97 aspire "howling" noise when driving, until clutch pushed in?

[damac]

This is a 1997 ford aspire with a manual transmission.

This started a couple of months ago and the noise is constant and only starts when moving, and gets louder as you speed up, unless you push the clutch in. It goes away right away when you do.

3 times since the noise started I had issues putting the car into either 1st or 2nd gear with more of a clunking noise, rather than some grinding.

The car seems to drive fine from what I remember otherwise.


I was going to attach my camera underneath the car later this week to take a video, and go drive it around for 5 minutes and post it back here.

But I thought perhaps based on whats happening, there might be a specific issue that I must deal with considering it goes away with the clutch pushed in?


Don't know if it matters but the car has about 230,000 miles. The clutch was replaced in about the year 2000. No tranny or clutch work since. Oil was changed out in the tranny a few years ago just for fun.

Thanks for any info!

[doylerl]

Does the clutch seem to slip at all?

[fastivaca]

Sounds like it could be throw-out bearing.

[Team Lightning]

Sounds to me like the input shaft bearings in the transmission. The throw-out bearing would only make a noise if the clutch pedal is pushed in releasing the clutch disc. He said that's when the noise goes away. That could also explain the "only when moving" statement as it would not be under pressure when coasting.

[doylerl]

This may be a stupid thought, but I will throw it out there anyway... If the flywheel was never resurfaced after installing at least one new clutch, could the clutch be "slipping" on it, causing the sound? It might not be so bad that it doesn't move, but just slip a little and scratch on the flywheel. Like I said, it may sound like a stupid idea, but I don't know as I have not done a lot of work to clutches.

[heffe55]

Sounds to me like the input shaft bearings in the transmission. The throw-out bearing would only make a noise if the clutch pedal is pushed in releasing the clutch disc. He said that's when the noise goes away. That could also explain the "only when moving" statement as it would not be under pressure when coasting.

here is my theory.
when the clutch pedal is pushed it also pushes the throw out bearing in to the pressure plate releasing the clutch disc. being under pressure and no noise is heard....
and when the clutch pedal is released the throw out bearing is not under pressure and able to make all kinds of noise.

My vote is a bad throw out bearing. Im not saying that you are wrong with the imput shaf bearings just think you have the throw out bearing theory backwards. just changed one out a few months ago. and no more noise.

[Team Lightning]

I always thought the throwout bearing only turned when the pedal was pushed in putting pressure on the pressure plate fingers to release the clutch disc from the flywheel.

[heffe55]

trust me im not a person that is going to get in to a pissing match over who is right i was just posting my thoughts and what i have done in the past thats all. I didnt take your post as an attack so please dont think that. I have been wrong many times before but isnt that how we learn... by our mistakes

I also hope that the repair is posted that way anyone else that has this same issue can read it and have a better idea how to fix there rig as well.

[Team Lightning]

Sorry I didn't mean for it to sound like that. Your probably right.Throwout bearing

[mechanicaldj]

most likely: FORGET THE CLUTCH

sounds to me like it is the input shaft bearing

try changing the transmission fluid in the transaxle with synthetic or possibly the Lucas additive(to ATF) and see if the noise goes away and shifts easily

[FestYboy]

reading the post, i got this: noise gets louder as vehicle speed increases. this rules out the throwout bearing AND input shaft as both are engine speed related noises.

check your diff bearings and inner CV joints.

[roycehof]

I had the same situation in my car and it turned out to be the outer input shaft bearing. After a couple of weeks it got so worn that 4th gear would pop-out. Auto-Zone sells the bearing but the job is not for the faint of heart. It will take a couple of hours to take out the transmission another couple to split it open and press on new bearings. About four hours to reassemble the trans and verify clearances, and another couple to re-install. I guess it could be all done in one long day took me two days but I had other distractions during the job. Good Luck!

[damac]

I was away from the car a while and just made a video with it running on the driveway. Hopefully youtube did not ruin the video and you can hear the difference.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUnOdpsc9Ac

Just looking for any insight as to whether or not this is worth me messing with. There is a fine line between parts cost and junking this car based on value and what I could get another for on craigslist.

I would do all the labour to save $$, but it seems I already am looking into a flywheel, clutch kit, axle seals just to tear into the job. Then whatever bearings/etc. I have to replace due to the specific problem at hand. At face value from what I am reading it appears it may be the input bearings. If I can be sure it is only that based on how it sounds now I think it would worth it for me to drop a couple hundred $$$ into it?

Any info would be appreciated!

[2ndmouse]

If thats the transmission, you got some bad bearings. Ive has the same problem in the past.

if you are really really lucky, changing the ATF fluid in the tranny several times will make it go away.
For a while.

I had one festiva that SCREAMED so bad it put you deaf, in gear, clutch in clutch out...

I changed the fluid a few times and it stopped. I ran for a year quietly until it started again and blew the tranny.

Yours sound like bad shaft bearing. Time to find an organ donor.