Clutch Squeaking Noise?

[HaloArchive]

So, it has been kind of sunny in the PNW (surprise) and, my windows were rolled down and I was admiring the beautiful hum of the ZHP Inline 6.

Then I pressed in the clutch and noticed an audible squeaking outside of the car. I have NO clue what it could be. Ideas anyone?

-Shelton

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Lightweight flywheel squealing?

[mimalmo]

throwout bearing

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Throwout bearing? Haha.

[HaloArchive]

No, I just read the other clutch noise thread and it reminded me of what I heard today. I know our cars have some flywheel chatter.

No, this noise is literally a squeek like 'eeeeeek' when I press the pedal in and when I un-depress (release?) the pedal. It happens both with car on and car off.

[spencers]

It's the clutch arm pivot point. It's a tiny little nib of plastic(I think) that wears down over time. By tiny, I mean it's a $1 part (or less)!

My car does it too. I'm waiting on the clutch to burn out so I can have an excuse to get rid of the god awful noise. It can only be replaced by taking off the bellhousing.

Number 6 in the diagram
http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=BN33&mospid=47710&btnr=21_0093&hg=21&fg=05

[pyreguy]

Mine does this as well. Thanks for the info!


Sent using alien technology and Tapatalk

[HaloArchive]

It's the clutch arm pivot point. It's a tiny little nib of plastic(I think) that wears down over time. By tiny, I mean it's a $1 part (or less)!

My car does it too. I'm waiting on the clutch to burn out so I can have an excuse to get rid of the god awful noise. It can only be replaced by taking off the bellhousing.

Number 6 in the diagram
http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=BN33&mospid=47710&btnr=21_0093&hg=21&fg=05

Thnkyouthankyouthankyou.

How much of a pain is it to replace that part?

Any DIY's around? I say 2 hours of work would be worth getting rid of the annoyance.

Thanks
Shelton

[spencers]

As said, you have to remove the bell housing. Look for any clutch DIY on how to do it.
It's a pain in the butt to remove. Might as well change the clutch, pressure plate, and throwout bearing while you're at it! Because you won't want to drop the transmission again :p

[HaloArchive]

Yeah, I just did a search. I may as well do a UUC flywheel and stage 2 clutch. Then again, for that price, I may as well get into an M3. Or, save a bit more and get a used M5.

[spencers]

Yes. For information's sake, see figures 22-27. It's for an E36, but the pivot point is similar.
http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/techarticles/E36-Clutch_Replace/E36-Clutch_Replace.htm

[static667]

That's a good write up. If you do decide to change the clutch yourself, go ahead and get the rear main seal. Do not remove the little plate that the rear main seal is in! If you do, you will end up with an oil leak where the oil pan gasket buts up against it. I pulled mine off when I did the clutch in my E36. Bad idea. There was no way to reseal it. Just do as they show and pull the seal out with it in place.

[VA//M3]

It's the clutch arm pivot point. It's a tiny little nib of plastic(I think) that wears down over time. By tiny, I mean it's a $1 part (or less)!

My car does it too. I'm waiting on the clutch to burn out so I can have an excuse to get rid of the god awful noise. It can only be replaced by taking off the bellhousing.

Number 6 in the diagram
http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=BN33&mospid=47710&btnr=21_0093&hg=21&fg=05

My car has the same noise and it makes sense that the plastic pivot would cause this...

FYI, pelican parts sells a Silicon Bronze Pivot Pin... I will pick a brass one once it's time to change out my clutch. Just look at how flimsy the plastic one looks... BMW cost cutting at its finest :) I guess $2 x 500,000 cars looks better then 30 x 500,000 on their quarterly revenue reports....

1,000,000 vs 15,000,000

$30http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/smart/imgdsply.cgi?pn=21511223328-M744 $2http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/smart/imgdsply.cgi?pn=21511223328-M200

[HaloArchive]

Oh, thanks for giving me the info on the brass pivot! That will come in handy!

[pyreguy]

I will definitely go brass when I handle this. Awesome.

Sent using alien technology and Forum Runner

[spencers]

FYI, pelican parts sells a Silicon Bronze Pivot Pin... I will pick a brass one once it's time to change out my clutch. Just look at how flimsy the plastic one looks... BMW cost cutting at its finest :)

Sweet! Thanks for the info. I'm also betting BMW used the plastic to get more cars in for repair. The noise is truly annoying!
My old e36 had the noise as well. Replacing the pivot point while doing a clutch job solved it. Even worse, I ALSO had a noisy throwout bearing.

[romanred62]

I thought i was the only one that had this annoying issue. I'm glad it isn't just me. The only time I notice it is when I'm in a drive through window.

[pyreguy]

I noticed this morning that since I installed the clutch stop last weekend, my little squeak is gone :)

Not going all the way to the floor has it's advantages.


Sent using alien technology and Tapatalk

[kayger12]

Cool. Bi-winning.

Droid X. Tapatalk. Use it.

[spencers]

I noticed this morning that since I installed the clutch stop last weekend, my little squeak is gone :)

Not going all the way to the floor has it's advantages.
Interesting... I might have to try this.
Can you tell me where you got yours or the DIY you followed to make one?

[pyreguy]

Keith has the part numbers listed on the first post of the clutch stop DIY thread. I can't easily post a link on my phone. It's an elevator bolt and some rubber pads.

It was super- duper easy and cost like $5 and I have a bunch of rubber pads left over.


Sent using alien technology and Tapatalk

[spencers]

If you have extras, would you mind mailing one up to me in Scheißeport? ;) I'll gladly pay postage

[aurelius]

Then I pressed in the clutch and noticed an audible squeaking outside of the car. I have NO clue what it could be. Ideas anyone?

-Shelton

If this is something you're noticing only when the car is sitting still (ie when it's quiet enough to hear it), it's probably the clutch pedal bushings. UUC sells a set made of an upgraded material for $20: http://www.uucmotorwerks.com/html_product/clutch_arm_bushings/

[pyreguy]

If you have extras, would you mind mailing one up to me in Scheißeport? ;) I'll gladly pay postage

Sure thing. PM me your address.


Sent using alien technology and Tapatalk

[spencers]

If this is something you're noticing only when the car is sitting still (ie when it's quiet enough to hear it), it's probably the clutch pedal bushings.
It'd only be the bushing if the noise was coming from the inside of the car, which in the post you quoted it's coming from outside.

[AggieBlake]

Resurrecting a very old thread. I have exactly this issue and tracked it down today. It's not the clutch pedal bushings, it's coming from under the car. I noticed on e46fanatics some people recommended removing the clutch slave and spraying a lubricant like lithium grease inside the bell housing on the TOB and pivot point. Have any of you tried it? Did it work? Are there risks to trying this? I'd love to take care of this without dropping the transmission if I can since the clutch is still in good shape.

[KIRIEIW]

On both my old e46, and my buddy's e46, the sound went away after a few weeks of driving. Very annoying.. Here's a poor video of the noise


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJqrY42Unso

[BMWCurves]

I have this from time to time. More common on colder days.

[AggieBlake]

Unfortunately I have it everyday, in all conditions. And it hasn't gone away in over 2k miles of driving. Fortunately I can't hear it when the engine is running unless I'm next to a wall (e.g. drive thru window). So it's definitely not worth dropping the transmission to fix it since it's just a noise issue. But I sure would like to know if the e46fanatics shortcut fix works.

[09mageec]

Unfortunately I have it everyday, in all conditions. And it hasn't gone away in over 2k miles of driving. Fortunately I can't hear it when the engine is running unless I'm next to a wall (e.g. drive thru window). So it's definitely not worth dropping the transmission to fix it since it's just a noise issue. But I sure would like to know if the e46fanatics shortcut fix works.

Mines been doing this for about a year now... Waiting for a clutch job to fix the noise. Very annoying though, +1.

The throw out bearing pushing against the teeth on the pressure plate when the clutch is disengaged/engaged, is the culprit...

Whats this e46fanatics shortcut you speak of?

[ryankokesh]

Mine does that, too. I've also heard of the e46fan lube job, but haven't tried it yet. You spray silicone up into something and wait for it to come back. Seems much better than dropping the trans, but haven't confirmed that it actually works either.

[09mageec]

Hummm, I have my eye on this thread...

[AggieBlake]

Here's the DIY from e46fanatics on greasing the throw-out bearing and associated hardware.

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=834188&highlight=clutch+squeak