Camaro Help

hockeypro1411 · August 23, 2011

I recently bought a '99 Camaro 3.8 V6 5 spd manual to use as a work car and for the most part it's been solid. The other day I was driving normally, and all of a sudden I started hearing a noise that sounded like a bad rod knock. Upon further investigation, the noise is coming from the clutch area. It usually only makes the noise above 2k in all gears, but is worse in 1st and 2nd, however, it will still do it a little bit in neutral too. My technical knowledge of manual transmissions is pretty limited so I figured I'd see if anyone here had any advice to get me going in the right direction. Someone has suggested that it could be a broken clutch spring, and from what I read, that may be what it is. I just figured I'd try to tap into the wealth of knowledge floating around here as well before I dug too far into it

Deconstruction · August 23, 2011

clapped out throw out bearing?

Nytemare · August 29, 2011

clapped out throw out bearing?

Yup....X2

Doug_Scott · August 29, 2011

Release bearing will normally only make a noise when clutch pedal is depressed. Once the pedal is released, the bearing should not be in cantact with the pressure plate.

You may want to look at pilot bushing (or bearing). Does this car have the hydraulic release bearing, does it use the slave cylinder with a push rod and fork?

Does it make the noise with the clutch engaged or disengaged?

It may be one or more of the clutch disk springs. These springs are the ones in the clutch disk itself and are not servicable. You would need to replace the clutch to fix it. Those trans are not that hard to pull to check. If you do replace the clutch, make sure you have the flywheel checked and resurfaced if there are any marks or heat spots on it. Also make sure you replace pilot bushing and release bearing as well.

Nytemare · August 30, 2011

Release bearing will normally only make a noise when clutch pedal is depressed. Once the pedal is released, the bearing should not be in cantact with the pressure plate.

You may want to look at pilot bushing (or bearing). Does this car have the hydraulic release bearing, does it use the slave cylinder with a push rod and fork?

Does it make the noise with the clutch engaged or disengaged?

It may be one or more of the clutch disk springs. These springs are the ones in the clutch disk itself and are not servicable. You would need to replace the clutch to fix it. Those trans are not that hard to pull to check. If you do replace the clutch, make sure you have the flywheel checked and resurfaced if there are any marks or heat spots on it. Also make sure you replace pilot bushing and release bearing as well.

In my experiences with release bearings its actually the opposit of what you said...its exactly like the op described...it rattles when its not in use, as when its being used....its hydraulic in this car btw....it has pressure on it and doesn't rattle. I have found that worn pilot bearings on these engines cause binding and sometimes the inability to get the car into or out of gear...

Either way...yeah, you may as well replace it all when your in there like you said...another part will only fail a month after and you'll have to take it all appart again. And clutch kits are cheap for these cars...and pilot bearings are like 17 bucks...they usually put a new one in there for you when you re-surface the flywheel.

Nytemare · August 30, 2011

Double post

Deconstruction · August 30, 2011

is it an nv3500 or variant that came in these cars?

if so its a throw out bearing, even if its not you will find it getting to the throw out bearing which will shortly need to be replaced anyways. Parts are really cheap, its the labour that costs...

Nytemare · August 31, 2011

is it an nv3500 or variant that came in these cars?

if so its a throw out bearing, even if its not you will find it getting to the throw out bearing which will shortly need to be replaced anyways. Parts are really cheap, its the labour that costs...

No its a Borg-Warner trans.

Yeah, real cheap....like under 300 bucks.

Clutch is under 200 bucks, throwout/release berring (slave cylinder) pick what you want to call it...is around 50.

most machine shops charge like 25-50 bucks to resurface the flywheel...or you can buy a new one for 50-80 bucks.

Pilot bushing is about 5 bucks.

Job is simple on an f-body...bleeding the slave is the hardest part....it can prove to be a PITA

Oh and get a bottle of blue loctite for your flywheel bolts...