Clutch Clatter

[aldawson]

Just a quick question, the answer to which will either put my mind at rest or give me something else to sort out! When my Chimaera 500 is idling in neutral with the clutch let out, there is a small amount of background ''clattering'' noise which stops whenever the clutch pedal is depressed. It poses no significant problem to me now, but I would like to know whether it could be indicative of something that is about to go wrong! Blindly hoping for several ''they all do that'' replies ..... Edited by aldawson on Tuesday 21st August 22:14

[GillyW]

Can't say 'they all do that' but my 4L does the same thing. I'd like to know the answer to this too. Car runs fine, gears select perfectly, but I can hear that background noise when in neutral.

[Midnight Blue]

My Griff 500 does that. I'm told that it's the clutch release bearing ratting on the input shaft. As you put your foot on the clutch it comes under pressure and stops moving. Apparently it doesn't cause any damage or long term problems. It may be a bit worn, but will probably go on forever.

[Trefor]

Mine has done that for at least 10,000 miles and the clutch still has lots of bite left in it (42,000 miles in total now).

[aldawson]

Thanks. I'll try to look for another problem to occupy my technical paranoia instead!

[xain]

I think it's more likely to be a rattly gearbox. I've had many cars of many types and they all did this. Never once had a gearbox go on me. (touch wood!)

[douglasr]

Probably a noisy thrust bearing. I had this on a VW of mine, rattled for 10000 miles until I replaced the clutch (because it was slipping, not because of the bearing)