So, I'm pretty much positive now its either this or the throwout bearing. I think I'm going to go ahead and bite the bullet and take it to a real mechanic to diagnose the problem. Also, if it is one of these (damper spring or throwout bearing) will it hurt anything to continue to drive the car like it is? I don't really want spend money to replace stock parts. I would rather wait until the clutch goes completely out and get a performance clutch.

Thanks again for your guys' help.

**tonyjnjz** · 05-02-2007, 10:19 PM

hey guys sry for goin off topic but this reminded me of somthing and u guys seem very informative. went to the track last yr...did my burn out....1st run went fine besides missing 3rd..oops....2nd run i do my burn out..take off in 1st leaving prollly around 2k...and the clutch is slipping likle a mofo....go to grab second and its stuck to the floor..fuck...well thats my last run for that night and im hoping the clutch will be alright......its a spec clutch from 2001 ..whatever lpe put in....on the ride home and still to this day i notice a kind of whining type sound at high speeds...40 plus and it gets louder the faster i go...........oh and i forgot to mention my buddy saw sparks comin from under my car on that 2nd run at the strip..fantastic huh....so anyways when i hear this whinng sound i push the clutch in and it goes away...immeditly and completely.......im assuming this sound is comin from the clutch because the day at the track is what started this......and it holds like shit now when heated..........any idea what this sound cool be??? bothers me ..thanks...oh and it sounds like its comin from directly under me ( clutch) and NOT from the rear end

**redss454** · 05-03-2007, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by Rhinohuey

Mine always shimmys a little bit (forward to back) when I am decelerating in
1st gear. It always happens right when I go from throttle to no no throttle or when the rpms start getting kind of low. Is the shimmy not normal? I'm only 16, and this is the first MT car I've ever had or ridden in so I always just assumed it was normal.

Is it a shake, or just a nose-over? When you engine break the car, and go from throttle at a decent RPM to zero throttle, the car will have a tendency to 'lurch' forward, feeling like the nose would go into the ground? is that what your describing?

Tony,
Sounds like you burnt your clutch.time for a new one, IMO.

Chris

**trellz** · 05-03-2007, 09:27 AM

Interesting, I've been a member here for a long time, and have never posted, but showed up today to look for a solution to a very similar problem. My problem could very well be the exact same as yours.

My problem shows itself only when the clutch is engaged, and the spinning parts of the tranny are slowing down, so for instance if i accelerate to 3k and push the clutch in it makes sort of a growling sound as the RPM's drop into the 2800-2000 range. The sound does not seem to happen when a gear is engaged, and it isn't appearent when shifting at different RPM's. It disapears below 2k. It doesn't do it 100% of the time either, seems like first thing in the morning it takes a few shifts before it starts happening?

It doesn't seem to be effecting the operation of the clutch in the least.

Some background information:

About 3k miles ago, replaced master clutch cylinder, slave cylinder, and put a Z06 clutch/pressureplate/flywheel in. I had the lovely pedal sticking to the floor issue. The only thing I didn't replace when i was in there was that bearing at the end of the crank shaft, I bought it, I just forgot to put it in.

**tonyjnjz** · 05-03-2007, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by redss454

Is it a shake, or just a nose-over? When you engine break the car, and go from throttle at a decent RPM to zero throttle, the car will have a tendency to 'lurch' forward, feeling like the nose would go into the ground? is that what your describing?

Tony,
Sounds like you burnt your clutch.time for a new one, IMO.

Chris

thanks and yeah i figure the same thing..but what is the dam whining noise?? ..like somthing is spinning faster and faster as i go faster and it gets louder and louder....but when the clutch is pushed in it goes away....hum..grr

**Rhinohuey** · 05-03-2007, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by redss454

Is it a shake, or just a nose-over? When you engine break the car, and go from throttle at a decent RPM to zero throttle, the car will have a tendency to 'lurch' forward, feeling like the nose would go into the ground? is that what your describing?

Tony,
Sounds like you burnt your clutch.time for a new one, IMO.

Chris

As my actual speed decreases, I get the lurching forward feeling but then it kind of shimmys back and forth. The shimmy is just for a second after letting out on the clutch except for when I'm going really slow (like between 10 and 4 mph) but i suspect that is just due to the engine rpms getting low.