Clutch noise

[Hagar The Horrible]

Hi folks,

I have a problem with my clutch. When I press the peddle there is a bit of slack then it starts whining/screeching which gets worse as peddle is pressed further. I can't then change gear.

Gears select fine when engine is off and the hydraulic levels are ok.

This is just typical as I need the Terrano for towing tomorrow

Any help will be greatly received

Cheers

 

[rustic]

Hi and welcome to the site, first post I see. :clap:clap
You have made a wise decision.:thumb2

First thing, some exercise, if you get someone to press the clutch pedal, multiple times, engine off, and go underneath and observe the travel on the clutch slave cylinder, but also the flexi pipes have been known to balloon.

There are other things to check, so have another look in when other members have had their breakfast lol.

Rustic

 

[jims-terrano]

My first thoughts were check the flexi pipe too. As said crawl under the truck and find the flexi pipe that goes to the slave cylinder on the side of the gearbox. Then get someone to sit in the car and then crawl under the car again, let them get in first as the car will drop slightly and as said engine off. Careful with your fingers around the slave cylinder as it'll hurt if you get trapped.

Also what does the clutch pedal feel like? Different to normal or the same. Does the pedal return correctly or do you have to lift it back to the top.

 

[Hagar The Horrible]

Hello, thank you for your quick reply, not had the Terrano for long and don't know much about vehicles. I managed some jobs in my previous motor a VW T4 with help form forums.

I have looked under and tried the clutch. There is movement at the slave cylinder, but no ballooning of flexi hose, though it is cracked.

The noise it makes is like a really bad fan belt slipping if that helps...

 

[Hagar The Horrible]

The peddle feels OK when pressed, but doesn't return correctly, sort of cluncks at about the last inch.

The peddle was rattling so I tightened a bolt that seems to attach the peddle housing to the bulkhead. Before I tightened this I needed to lift the clutch peddle with my toes to get it to return fully.

 

[solarman216]

sounds to me like your release bearing is duff, re the noise, confirmed by "not being able to select gears with engine running" Rick

 

[jims-terrano]

It does sound like you have two faults. As Rick said and also the bush that the pedal pivots on. Bigbunny2007 used to have a batch of brass bushes for the pedal but have seen those for sale on eBay.
Banshee recently replaced his clutch and did a write up stage by stage but took him about a week if I remember tight.
From what you said about the flexi being cracked I would be tempted to replace that too.

 

[Hagar The Horrible]

OK, thank you... Not sure if replacing a clutch is within my abilities. Definitely don't have facilities to do it!

Can the release bearing be replaced or is it a full new clutch job??

 

[rustic]

Now this is quite peculiar to our cars, we have a clutch damper pipe, it runs from a junction near to the slave cylinder, to the rear of the car and over the rear axle and chassis. It's a bit like an appendix, if all is well, you never hear from it, but if it grumbles... all hell to play.


What does it do?
I think it is there to damp out vibration in certain installations, not all, but Nissan came up with this bodge, sorry fix to be a pre cure solution before it happens. So 90% of the time probably not needed, in fact some members have blanked them off, some have noticed a difference, I will let them tell you.

They can corrode, leak, let air in, add sponginess to the clutch system, make gear difficult to engage.
Easy to check... go underneath look for any fluid leakages from pipes over the off side rear axle area, near the chassis. In fact there is a bleed nipple on the end. I recon even with a clutch fluid change this section of pipe was never purged.


Actually a bit of history might help..
What was the vehicle like prior to this fault, a day, a week a month? has it always been like this, or suddenly happened maybe one day after you tried to remove three tree stumps lol...

Rustic
Edit.. as mentioned, clutch pedal bushes wear causing the last part of travel to be notchy, clicky, and welds have cracked on the fabricated pedal assembly. Also bolts pulled through too.

 

[Banshee]

Welcome matey

It sounds similar to what mine was doing in the car park when I got to work on the morning mine went. I did mine on the drive and as already said it took me around about a week all in.

Here's the link to the start of my clutch swap on mine but the pics aren't working at the moment as Photobucket seems to be down so maybe check back later.

Get a mug of tea if you're going to attempt to read it all in one go :thumb2

http://www.nissan4x4ownersclub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23183&highlight=clutch&page=39

There's a video in there as well I think where I record the noise mine was making, mine actually turned out to be the friction material had sheared from the rest of the plate and was just spinning freely.

When I replaced mine, the Kit I brought was for a 3.0, the 3.0 clutch is slightly larger than the 2.7 one and just slides straight in no problem, this kit came with a release bearing too.

 

[solarman216]

OK, thank you...

Can the release bearing be replaced or is it a full new clutch job??

To do the bearing the box or engine has to come out, so once you have done that it would be silly not to change the lot, Rick

 

[Hagar The Horrible]

Wow... Banshee... Quite a thread and a very good effort, well done!!

I still think this is beyond my abilities/facilities. I live in a flat so don't have a garage or drive...

The better half is very understanding (I currently have the centre plate of a trailer sailer in the spare room which was sand blasted then epoxy tar coated, filled then auntifouled - all as messy as it sounds)... Not sure she would like various engine parts spread through the flat!! I have the Tank for towing the boat...

I'll get some quotes and see what they say...

 

[stevew]

can you tell if the noise is coming from the peddle box or the actual clutch? because on one of our old mavericks the bush had gone on the clutch peddle and id ignored it that long it had elongated the hole and made a noise like a cat dying every time the peddle was pressed:augie

 

[Hagar The Horrible]

Now this is quite peculiar to our cars, we have a clutch damper pipe, it runs from a junction near to the slave cylinder, to the rear of the car and over the rear axle and chassis. It's a bit like an appendix, if all is well, you never hear from it, but if it grumbles... all hell to play.


What does it do?
I think it is there to damp out vibration in certain installations, not all, but Nissan came up with this bodge, sorry fix to be a pre cure solution before it happens. So 90% of the time probably not needed, in fact some members have blanked them off, some have noticed a difference, I will let them tell you.

They can corrode, leak, let air in, add sponginess to the clutch system, make gear difficult to engage.
Easy to check... go underneath look for any fluid leakages from pipes over the off side rear axle area, near the chassis. In fact there is a bleed nipple on the end. I recon even with a clutch fluid change this section of pipe was never purged.


Actually a bit of history might help..
What was the vehicle like prior to this fault, a day, a week a month? has it always been like this, or suddenly happened maybe one day after you tried to remove three tree stumps lol...

Rustic
Edit.. as mentioned, clutch pedal bushes wear causing the last part of travel to be notchy, clicky, and welds have cracked on the fabricated pedal assembly. Also bolts pulled through too.

OK checked the dampener pipe and if its the one I think it is then it is dry... In fact all pipes in that area are. The one terminating in a bleed nipple is OK, fair amount of surface corrosion, but looks ok.

As history goes I haven't had a problem with clutch. Gear change has never been smooth, but I put that down to it being a slightly "agricultural" vehicle. I have had to tighten the bolt at the peddle twice now due to annoying rattle then having to lift it out with toe.

I've been looking on eBay at clutches they are around £150-250 is that a normal price??

 

[solarman216]

About £150 for the bits, but expect to pay £400 plus for a garage to do it, Rick

 

[Hagar The Horrible]

Welcome matey

It sounds similar to what mine was doing in the car park when I got to work on the morning mine went. I did mine on the drive and as already said it took me around about a week all in.

Here's the link to the start of my clutch swap on mine but the pics aren't working at the moment as Photobucket seems to be down so maybe check back later.

Get a mug of tea if you're going to attempt to read it all in one go :thumb2

http://www.nissan4x4ownersclub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23183&highlight=clutch&page=39

There's a video in there as well I think where I record the noise mine was making, mine actually turned out to be the friction material had sheared from the rest of the plate and was just spinning freely.

When I replaced mine, the Kit I brought was for a 3.0, the 3.0 clutch is slightly larger than the 2.7 one and just slides straight in no problem, this kit came with a release bearing too.

Is the 3.0 better? Is this worth doing as an upgrade since the job is needing done anyway??

 

[Banshee]

Is the 3.0 better? Is this worth doing as an upgrade since the job is needing done anyway??

Mine feels really strong now and bites really well too.

Ive noticed its accelerates a little faster whilst towing.

Didnt need to do any modifications at all just goes on in place of the 2.7 clutch :thumbs2

 

[solarman216]

If the 3 clutch costs the same then fine, but if it costs much more then I see no point, there is nothing wrong with the standard 2.7 unless you have power upgrades, I have standard and regularly tow to max and more gross weight, Rick

 

[Hagar The Horrible]

If there isn't much in it I'll go for the 3.0 as will be towing a boat around Scotland!!

 

[jims-terrano]

Can I make a suggestion if you are going to go for the 3litre clutch kit, go for the same brand as Banshee just in case another brand is slightly different and as such may cause a problem. Not saying there would be a problem just belt n braces.