For the last two winters I've heard this strange sound from the tranny. It used to be;

- The sound is best described as... Well... It's not a whining, or a clicking. It's more like a very soft, muffled clacking sound. Just like there are two gears that still have lubrication but are not adjusted tight enough, os there's just a tiny bit of play and you can hear the gears clacking, but the lubrication is muffling the noise.

- Sound would be loudest when in 1st or 2nd (couldn't tell 3rd or higher because the wind noise was too loud)

- Sound would happen under acceleration or under engine braking.

- Sound would go away when the clutch was pushed in.

- There is no major oil leak from the tranny, but there is a 'damp' patch around the backup sensor.

- When I first noticed the sounds I had the tranny level checked at each oil change. Always reported as good.

- The sound has come back and is happening all the time now.

- The sound appears to be coming from the area of the driver's side axle or clutch area.

- Clutch engagement/disengagement and shifter feel is always normal.


These may, or may not, be related... When I sit with the engine idling and the stick in neutral, hood open, the sound happens when I release the clutch and disappears when I push the clutch in. With the hood and driver's window open it's really obvious - the transmission makes almost as much noise as the engine!

Could one you you guys with a stickshift do that same test and tell me if you can hear any noise from your tranny under the same circumstances? It's REALLY obvious as you push the clutch in - the amound of noise coming from the engine bay is reduced by half in my car.

The other "possibly related" thing is that if I accelerate very fast from a stop turning hard right, there is a strange noise/feel through the tranny/shifter that is not present when do the same thing turning left. I alway notice it as I pull out of our little sidestreet onto the busy 55mph two-lane highway - I have to get up to speed really fast. Dop you guys notice the same thing, or is that just me? I suspect my driver's side driveaxle as being near the end of it's useful life, which would account for this effect.

I'm thinking it's probably either the clutch components (throw-out-bearing) or input shaft bearings. You guys agree?

Time to look for an I30 tranny with an LSD... Do a rebuild and swap them over one weekend...

 

I'm having the same problem, so here's a BUMP!

I have about 20k on a new ACT clutch, but the *** of a mechanic who put it in did a ****ty job and now claims it was a defective part. (When will I learn not to trust people with my car!?!?!)

I figured it was the clutch. As far as I can figure it, he didn't follow the correct torque sequence when tightening the pressure plate, bent the hell out of the fingers and it's been chatty since.

I guess I learned my lesson... If you wan't something done right, do it yourself.