I have no clue whats going on, but theres somethings HORRIBLY wrong with my BRAT, what I want to know is what is the worst-case senario for a bad throwout bearing (or whatever you choose to call the bearing inbetween the trans and the engine) Just trying to determine if I should start prepping my spare motor or what.....

 

Quick syptoms - sounds like somethings flopping around-grinding... like a metal toolbox skidding aroudn in the back of a truck-bed. The little chirpy-chirp that I had before upon startup (that would go away after a minute or so) came back when driving for some raeason and stayed on steady and things went downhill from there - started driving like it was bogged down, hard to start (this is all on the way home - it even cut out on me once).. Bad T/O bearing, loose flywheel???

It only does it when you push the clutch pedal in right?

 

It sounds like your throwout bearing has come off of the clutch fork. So now what's happening, your throwout bearing in its entirety will now spin with the pressure plate whenever you push the clutch in, and it drags on the clutch fork when it does this. It's not a pretty sound, you're right.

 

I have no idea why your engine bogged down, that's something unrelated. But if your clutch is on its way out, you can drop the tranny, put a new throwout bearing and clutch fork in there (they both cost about $25 each new at the dealer), and put the new clutch in it.

Just to clarify: the throwout bearing isn't between the engine and transmission; that's the pilot bearing. But what you're describing sounds like a throwout bearing, which is between the clutch pressure plate and the transmission. The worst case scenario is that your throwout bearing fails completely, you damage your pressure plate, maybe your clutch fork, and you can't get into gear. It's not going to hurt your engine, but it might leave you stranded.

Just to clarify: the throwout bearing isn't between the engine and transmission; that's the pilot bearing. But what you're describing sounds like a throwout bearing, which is between the clutch pressure plate and the transmission. The worst case scenario is that your throwout bearing fails completely, you damage your pressure plate, maybe your clutch fork, and you can't get into gear. It's not going to hurt your engine, but it might leave you stranded.

 

Yea, thats exactly what IM talking about (the T/O bearing) - I have a tendency to consider the clutch/Press. plate/flywheel all "engine" as thats those come out with the engine. But ok, I feel a tad better, still feel on like im on eggshells though - thanks guys!

 

- Erik - Tacoma, WA -