Clutch/Gearbox noise ('85 CQ10v)

[S2 PTH]

First of all, apologies if you have already read this on the Classic Audi!

Over the last few days my 85 CQ10V has been getting louder when I depress the clutch. It’s a rattling and slightly whiney noise. About 90% of the noise goes away after I’ve come completely off the clutch and you can just about hear it over the engine/exhaust while its in 1st/2nd.

I’ve been told that its just my clutch release bearing, but is that right?

Also, how much of an urgent issue is it to get it replaced? And if so, do you think I should do the whole clutch at the same time (even though it appears to be totally fine?)

Finally, if I do need to change it soon, how difficult is it to do? I could do it this weekend at work (as we have ramps and a lot of tools), but could it just be left until the summer? I realise that if it completely goes, then I’ve got a real problem on my hand!

Cheers,

Phil

[Puglife]

Clutch release bearing.... also known as Thrust Bearing..

Sits over the input shaft and "pulls" or "pushes" the pressure plate which disengages clutch... I can't remember which audi is but i assume its a "push".

[kwlw]

I’ve been told that its just my clutch release bearing, but is that right?

Sounds like it.

Also, how much of an urgent issue is it to get it replaced? And if so, do you think I should do the whole clutch at the same time (even though it appears to be totally fine?)

No urgency, especially if you don't do long trips. Orginal bearing is metal/metal construction (in comparison with newer ones - which have plastic base), so it can take loads of abuse in "second life" (after finishing being "just silent bearing with grease"). At the end of it's life, it's screaming about itself so loudly, that you can hear it from half of a mile... Worst thing, that will happen - it will wear pressure plate (which is not very expensive IMHO).

All this based on MY personal expierence, your case may be somewhat different. However I used my car with "singing" bearing for two years (especially on cold damp mornings) and nothing bad happened. When I took the bearing off - it was still rotating like it should, however with noticeable wear and shatter. No sign of the grease...

Finally, if I do need to change it soon, how difficult is it to do? I could do it this weekend at work (as we have ramps and a lot of tools), but could it just be left until the summer? I realise that if it completely goes, then I’ve got a real problem on my hand!

If you do it urgently - it would be better, because, if you get used to the noise - it can fail unexpectedly in the middle of nowhere, and you basically will loose clutch pedal (not the clutch). I have driven ~40km's home with such failure (clutch disk), and only ruined starter bearings, because I needed to start somehow on junctions - so it was 2nd gear and starter...

In terms of complexity - it's gearbox out/clutch job.

Sau
P.S. In the picture, bearing itself is round ring around gearbox shaft. To take it out, you need to dismount whole alloy assembly, because bearing fixed on it with some PITA clips... Especially tricky part is to put them on .

[stiglet]

see... told ya, nothing to worry about

if you do decide to take the engine out... may i suggest putting something else back in??;p

[S2 PTH]

Al - Haha... tempting, but lack of funds stopping it at the moment!

If you're bored this weekend, and don't have enough other things to do on your car, then I might bring it down to the motorclub and we could at least have a look at how to start it. Maybe order the parts and I'll see if I can find an exploded diagram of the gearbox/parts that need to come off etc. ... which might give me more incentive to start the job!

Also, at some stage I need to sort out the oil 'leak' around the middle spark plug. James (Terry bullwon) said that I need to change my cam cover gasket... but isn't that another name for the rocker cover gasket (which I had changed a few weeks back)?


Cheers for the lengthy reply too Sau!

[stiglet]

yeah thats what we changed mate. Is it still leaking?

This weekend i'll be kinda busy getting my own car running!! We'll see what we can sort out....

Cheers, Al