5-SPD: Noise When De-Clutching in 1st (yes, i read the FAQ's)
 

Just bought a '95 5-Spd with 89k. ...4th gen Noob...

When letting the clutch out ONLY when I'm starting from 1st, I occasionally hear a bit of a groaning noise from the drivetrain (more likely to happen if I'm on a hill / giving it more power) - that occurrs only while the clutch is in travel - never when it's fully engaged or disengaged. THIS NEVER HAPPENS in ANY OTHER GEAR...

I've read the FAQ's on 5-spd issues, but none of them seem to address this kind of phenomenon... ((...but I sure have enjoyed learning that my "new" car has a transmission that may have been built incorrectly and could cost me BIG $$$....)) There aren't any leaks anywhere on the transmission, and it works 100% perfectly except for this issue.

Anyone know what this is? Experienced Similar?

Also, what kind of lubricant should i use in the trans? MT-90??

Thanks!!

This is not uncommon. I get it occasionally. The noise is due to the springs on the clutch plate vibrating as you slip the clutch. The vibrations are excited by the slight amount of stick-slip action you get as the clutch is gradually engaging.

MT90 is good stuff, maybe the best.

no kidding! That doesn't sound like it's necessarily the end of the world - assuming it's what is actually occurring in my case

I feel a lot better now- especially having read all the horrible stuff that can happen to these trannies... THANKS A LOT!!

I've lately noticed groaning / low creaking noises coming from the car when starting in 1st (usually when I get moving with some little jerks, it makes this noise as the car jerks). I may have noticed it in 2nd as well. I'm not sure if what I'm hearing is what you're talking about. What do you mean by "drivetrain noise"? These noises sometimes sounds like they're coming from the engine area, but more often sound like they're in the frame area (sometimes front-seat area, and sometimes even in the back-seat area). This would make no sense to me because it's a FWD car.

Anyone know what I'm talking about? My first thought was it's the lower tie bar I had on too tight which was twisting the frame a little and somehow causing the noise.

well - you raise a good point - - I did say the noise was coming from the drivetrain, but that is really only an assumption (even though I'm still inclined to believe it). I guess it could be coming from any number of other sources that are stressed under 1st acceleration - but I would think that the noise would be recurring at other times if this were the case.

Anyone Else experience this sort of thing??

Sounds like the throwout bearing.

Is this only when the car is cold?

Bad throwout bearings are noisy for the whole time the clutch is disengaged, not just when the clutch pedal is being let out like what he described in his first post.

it doesn't seem to be associated to when the car is cold or not (but, to be honest - i just got the car, and I really haven't driven it much yet, as it's not my primary car) - I'll check to see if this noise is more or less likely to be heard when the car is cold.

do you have a thought of why it might happen in when cold?

Did you read the FAQ? :squint:

yeah, i had a noisy first gear with the clutch in...and then it got worse. And now my tranny is kaput - but thats ok cuz this weekend is boost, and next weekend is 2k or 2k1 transmission. Wahhoooo

did you read the title of my thread? :-)

man I get that noise too, not all the time, but a fair amount of a time just going from a stop, usually when i first start the car up and roll. i think it should be ok, i have had it for awhile, and my trans is acting fine.

It sounds like the springs on the pressure plate are worn out.

I've got the exact same noise (grinding in 1st) as you are explaining in my 95 SE 5spd w/ 200k. The clutch was done about 170, so I don't think that it has anything to do with the clutch since it feels great. My 96 SE doesn't have this noise, but only has 100k on it. The clutch feels a lot heavier on my 96 though and silky smooth on the 95. I thought I heard someone on this forum saying this problem was a certain bearing in the tranny. Anyone?

How long has it been occuring in your car??

Ive Got the Same problem. It is like a whining noise just in first gear when i start from a stop...when the clutch is traveling from depressed to fully out. every other gear is fine...and it only seems to do it intermittenly. I have a 95 SE with about 138K.

No, mine is more of a grinding (not whining) sound if giving a lot of gas when letting the clutch out only in 1st gear or on a hill when more gas is required. I've had my 95 SE for about a year and it was there @ 200k and now I have 206K. Hasn't gotten any worse, so I guess I'll just live with it unless it gets noticably worse.

Mine is definitely not a grinding noise. Definitely creaking/groaning.

I have this same gridning noise problem when taking off from first and sometimes second. And when the clutch is depressed in neutral. More obvious when car is cold. Anyone found a solution to this problem? or actually identified the cause of this problem. Any help much appreciated....

i have the same intermittent whining/groaning sound you guys are talking about. when my car is cold it makes the noise in neutral, but it's pretty faint and constant. when driving it's present in first or second gear occasionally, usually in second it'll only happen when i'm turning a corner and let the clutch out slowly and in first whenever i leave the car physically in gear too long such as stop and go traffic. for first, if i take the car out of first and put it back in, the noise goes away, it's pretty weird.

Wow, more than a year between my last post and today's posts. I just want to say that I determined conclusively that my creaking/groaning noise was not the tranny, it was my lower tie bar (LTB) not being properly tightened under the car.

Where is the lower tie bar located? I dont think this is my problem though, its more like what bigdogmax is experiencing... if anyone determined this grinding noise problem let us know.

I know this is an old thread.. but for some reason as a new member I can't post new threads or search...?

I also "Just bought a '95 5-Spd" - mine is an original owner SE with only 79k miles! -awesome find btw! and I'm also a " ...4th gen Noob..."

I get the EXACT same groaning noise also only "when the clutch is in travel" and when starting from a stand still whether I start in First or Second gear (a little more groaning when starting in second) So I guess its when the drivetrain or body or whatever is under more pressure...

As far as I know everything about the car is stock, so would I even have a Lower Tie Bar? Does that mean this is in fact clutch related? Further troubleshooting help always appreciated.

See post #2 above.

You don't have a lower tie bar unless you see a steel-tubed frame under the car between the front wheels. It's not a common mod so there's basically no chance the Maxima you bought has it.

I just got a new clutch put in a week ago and mine makes that groning noise only in first gear when im taking off from the light. As soon as i get time im gonna go back to the shop and see what they say about it then ill post it on here

thanks for the replies... its good to know that is likely a fairly normal thing I just need to get used to. I'm coming from a stock '01 5 spd civic which of course drives/sounds/handles very differently.

Any suggestions for improving my manual driving skills with this car/clutch to avoid this occurence and/or make for a smoother/better driving experience?

On a related note, how many others prefer starting in second gear for normal driving. Any reason not to?

Starting in second gear requires more clutch slip to get a smooth start. It will increase clutch wear and shorten its life.

:sprint: ....

it is my understanding through research on this sight the groaning noise is due to the differential bearings in the tranny are going bad. My car 1998 also groans as I release the clutch in first gear(only when engine is cold). To repair it the trans must be removed and disassembled to replace the 35 dollar bearings. Mine improved when I changed the tranny fluid with amsoil 80w-90 gl-4 synthetic. Not sure why because I thought the differential bearings were not lubricated by the tranny fluid. We'll see what happens

bearings are more of a whine . . .

Like he said, differential bearings whine when they go bad, and the noise is constant. The groaning noise we're talking about happens only during clutch engagement. After the clutch is fully engaged, the noise goes away.