Majestic

iTrader: (9)

Well I hesitated a lot before posting this because of the excessive number of flamers on this site but hey....who cares.

Well. I've had my max for a little over a month now and I am getting a grinding/ratchet/chattering noise whenever my foot is off the clutch. If I push the clutch to the floor then the sound goes away slowly after 3 secs. when I take off in 1st gear you can hear it really well and then when I shift into 2nd it fades out a bit. You don't hear it in any of ther gears. At least not noticeably. Well I asked my mechanice and he says it's the throwout bearing and that I need to buy a clutch kit since it only makes the sound with the clutch engaged. Could this be right? I read through the stickies and found some things similiar but I'm still lost. Please help.

big dave

I too am having the same problem, and have been told the same thing. I have almost 100k on my clutch anyways so this seems like a good time for replacement.

Zach95SE

iTrader: (3)

I have the same thing and I thought it was the throwout bearing. Another guy said if it's not that then my transmission is on its way out which I doubt because everything is still fine. One day I'll fix it probably when I replace my axle.

Majestic

iTrader: (9)

No help? C'mon guys.

chromed_out

i had the same problem and it was the bearing within the transmission. i thought it was the clutch at first but isn't. Best bet is to rebuild the tranny or get a used one

rguida

iTrader: (1)

the problem you are describing SOUNDS exactly like what i went through. I bought a clutch kit through nissan and brought it to my local mechanic and asked him to put it in. New clutch, throwout bearing and....i forget what the third piece is....i think the pressure plate? well, he fixed all of that, I get the car back and....the noise was still there. After spending 800 dollars and not getting it fixed I brought it to aamco, they diagnosed it with one of the internal bearings going bad, and since i waited so long to get it looked at, i needed a complete tranny rebuild (bastards had my car for 3 weeks )

thats my story

dayglo

I THINK its the differential bearing ?
i have the same sort of noise but its realy faint, and hasnt realy gotten any worse.
i read that it could be due to bad bearing pre-load
http://www.motorvate.ca/mvp.php/810
apperently its realy common and i think its prettymuch considered a flaw with out tranni's
anyone know more?

when you let out the clutch, its got to be a bearing directly related to the part that the clutch engages to. shrug

Majestic

iTrader: (9)

Well yesterday I went to a tranny shop and the guy drove my car and said it drives fine but he thinks that it's the throwout bearing. After riding for about 4 minutes he said it was kind of odd that you hear the sound when pushing the clutch down. This is new to me now. Instead of the noise being loud when the clutch is out, it gets loud when you push the clutch down to the floor or in 1st gear and then it goes away. Why would this change? This is killing me. He said the only true way to tell is to take out the tranny and see. That's $400 right there. I ain't got $2 for this crap. Somebody help. Where are all the old org members?

BTW: I'm at 135k

oldngivout

iTrader: (8)

If you have bearing noise when the car is still, engine running, trans in neutral and the clutch pedal up, then you have a bad input shaft bearing in your transmission. No question. The above conditions cause the bearing to turn, it is not spinning when the clutch pedal is depressed.

Throwout bearings will usually not make noise unless the pedal is depressed, which puts a load on the throwout bearing. It is otherwise unloaded, when the pedal is up.

Just finished fixing a 93 with the exact issue. Input shaft bearing fell into peices as soon as I opened the trans case.

dayglo

that sounds right man
would the input shaft bearing leak trani oil too if it was blown, or it's seal was blown? easy to fix?
sounds like thats my problem

oldngivout

iTrader: (8)

Yes it can. My bellhousing inside was wet with oil mist where the tranny oil had been leaking past the seal. This was probably due to the excessive play in the input shaft caused by the bad bearing. Too much of this and your clutch can get oil soaked and start slipping. Transmission must be removed and almost completely disassembled to fix the items.

Majestic

iTrader: (9)

So how much am i looking at to fix this?

oldngivout

iTrader: (8)

The parts are cheap. I replaced the axle seals, input shaft seal, shifter seal and the input shaft bearing for about $50. The labor is what will kill you. You have to remove the trans, break it open, replace the parts, reassemble it and put it back in the car. A shop would probably take their time about it, not like some of the guys on this forum who could cruise though it in a few hours.

Easily over a grand at a shop. Find a buddy with a service manual and some tools.

Also, it would be crazy not to replace the clutch while you were in there, unless it was nearly new already. Add the price of the clutch to the total.

Majestic

iTrader: (9)

Jesus!!! So I'm looking at like $1400? The one mechanic said $400 to pull it. I'm not sure if that includes reinstalling it.

nismos14

iTrader: (56)

I shelled out $1400 for a rebuild with the input shaft bearing and all other bearings replaced at goodyear, and i replaced my clutch with a 5th gen clutch at teh same time. I would suggest doing that at this time as well this way you don't have to worry about it for another ~100k miles.

oldngivout

iTrader: (8)

You should ask if that includes re-install. But you know for certain it doesn't include the repair inside the transmission..

Complicated and involved repairs like this is why a lot of us work on the cars ourselves. There is just no way around it. Time and ability cost money. I do all my own repair, so yes it does shock me when I hear of an estimate like this. I'm used to paying for parts only. Sometimes they will be way more than the labor. You have one of the cases where the labor is the lion's share of the total.

Majestic

iTrader: (9)

I am not an advanced mechanic. I can do small stuff but if I remove a tranny........Aint no gettin it back in. I don't have a garage or the right tools either. This sucks. I don't have anywhere near $1400. I don't even have $400 right now.

d00df00d

iTrader: (4)

I'm having the same problem, plus a seal that's leaking tranny fluid.

I'm taking my car up to Tilley's shop out by Hershey. Hopefully I won't lose my shirt...

Bobo

Then I suggest you park your car and take public transit until you can afford to fix the car properly before: a) you are stranded on the side of the road, or b) you cause more damage to the vehicle. It's as simple as that.

I don't think continuing to drive the car is a smart thing to do.

oldngivout

iTrader: (8)

What he said.

Fact of life. Wishing it away won't work.

Majestic

iTrader: (9)

So let me get this straight. I just want to make certain that it's surely not the throwout bearing.

Ok. Now I'm hearing a sliding sound.(like clutch slidding) when shifting from 2nd to 3rd. Kind of like it's sliding when I push the pedal down to the floor. Is this a sound that others have witnessed? Is there a place to go that can diagnose it without removing the tranny? I feel like there's a 80% chance it's the input shaft bearing but why would it be going bad so late? I think this is the factory clutch also.

Nealoc187

iTrader: (23)

I'm positive your problem is the input shaft bearing. Those are the exact symptoms of it. I've had it in 2 maximas now so I'm well versed in it.

Majestic

iTrader: (9)

Thanks Nealoc. I'll get a mechanic to get that fixed when i get some dough.

Majestic

iTrader: (9)

Well my mechanic "swears!!" that it's the throwout bearing. With my funds looking how they are I'm just going to get the throwout bearing and everything done and then see what happens.
BTW: If I go with the 5gen setup. Do I get 5gen clutch, pressure plate, and throwout bearing? Is that it? I have no clue what comes in a clutch kit.

d00df00d

iTrader: (4)

Yeah, that's what comes in a clutch kit.

You know what though? Tell your mechanic that you're totally strapped for cash, and that you're trusting his expertise even though everyone who knows the car and hears your symptoms tells you otherwise. Then tell him that he can go ahead and replace the TO bearing if he wants to, but if that turns out not to fix it, then when he fixes the real problem, he needs to subtract whatever he charged you for the TO bearing replacement.

oldngivout

iTrader: (8)

Man, don't say we didn't warn you.

When you first described the problem, you said the tranny made noise with the clutch pedal UP. What makes you think that it went away? Do it right and replace the input bearing. You did ask, so we told you. This is one time that the power of positive thinking isn't going to work.

Majestic

iTrader: (9)

I'm actually taking your advice over him. That's what I plan to tell him. I just want to at least get some money together first. Then I can start talkin ****.

Majestic

iTrader: (9)

Okay. It's gotten worse. I just found about an hour ago that my gear oil was low and I got my gear oil topped off. The gears are way easier to shift into.

However, just this morning I started to get this "boom" sound like something clashing while I'm trying to engage the clutch in 1st gear. When it does it the cars jerks a little too. It only does it when you gently engage the clutch. It doesn't do it when you engage at like 2000rpm. I have no idea what it is. A couple people said it might be the mounts but when my mechanic revved the engine in gear the engine didn't move too much.

Everybody on here says that the grinding noise is the input shaft bearing. Mechanics say release bearing(throwout bearing). I really don't want to replace the TO bearing and then it's the input shaft bearing or visa versa. I don't have money to just throw around trying to find out what this is. Also if I sit at idle in neutral the rpms usually hang at around 800-1100. Is this normal? It looks like its fluctuating a little too. Like bouncing a little. Very slightly. Still think it's the input shaft bearing? Still making grinding noise in 1-3. Especially when I let off the gas in these gears. All opinions are welcome. Thanks again guys.

gtmuggs

iTrader: (1)

Did you ever figure out the problem?

nismos14

iTrader: (56)

He just posted that yesterday so I doubt he figured it out yet.

Okay here's how I knew it was my input shaft bearing and not my T/O bearing. When the car was at idle I would hear a whirring sound, as soon as I put the clutch all the way down, no more whirring. As soon as I brought my clutch to to where it begins to grab, WHIRRRRRRRRRRRRR. I could hear it in 1st gear, and 2nd, but after that the sound of the motor took over and I couldn't hear it. Hope that helps.

Also, from what I understand, the T/O will make a whirring sound mostly when the clutch is all the way down, but not when you are not touching the clutch pedal at all.

The best thing you could do is have the T/O bearing replaced along with a new clutch, and have all of the bearing's inside done at the same time. This will save you money in the long run -

Clutch + re-build seals and bearings = $1500 - $1700
Clutch only = $700 - $800
Trans re-build only = $1200 - $1400

Nealoc187

iTrader: (23)

Or you could just buy a used transmission for a few hundred bucks, do it and the clutch yourself, and have a new clutch and a transmission without bearing noise for like $600ish.

nismos14

iTrader: (56)

much better idea... wonder if he's ready to take that job on, I dont think it can be THAT hard but then again who knows...

Majestic

iTrader: (9)

I know I couldn't do that without messing something up. So either way I'm looking at over $1000? What do you mean by whirring sound? I do hear and sound that kind of reminds me of a mack truck taking off(kind of medium-pitch sound). Mostly what Im hearing is a really bad grind. Now you can hear it in 3rd gear. Not 4th at all. I'm going to NRH today. Hopefully they're open. I'll have to find out. Thanks again guys.

BTW: I forgot. What are the part numbers for the 5th gen clutch. Do I use the 5th gen pressure plate and everything else that comes with a kit or do I just use the pressure plate?

Majestic

iTrader: (9)

Well I went yesterday and the first thing I have to say is thank you to kwamdoo74. NRH transmissions is great. The transmission guy(owner) actually knew what the hell he was talkin about. He knew what it was right away. He said I'm looking at a bearing rebuild.($800) He said worse case senario would be $1300. We'll see. I have to get the money together first but that is definately where I'm getting the work done. Thanks guys.

way2fast95

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like you are having a problem similar to mine. I replaced tranny oil couple weeks ago, it was great for a few days, then I started noticing it being a little hard to get into gear, a noisy whirring sound when taking off, and when I first take off in 1st gear, it makes a clunking noise as the clutch engages and jerks the car. Every other gear is fine and if I take off real slow it doesn't clunk at all.

I took it to courtesy today and had a tech ride with me, he barely spoke english and all he said was yeah it's having trouble grabbing. Well DUH! No **** sherlock! So the service adviser said, yeah the tech said he thought it was the tranny and I should bring it back on Mon. and leave it and pay $90 to diagnose, so I am.

I am on the verge of buying a new car (Pathfinder) so I am thinking maybe, new car, then diagnose and fix this one myself and probably sell it when i'm done.