Pilot or throw-out bearing issue?

[AlphaGeek]

*Sigh*. So after only having my '99 Chilkoot manual (165000 miles/266000KM) for a few weeks, I'm hearing what I think is pilot or throwout bearing noise. I'm hearing a grinding/rubbing noise at low revs particularly with clutch pedal IN shifting from 1st to 2nd. It typically starts when I release the clutch after shifting to 2nd but sometimes just starts while driving in 2nd. Pumping the clutch almost always makes it stop but on occaision I have to pump the clutch more than once. It also happens sometimes in reverse. I've never heard it while shifting from 2nd to 3rd but then she's a noisy beast so I may just not be able to hear it.

 

Questions:

 

1) Am I right or do you have any thoughts on what this actually is?

 

Assuming I'm correct,

 

2) How long is it "safe" to drive with this condition?

 

3) While I can do most small repairs, opening and repairing the tranny is something I have neither the tools nor the shop for so... does anyone have a good guess as to what this will cost to repair? (As I'm in Vancouver, BC, I expect to be paying on the high side anyway).

 

As always, thanks in advance for your advice.

 

-Arne

[ferrariowner123]

Does your clutch squeak when you depress the pedal/disengage the clutch?

 

-Kyle

[AlphaGeek]

No, the clutch does not sqeak - at least not that I can hear. When the intermittent noise starts, it's quite loud and sounds like a cross between rubbing and grinding.

[Precise1]

Do you know if the clutch has ever been replaced? It could be the original, and that would mean it is time...

 

My experience is that throw out bearings can often be felt in the clutch pedal, but sometimes it just barks or howls when you depress the clutch. The fact that it does it sometimes when you are in gear with the clutch out is odd to me. It makes me wonder if the pressure plate is worn out/has broken fingers/is letting the clutch slip. The clutch could be down to rivets as well...

 

While nothing should outright fail (just get worse) you don't know how long it is going to last. You should be able to limp along for a few weeks at least though, depending on mileage, driving style and luck. Just plan on sooner than later.

No buddy with a garage to help you, even if you give him a cash injection? The job isn't too bad as you don't have T-bars to drop like a WD21. You might be able just to unbolt and slide the tranny back and change everything like that.

Consider that clutch, pressure plate, throw out bearing, flywheel resurface or replace and rear main seal (do it when you are there) will around $350 (?) and 8 hours labor (shouldn't take a mechanic in a shop more) @ $100/hr (?) so guess $1,200?

 

B

[AlphaGeek]

So yeah, it was the pilot bearing... and the clutch plate was damn-near down the bolts! And, alas, it turned out there were quite a few other problems: brakes were near gone, 2 CV boots had to be replaced and the others were in sad shape (so had those done too), muffler basically came apart when they dropped it so that too (kinda thought that it was cracked anyway), shocks were spongy so replaced those, and a few minor things. All told, repairs cost more than the Pathy did when I bought it :-( You guys would do most of that yourself of course but I live in an apartment and really have no access to a shop where I could do that kind of work. Brakes and the muffler I could have done with some hassle but I really wouldn't have saved that much cash really (the mechanic has a great rep and his parts charges were not out of line with buying myself).

 

So, I now have a very expensive '99 Pathy but hey, I had it out up a pretty crappy logging road up to Jones Lake BC on the weekend and it performed really very well. Now I'm looking into getting it lifted, tow-hitch, bush-bars etc. I'll post some questions about those things too after doing some research.

 

Thanks for the input guys,

 

-Arne