New owner Q: Engine / Tranny noise in Neutral?

[Selrahc]

Hello all,

I just purchased a 2004 MT Insight and I have a question about a noise it is making.

It only happens when the engine is in neutral and running like at first start.
When the clutch is out.. is makes a loud wiring noise. Best I can describe it would be like a hydraulic pump under load is running. Parking break is on and nothing is touched. When the clutch is depressed the wiring noise goes away slowly like a spinning pump or wheel is slowing down and stops. Takes about 1.5 seconds to taper off and stop.

As soon as the clutch is let out it instantly starts again. Its very loud.... and coming from the right side of the engine compartment.

Can anyone tell me what this might be? Should I be concerned?

I ask because I have 3 days to have any issues fixed... or to return it if i want....

[Willie Williford]

Clutch throw out bearing is going out.
Have it fixed pronto!!!!!!!!!

Willie

[Selrahc]

Originally Posted by Willie Williford

Clutch throw out bearing is going out.
Have it fixed pronto!!!!!!!!!

Willie

I just pulled up a few videos on youtube.... you nailed it. Thats exactly what it sounds like!!!!!

I just picked up this car. 04 with 57k on it. I has a sad.

[Willie Williford]

If you bought it from a private party you might have a problem getting it repaired free. If from a dealer, it should be no problem.
I assume that the noise was there when you bought it. Price paid?
It has low mileage so it shouldn't need a clutch or pressure plate, so the cost would mainly be in labor.
HTH
Willie

[Selrahc]

I purchased it from a name brand dealer. Its 3 days to return it or talk to them to "make it right". I'm just erked that their "inspection" missed something this major. IS this something that just goes out... or does it go out from clutch abuse? How much is something like this to fix?

I'm going to take it to a Honda dealer tomorrow and have them confirm the noise for me... Its a 200mi drive to the dealer I got it from... Oh and I paid $8k for it.

[aisbell]

Originally Posted by Willie Williford

Clutch throw out bearing is going out.

If I correctly understand your description of when the noise occurs, I would have to very respectfully disagree with Willie. The clutch throwout bearing spins only when the clutch pedal is depressed, so that is when a bad throwout bearing would make noise. When the clutch isn't depressed, the throwout bearing isn't spinning, so a bad throwout bearing would not make noise then.

However, some have had their transmission input shaft bearing fail. This bearing spins only when the clutch pedal is not depressed, so this is when a bad input shaft bearing would make noise. It should also make noise when driving the car in gear. You might not be able to hear the noise if you are driving so fast that road and/or wind noise mask the bad bearing noise.

[samwichse]

I second aisbell.

My thoughts exactly.

Either way, take it back to the dealership and have them make it right.

[Selrahc]

Thanks for your help guys. I have no idea lol. I'll know for sure tomorrow when I take it to the Honda dealer....

This is not my video or car but a search on youtube brought this up... this is what it sounds like.

Throw Out Bearing Noise - YouTube

Throw Out Bearing Noise - YouTube

Clutch in... noise goes away. Clutch out... noise is present. Sounds very much like that.

I have some audio of it... let me see if I can get it uploaded and ill link mine.

Sel

[gilbertguy]

Can only be one of three things?
Pilot bearing - this spins all the time on the engine side, probably not this one
Throwout bearing - designed so when you push on the clutch pedal the bearing takes the load applied to the clutch via the pedal, I believe that even with the clutch released it is still spinning just not under a load.
Input Shaft Bearing(ISB) - This is the bearing input into the actual transmission, if the clutch is out (released) then the input shaft is spinning. Thus when you push in the clutch you disconnect the engine from the transmission so the input shaft stops rotating.

If yours is sounding just like the one in the video with the noise happening when clutch out and quiet when clutch pushed in then i have to go with most likely ISB. Now, I said most likely, I still wouldn't count out the clutch throw out bearing.

Either way any time you "pull" the transmission you should automatically replace both the pilot bearing and the clutch throw out bearing no questions asked. You have to seperate the transmission housing in order to get to the ISB bearing, not really that much more work since by then the transmission will be sitting on a bench.

Let us know what the dealer says!

Edit: Found this, has a nice diagrahm, they don't identify the pilot bearing but it will be located at the end of the shaft in the flywheel (black block on Lt) and the Input Shaft Bearing is out of the picture in the transmission off to the right.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/clutch1.htm

[joecvt]

I would say it is the ISB bearing due to the reasons earlier but also another key peice of info. The spinning down noise heard each time can not be the throw-out bearing because of how quickly you push on the clutch pedal in the video and the engine is constantly idling steady. The only rotating part that would spin down like that when the clutch is depressed is the input shaft....So it is the ISB in my opinion.

JoeCVT = Just your average CVT owner