Ravenatic20

Sorry for the long post. I want to get this right. I have a squeal or squeaking noise coming from my car and I am 99% sure it is the throwout bearing based on what I have discovered and what I have read online. I just want to take that 99% sureness and turn it into 100% sureness :-D

I have a 2002 Mustang GT with about 89k miles on it and the noise started around 81k miles on. In the last 2k miles it has gotten progressively worse (louder). I can hear the noise from inside the cockpit and outside the car (within about 20 ~ 25 feet). I can barely hear the noise by standing in front of the car with the hood open. That makes me think it is not coming from the engine (I initially thought that it was a belt). I put my head on the ground by the drivers side door and it sounds like its coming from the direction of the transmission. I don't think its coming from anywhere else.

I have determined the squeal is coming from my transmission. Like my detective work? :-D

Here is when the noise occurs. It is definitely a rotational noise. The noise happens ONLY when the clutch is depressed. If I press on the clutch only a little bit (like an inch), the noise goes away. Before I only had to press on the clutch 1/2 an inch for the noise to go away, so it is definitely getting worse. When the car is in neutral, reverse, first gear, or second gear, you can definitely hear it. You can barley hear it in 3rd gear. I assume the noise is still "there" in 4th and 5th gears, but with the car moving much faster and things under the hood moving a little faster it is probably masking the noise.

So, what do you think it is? I think it is the throwout bearing. I have read the pilot bearing may be the problem too, but likely the throwout bearing. The more people confirming this the better. Thanks!

Bmitchell373

Mine did the exact same thing. It was the throw out bearing. Mine also had a worn clutch fork and actually didnt have a pilot bearing in it. So new parts, and had a new clutch and pressure plate put in. Sounded great, but 2k miles later its starting again, so make sure it gets done right.

Fox466

Moral: Never ride the clutch. When you're at a stop light put it in neutral and let the clutch out and take your foot completely off the pedal. Taking these two steps can virtually guarantee your TOB doesn't get TKO'ed!

Ravenatic20

Thanks for the responses. Anyone else agree that it is the throwout bearing?

stangcoupe1970

mine does the exact same thing! it started 2 months after myself and my father-in-law did the clutch, I don't ride the clutch, i learned that in my ranger when i started driving 5-speed, i was thinking its because the pedal comes out too far since it goes away when there's pressure on the pedal.....needless to say I couldn't afford the parts when I fist got mine, so it needs a new clutch but the trans isn't as good as I want it to be so I'm waiting to find another before I do anything

FLMustangMan

I actually had all the same noises you were talking about and at the same times you were describing which made me think the Throw-out bearing. I went to a Performance shop and even took the guy for a ride in my car and he said it was definitely the throw-out bearing. Since I had a stock clutch I figured I would replace it while I was in there.

As I took off the drive line, the U-joint directly behind the tranny wouldnt barely rotate. I was able to finally make it move and it squeaked and then the bearings disintegrated into dust. So I replaced it and put it back on just to see, and sure enough it was only the U-joint.

Just take the 4-bolts that hold the drive line on and check on the u joints. Will save yourself some money and/or be sure it is/isn't the throw-out bearing. If it isn't the drive line u-joints you have to take the transmission off regardless of if its the T.O.B or the Pilot bearing so you can go from there. Just my experience though.

StriderTacticaL

If you don't have the time and/or money to fix it yet then what you can do is get under the car and remove the trans dust cover and visualize the TOB. Then get some HD white lithium grease spray with a long straw and spray the TOB channel. Then start the car and pump the clutch pedal a few times and spray it once even to get it all evenly distributed. It should quiet it down for a few weeks. I took care of mine this way for a long time. Each spraying would buy like 3-4 weeks of quietness.

Of course the best thing to do is to just replace it but this should work for the mean time.

Ravenatic20

All great responses. Thank you all!

Like everyone said I will be replacing my clutch, flywheel, and pilot bearing at the same time in addition to the TOB. Look for a thread in the near future discussing exactly what parts I should get

Would you (or anyone) recommend running the car with the driveshaft removed? I would still have the transmission fully intact. This is just to see if it's the U-joint. The U-joint is part of the driveshaft, correct?

Z28KLR

You'll be ok to drop the driveshaft and start it. Just disconnect it at the u-joint(s) only, leave the output shaft on the trans in place so fluid doesn't dump out.

Fox466

Lots of good posts guys!