Clutch & MTX Gurus: Need help with noise

[PikeZ184]

Car is a '93 MTX, 145,000 miles. I have a 10 hour round trip coming up I would like to take my SHO on. Here is my problem:

While the vehicle is idling in Neutral with the clutch out there is a small sound coming from the trans area. It sounds almost like a few small pebbles rolling around in a barrel. When I push in the clutch (disengage) the sound goes away. Is this a throwout bearing issue? The sound is also heard when engaging the clutch to start off from a stop.

The clutch engages fine and I have not noticed ANY slippage even at high RPM dumps, but it has a heavy pedal feel.

Do you think I will be OK for a 10 hour drive? I have another car I can take but, like most everyone here, I would much rather drive the SHO on long trips. Does anyone know what the issue might be?

(I have no idea if this is a stock clutch or an aftermarket upgraded version, I have no idea how many miles are on the clutch...at least 20K.)

 

[0V3RC10CK3D]

My car did that for over a year, no issues ever showed up and I drove it like a bat out of ****. I believe the TOB would be the opposite, making noise when the clutch is pushed in.

Mine was a really loud ticking though, you could hear it pretty far away.

 

[shopartsnw]

My guess is the throwout bearing. When it is idling in neutral, it is rattling against the pressure plate fingers. When you push the clutch in, it stops the rattle and smoothes it out. I would not worry about it unless it gets louder or changes dramatically.

If it starts making horrible noises when you push in the clutch ... then you need to worry.

Mike

 

[jthod]

TOB.

Mine made the same sound, plus more. It made the sound while in neutral, low end of each gear, accelerating, turning left, going through yellow lights, JK, but it prtty much made the sound ALL the time. I got the clutch done, about two weeks ago and it went away, now another sound started. Somtimes I wish I were deaf.

 

[93rev2sev]

Just make sure the tranny is full. If it's not, fill it and be prepared to top it off en route.

 

[yzstud]

check the tranny fluid first before looking at a tob

 

[gmorrell]

You may be experiencing something called "neutral gear rattle rollover noise": It's terminal, you should junk the car immediately, driving it off a cliff is best.

Just kidding.

This is something that has plagued the MTX-IV since Day One with SHO's. Ford even did a TSB about it, tho I can't recall the number, it was very early in SHO history. In neutral, all the output gears on the countershaft are spinning around with the input shaft gears, and the whole system is unloaded, so the gears are in loose mesh, and this creates noise, frequently described as rocks rolling around in a tin can, or pebbles in a barrel, etc. It goes away when the clutch pedal is depressed. Sound familiar?

Check the tranny fluid level, maybe drain it replace with some fresh fluid before your trip. Search around here, there are links to directions for checking the fluid level, installing a drain plug in the tranny, and there are probably a bazillion threads about what's the correct fluid for your MYX-IV.

 

[PikeZ184]

Thanks for all of the input...looks like I will be fine for this trip! I will be changing the fluid and installing a drain plug before leaving.