Clutch/flywheel noise? Total noob here...

[Nolan]

Ok, starting my car: press clutch pedal and brake, start, shifter in neutral so I release the clutch pedal and the is a light grinding nose.

It sounds suspiciously like two metal plates almost, barely, touching as one of them spins.

Then driving it, when in gear it makes a kinda hi pitched whirring sound...

So tell me guys, bad clutch? Is there something I can do?

A lot of things I can handle but the closer to the transmission you get the more out of my comfort zone I am...

[aaalbedo]

Have you checked your transmission fluid level? They get noisy when low. Be sure to use the proper GL1 fluid since modern fluids have additives that corrode synchros.

And when I say "check", well, you really can't. You have to add, then figure out if it was low by how much you added.

Larry

[Nanonevol]

It does sound like you need a clutch though, sorry to say.

[JohnMc]

I would think it would be the transmission noise more than the clutch. With the clutch fully engaged (clutch pedal not pushed in) should be no noise from the clutch - IMHO.
When a clutch needed adjustment or replacement you would drive it in say 3rd or 4th gear and then accelerate as fast as you can - if you see the RPM's go higher than normal - than the clutch is slipping. Probably not saying it right.
Not the throwout bearing as any throwout bearing noise is when the clutch pedal is pushed in (clutch disengaged).

[davidbruce]

If there is no noise with the engine running and clutch pedal depressed. But the noise starts after releasing the clutch pedal. That leads me to believe it is in the transmission. Releasing the pedal starts the input shaft and counter shaft rotating. I would drain the tranny oil and check for foreign material or color to the oil. It could be low, overfilled or the wrong oil. Shiny gold can be synchro or bearing brass. Silver can be shafts, gear or even case material. Before draining. Make sure you can remove the fill plug from the side of the tranny and you have adequate GL1 oil or oil approved for brass synchro transmissions. There should be 2 plugs on the passenger side of the tranny. Leave the higher one alone. The one below it is the fill plug. Regardless of what you see in the oil (short of large) chunks I would go ahead and refill the tranny to the proper level and see if the noise subsides or goes away altogether.

[Ragno124]

The first issue you mention sounds like the clutch plate may be lightly scraping the flywheel when in neutral and the clutch released. First thing I would check is to make sure the return spring on the fork to the transmission is attached and working properly. My spring was missing and this was a similar issue I had. I would also check the clutch adjustment to make sure the clutch pedal travel is correct.

The second issue does sound like you may just need to change the oil. Use GL1 and see if it still makes the sound when you drive.

[Nanonevol]

If you hear the noise in neutral as you say when you're releasing the clutch, it sounds like the clutch. All speculation here of course. Transmission a know weak link though and surely if you have to go there, good idea to do the clutch at that time.

[JohnMc]

I agree fully. First drain and fill tranny. As everyone has said GL1. As people previously have said Tractor Supply Company has GL 1 in a 1 gallon shown as Traveller - SAE 90 Ford Tractor Transmission Fluid. Very reasonable.
It might help. I personally might just drive with it, unless it just terrible, as all my 124's have always made a lot of noise - might be the bearings might be going but probably take a long time to go - and anyway would have to do rebuild or buy new or rebuilt unit (lots of cash - rebuilt $1,400, new $2k or a little more).
If you decide it is worth it to take out tranny then of course do full clutch job at that time (resurfacing the flywheel, get new clutch kit including throwout bearing and also get the fork. I also would replace the starter with a gear reduction starter - great time.
I just got a rebuilt tranny myself as it was grinding into 3rd. Had to pull the engine for another reason so decided to pull engine and tranny as one and then put back as one. The clutch cable was a little tight so got another one - then saw the firewall was patched terribly and taking a stab at trying to fix it. I love these cars but they were not supposed to last this long.
That is just my $0.02.

[RRoller123]

Probably input shaft bearing noise. Mine made awful noises with the Redline MT-90 (prob too thin), and quieted right down when I changed back to NAPA GL-1.

[Nolan]

Thanks for all the great advice! At least changing the fluids and adjusting the clutch travel is something I can do before shelling out a bucket of cash to have someone work on it. Gonna give that a try next day off I have.

Any problem with jacking it up from one end to add the GL1 to the transmission? I suppose if I over fill it because it's off kilter I could leave the cap off till after I drop it back down to make sure the excess flows out. Sound right?

[davidbruce]

As long as by jacking it up you mean to support it by a pair of jack stands as well. That method should work. Not sure how well it will drain like that. I forgot in my ealier post. There is a small 1/8 NPT plug at the rear pass side as well to drain the rear of the case. So best to jack it up at the front. You might consider using 4 stands, getting it up and level. Then you can safely check tranny and diff, adjust clutch and park brake and give it a good inspection to get a baseline condition. You can inspect suspension rubbers and components, driveline u joints and guibo check for floor board rust without having to pull the carpets. Decent jacks and jack stands ae pretty cheap these days and you need at least 2 stands to compliment a decent jack.

[Nolan]

Panning for gold today... What do you reckon? Looks like it desperately needed a fluid change...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/1JXWuNvwOiHbzgAv1

Oh and my very clever (I though) transmission IV drip... Turns out this stuff flows like cold molasses...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/eK449OYEUjKqcuiw2

[davidbruce]

I've changed a few diapers that looked like that! Hard to tell from the picture but my guess is an oil(nut GL1) water and brass cocktail. I like the IV drip. How does it sound/shift now?

[Nolan]

unfortunately it hasn't fixed the problem... I have to rev high to keep it from dying making me think the clutch may be slipping?? Uneducated guess but if i so have to get in there it'll be anew clutch, throw out bearing, input shaft bearing, check the whole kit. Ugh, I was hoping it wouldn't be an expensive problem...

also the test drive revealed a new problem... I'll leaking from the head gasket (i think, actually poured out from behind the exhaust manifold), which led poured onto the crankshaft and then was propelled all throughout my engine bay... Oh and a leak from the radiator... Joy.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/lDqotu7ZiwyJhXx52

[davidbruce]

I feel your pain. Starting from the beginning you said you had noise from the clutch/transmission area. Does the clutch pedal action feel normal ? Other than the noise does the transmission shift reasonably smoothly in all gears? There was no mention of having to rev it to keep it from dying in the first post. Is this a new symptom or was it there before? While driving with the clutch engaged and mashing the throttle, does the engine rev without the vehicle speeding up? Having to rev it up makes me think the clutch is grabbing but there is a loss of power elsewhere making it want to die. If you are losing a lot of coolant out the head gasket is the coolant also getting into 1 or more cylinders?