T/O bearing noise?

flashmayo

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2007
Location
Santa Cruz CA
TDI
'03 Jetta - Gator Tuned
My 03 Jetta has 240K miles on the original clutch. Lately while at a stop in neutral, I can hear a beating sound that doesn't exactly follow rpms. In other words, rather than getting one new sound for every combustion sound, it happens maybe 4 times out of 15 combustion beats. It's not constant, meaning I can only hear the sound sometimes when at a stop. in neutral. If I push in the clutch pedal, the sound goes away. Is this the sound of a T/O bearing starting to fail?

Thanks,

John
 

mjydrafter

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2015
Location
dsm, ia
TDI
2004 Jetta Wagon
Mine went out earlier this year (didn't fail, but started making noise). It only made noise with the clutch pedal depressed. It started sort of intermittently.

Hard to describe the noise, but it sounded sort of like a bearing noise. With it only making noise, with the pedal depressed not to many other things that it could have been.

It sucks, since the whole tranny has to come out. Not like the old MK3's, just pop out the end cover and the clutch finger/shaft, and the the throw out bearing is right there.
 

flashmayo

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2007
Location
Santa Cruz CA
TDI
'03 Jetta - Gator Tuned
Transmission Noise? Was T/O bearing noise?

This noise is getting more consistent. I'll try to describe it to see if it rings a bell with anyone.
5 Speed Manual, 240K miles (03 Jetta)
When in Neutral with the clutch pedal out, there is a distinct knocking sound. It's easily heard with the drivers window open while sitting at a stop next to a solid barrier like a highway divider.
The sound goes away when the clutch pedal is pushed in.
I don't hear the noise while in any gear, only in neutral.

I fear it's something in the transmission. Any ideas?

John
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
I believe your first guess to be correct. Besides, 240k, you should feel good about putting in new stuff.
 

CoolAirVw

Vendor
Joined
Nov 9, 2005
Location
Kansas City Missouri
TDI
Jetta
My 03 Jetta has 240K miles on the original clutch. Lately while at a stop in neutral, I can hear a beating sound that doesn't exactly follow rpms. In other words, rather than getting one new sound for every combustion sound, it happens maybe 4 times out of 15 combustion beats. It's not constant, meaning I can only hear the sound sometimes when at a stop. in neutral. If I push in the clutch pedal, the sound goes away. Is this the sound of a T/O bearing starting to fail?

Thanks,

John
that is the opposite of the way a t-o bearing would behave. the t-o bearing is loaded when you step on the clutch. Thats when it would make noise.

maybe your noise is flywheel or internal trans. Or maybe its something else.
 

flashmayo

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2007
Location
Santa Cruz CA
TDI
'03 Jetta - Gator Tuned
OEM flywheel, original clutch, likely original gear oil. 240K miles.

I found the level of gear oil in the transmission to be about an inch below the bottom of the filler hole. The filler plug smelled a little burnt. The gear oil that came out was honey colored and smelled fine.
I replaced with 2.5 quarts of Mobil1 synthetic 75-90 gear oil. The Bentley manual says the capacity is 2 quarts.
Banging noise is still there after changing the gear oil. I didn't hear it at all at first, but after driving 40 miles to work, I can hear it again, possibly more faintly than before.
Is this doom to the tranny or just another noise to live with?

John
 

flashmayo

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2007
Location
Santa Cruz CA
TDI
'03 Jetta - Gator Tuned
It's possible. The noise doesn't sound like any of the failing DMF videos I've seen though. Guess it's time to turn up the radio.
 

jokila

Vendor
Joined
Dec 3, 2004
Location
Houston, Texas
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS, Manual
It's possible. The noise doesn't sound like any of the failing DMF videos I've seen though. Guess it's time to turn up the radio.
You should also take a piece of black tape over the MIL indicator too. Who wants to be annoyed by petty things like that. :D
 

flashmayo

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2007
Location
Santa Cruz CA
TDI
'03 Jetta - Gator Tuned
Update on this. Bought a clutch figuring the noise was early signs of the DMF coming apart. Haven't heard the noise in a couple days of 80 mile round trip commute. Oh well, it's on the shelf when I need it. One of the CV axles has a big rip in the inside boot, so will likely do both of these jobs together some day when it becomes more clear the the clutch needs replacing.
 

flashmayo

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2007
Location
Santa Cruz CA
TDI
'03 Jetta - Gator Tuned
Update 2. It's been a month and I haven't heard the noise for at least 3 weeks. Either the DMF has broken to a state where it's locked in and the parts are not moving relative to each other, or new gear oil has quieted down the trans. and the DMF is fine.
Either way, I have a clutch kit at the ready for when I need it.
 

jokila

Vendor
Joined
Dec 3, 2004
Location
Houston, Texas
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS, Manual
Update 2. It's been a month and I haven't heard the noise for at least 3 weeks. Either the DMF has broken to a state where it's locked in and the parts are not moving relative to each other, or new gear oil has quieted down the trans. and the DMF is fine.
Either way, I have a clutch kit at the ready for when I need it.
If you wait too long on that inner joint boot you might have to replace the joint instead of just a boot replacement.
 
Top