Volvo RWD 140-160 Forum

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Weird sound - throwout bearing? 140-160 1972

posted by someone claiming to be Michael on Fri Dec 7 09:18 CST 2001 [RELATED]

Today while driving I noticed a weird sound when shifting from 1 - 2, 2-3, 3-4.

When I would push in the clutch (and let off the gas) I would hear a "spinning or whirring" sound. I would let out the clutch in 1st, accellerate, push in the clutch and it would be a zzzzzzzz sound (sorry for the sound effects, or lack thereof). I can only think it is the throwout bearing. Or would a bad clutch be causing this? The car seems to shift fine and the clutch seems very strong, but the sound is definitely noticeable. Once when I held the clutch in for an extended period (going from riding in 1st to a stop) I heard more of a whirring sound for as long as I kept the clutch in.

Are my suspicions correct?

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Re: Weird sound - throwout bearing? 140-160 1972

posted by someone claiming to be Asa Cannell on Sun Dec 9 05:30 CST 2001 [RELATED]

Just in case...

I thought I had a clutch problem too. Squealing sound that was somewhat unpredictable and would happen with the clutch engaged. Sometimes happened right when I engaged clutch. Anyway turned out to be the fan belt. The alternator mounting bolt had cracked, and the belt didn't have enough tension so it squealed like hell, especially with the headlights on. Lucky me, fixed it for $3 new belt. But the throwout bearing idea sounds better. You might just want to check this though.

Asa

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Re: Weird sound - throwout bearing? 140-160 1972

posted by someone claiming to be Roguls on Sat Dec 8 15:41 CST 2001 [RELATED]

They are correct. Time to replace the clutch, pressure plate, throw out bearing, rear main seal and pilot bearing (they're all close together in there).

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Re: Weird sound - throwout bearing? 140-160 1972

posted by someone claiming to be Ross Bruinsma on Sat Dec 8 06:49 CST 2001 [RELATED]

Sounds like we have the same car!

I am almost 100% certain that it is the release/throwout bearing. Don't laugh, but I have been driving with that noise for about a year now! My transmission mount is going as well, because the felt seal is leaking oil back onto it. One of these days my procrastination is definitely going to get the better of me!

One thing is for sure - you really get to know how easy it is to drive these cars without a clutch! And you also learn that you can drive just about anywhere in 4th gear...

Good luck!

Cheers

Ross

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Re: Weird sound - throwout bearing? 140-160 1972

posted by someone claiming to be Matt B on Fri Dec 7 09:42 CST 2001 [RELATED]

Sounds like a throw out bearing to me too. Do you know if/when the clutch was last replaced? Did they do a throwout bearing at the same time? This would be a good time to check maintenance records if you got 'em.

It could also be the pilot bearing in the flywheel. I guess I wouldn't really be able to tell them apart without proper sound effects. If it is the pilot bearing, you can get away without fixing it for a bit longer, but it ain't gonna do the tranny shaft any good. Pilot bearings suck because its a $4 part, and 6 hours labor...

It should also make that sound though if you are in nuetral...might have to rev the engine up a little. If it doesn't make noise with the clutch in in nuetral, it could be something else. Also, see if you can make it quiet without pushing the clutch all the way down (but still completely disengaging it).... But I'd guess the throwout bearing is soon to be toast.

IF you can't fix it right away, this would be a good time to learn to shift without the clutch and use that bearing as little as possible....but don't grind the gears.

If you do fix it, you might as well do the whole clutch and throwout bearing and pilot bearing. No sense in doing that job twice....

Good luck!

-Matt

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Re: Weird sound - throwout bearing? 140-160 1972

posted by someone claiming to be Michael on Fri Dec 7 12:04 CST 2001 [RELATED]

I haven't been able to recreate the sound in neutral. I'm trying to think of anything it could be but I'm coming up blank - of course I am hardly a mech. It sounds as though something is "winding down" just with the sound I tried to describe earlier.

I give it gas, the engine revs, then I hit the clutch and of course let off the gas so the engine stops revving, but you hear a zzzzzz/whirring sound winding down. Could it be something in the engine?

I checked and I need a new tranny mount anyway...

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Re: Weird sound - throwout bearing? 140-160 1972

posted by someone claiming to be George Downs on Fri Dec 7 12:42 CST 2001 [RELATED]

Any sound you get with the tranny in neutral and your foot OFF

the clutch is in the tranny. Throwout brg only works when you push

the clutch enough to move it into contact with the pressure plate.

Idler bearing can only work with clutch disengaged enough to turn

one part without the other part turning, i.e. less time than the

throwout, especially if you ride the clutch.

I had a guy in east Carolina put a throwout bearing in the clutch

of my 164 backwards, with the tubular part pushing the fingers of

the diaphragm clutch. It eventually wore a ring in the fingers

which made the engagement sudden and serious, sort of like a

suicide clutch on a motorcycle (very old ones). My wife and I could

drive it OK but nobody else could. Eventually the tube on the

throwout bearing wore the fingers to where it would push through

them and lock the clutch disengaged. A little wiggling would bring

it back when it was ready. WEIRD to drive! The Panamanian mechanics

had a good laugh over that.

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Let me ask it this way... 140-160 1972

posted by someone claiming to be Michael on Fri Dec 7 13:08 CST 2001 [RELATED]

Is there anything in the engine of a car that would make a winding down/whirring/spinning sound when the clutch was engaged? I can't think of anything so I'm hopeful that it isn't in the engine, probably isn't in the tranny, and is most likely one of the two bearings (pilot/throwout).

I checked my tranny mount and it needs to be replaced anyway so I might as well pull the whole thing out, regasket the tranny and put in the two bearings and the rear oil seal. I'm hoping that the new trans mount will alleviate the problem I have with the tranny jumping out of 4th when I take the load off - but if not, is there an adjustment that can be made to the transmission that might take care of the problem? (to recap: if I am in 4th (or o/D it makes no difference) and I let off the gas suddenly, the transmission will pop up out of 4th into neutral (or to a half-way point between engaged in 4th and neutral). I can't force the gearshift out of 4th by trying to push it out - even if I try to push it out of 4th without engaging the clutch it won't come out of gear. It only comes out of 4th if I let up off the gas. I don't notice any gearshift wobble.

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Re: Let me ask it this way... 140-160 1972

posted by someone claiming to be colin shepherd on Sat Dec 8 06:50 CST 2001 [RELATED]

Michael,

I think you would also do well to check the the gearbox input shaft bearing and

the mainshaft spigot bearing. If these are worn they will not only cause noise but could well be causing 4th gear to jump out uder no load conditions as the two shafts move relative to each other.

Colin.

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Re: Let me ask it this way... 140-160 1972

posted by someone claiming to be George Downs on Fri Dec 7 14:19 CST 2001 [RELATED]

With the clutch ENGAGED, especially with the car in neutral,

it is natural to get a little sound out of the tranny.

You have gears turning in oil in there and everything else

in the driveline is fairly quiet. Unless you are riding

the clutch, you will get no sound from throwout or idler

bearing with the clutch engaged. (there is no relative

motion, so they aren't working.) As soon as you step on

the clutch, though, the fork pushes the throwout against

the pressure plate arms or fingers (depending on what kind

of clutch you have) and then the bearing turns and can make

noise, even if you haven't pushed hard enough to disengage

the clutch. Once the clutch is disengaged, so the tranny

shaft is not turning the same speed as the flywheel,

THEN your idler bearing starts to work and can make noise.

But if your throwout is noisy you probably won't hear the idler

bearing unless it is really bad.

Sometimes on a downshift, especially a hard downshift, you will

hear the gears speed up in the tranny. Depends on what kind of

oil, whether or not your synchronizer is working, and how thick

your floor mats are, same as with tranny in neutral with clutch

engaged. I sometimes notice it in the 122 and really noticed it

in the 544.

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Re: Weird sound - throwout bearing? 140-160 1972

posted by someone claiming to be John McRaven on Fri Dec 7 10:25 CST 2001 [RELATED]

All that and think long and hard about that rear main seal.

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