clutch release bearing!??!?!?!
 

Hello all,

I Brought a subaru impreza wrx import about 1 month ago. It has only done 52000 miles. It has a slight rattle, which i believe is coming from the clutch release bearing from what im told.

Reason for this is i can only just hear it on idle, sometimes i cant hear it at all. when i put my clutch in the noise goes, sometimes it makes no noise from what i can hear, other times a little more but its never loud.

The car is under warranty but i live on the isle of wight and warranty is in southampton so i dont want to have to pay 50 quid on ferry costs for them to tell me its nothing. Any one had any ideas i read something about something needing greasing?

clutch still works fine, no juddering or anything although its quite hard to go from first to second if you go up through the rev range.

Any ideas much appreciated
Thanks jamie.

If it is the clutch release bearing there is a possibility that at some stage your clutch release fork may just come loose leaving you with no drive.

Bottom line is, to replace the clutch release bearing is virtually the same job as to replace the whole clutch. If you're making a special journey, get them to agree that they will definitely have the gearbox off to have a look at the clutch and release bearing. Without taking the box off it's impossible to tell really what it's like.

First check the frail clutch thrust bearing/fork anti rattle spring is there!
Links from the fork to a small braket on the bell housing. About 70mm long and 6 in diameter.
Right under the intercooler.

Graham

Good call Graham. It would definitely rattle about if that spring had disappeared, which they often do, for some reason.

Just a quicky about warranties ..... I know a lot of them used to try and pull the wool over your eyes by saying you had to get things done by a specific garage or group, but in truth you can still maintain your warranty as long as the work / servicing it is carried out by a 'registered' (not the word I'm looking for!) garage and does not have to be a Subaru garage etc.

Also if its an after market warranty I would think that any suitable garage would be authorised to carry out the work. If you call the garage in question and ask about using another garage and they say no ... why not get them to collect it as you are concerned the clutch is about to give up and may not make it to them.

Anyway .. hopefully its just the anti rattle spring missing, but if its not .... the bearing wont get any better over time.

Thanks for the replys i really hope you are right about the spring, alot less hassle. The warrnty is an in house one from the dealer i brought it off. The dealer is an importer, F1autos.net

Ill check that spring, so its under the intercooler? Ill have a look tomorrow, the only thing that confuses me is how quiet it is and that it does not seem to effect the clutch at all it works perfect.

Thanks again all.

If you pull off the intercooler then you'll see it right there in front of your eyes. You'll be looking down on the gearbox and the clutch release fork poking out of it. The spring simply stretches from this to a little metal bracket. Once you're there you may be able to find where the rattle is coming from. Another possible cause is a loose release arm if the pivot rod has come adrift.