Squeaky Clutch

[ukguy]

Hi, I hope someone can help with the following. I have a '99 Golf 1.9Tdi Mk4. When I first set off and press and de-press the clutch pedal there is a high pitch squeak in the engine bay area. I have tried to find where the lever thing is for the clutch in the bay but can't find it! I know it's definitely coming from within theengine bay area and not the pedal itself. I notice the noise does dissapear after some usage on a day.

The source of the squeak I presume is asking for some oiling but I'm stuck on where to put it. Can anyone assist in the workings of the clutch in the engine bay area please, and which bit might need some lubrication ?

Thanks!
Adam

 

[cattlerepairman]

What is the mileage on your car?
The squeak can be associated with the springs of the clutch pressure plate. If it is, it is a gentle reminder to start looking for a clutch kit. I drove my Volvo for a year with the squeaky pressure plate with no ill effects. Two springs were broken.

The squeak might disappear because of the change in temperature during use of the car.

 

[Muggins]

The squeak can be associated with the springs of the clutch pressure plate. If it is, it is a gentle reminder to start looking for a clutch kit.

What else can it be associated with? I've also got an occassional squeak when disengaging and engaging the clutch. And I sure as heck hope it's not broken springs at 40k km. A tad early -- understatement of the year -- I would think.

 

[ukguy]

Thanks for the reply.

With you saying it could be the clutch pressure plate springs, is there any way to check this without removing the clutch from the car ?

The car has done 92000 miles but they've been mainly motorway(freeway) miles. I get no slip at all from the clutch and it doesn't feel much different to a new one to be quite honest.

The annoying thing is the squeak down in the clutch assembly though. Can any maintenance be done to the clutch assembly by way of lubrication etc, without resorting to removing the whole thing from the car?

 

[ukguy]

What else can it be associated with? I've also got an occassional squeak when disengaging and engaging the clutch. And I sure as heck hope it's not broken springs at 40k km. A tad early -- understatement of the year -- I would think.

Thats exactly how I can describe my symptoms too, damp or cold conditions seem to exagerate it. Once the car has been run for a few miles of stop/start traffic, the noise dissapears!

 

[Muggins]

Thats exactly how I can describe my symptoms too, damp or cold conditions seem to exagerate it. Once the car has been run for a few miles of stop/start traffic, the noise dissapears!

Can't be the clutch pressure plate springs. If it were the springs, then it would be constant, not exaggerated by the weather or non-existent at other times.

 

[cage]

Throw out bearing. Once it warms up a little it and the grease gets moving it quiets down

 

[compu_85]

Say your car has been doing this for almost two years now. Hasn't really been getting worse. About how much longer would said clutch have? Would it give more warning signes or fail suddenly?

-J

 

[cattlerepairman]

The squeak can be associated with the springs of the clutch pressure plate. If it is, it is a gentle reminder to start looking for a clutch kit.

What else can it be associated with?

As cage mentioned..maybe the release (throw out) bearing. In my limited experience these fellows start to rattle and grind.
Can you provoke the sound even after it has disappeared when you keep the pedal pressed for a while and then release it in gear?

 

[dzlnator]

I have had this problem and it is the damper springs in the clutch plate. These get loose and "rattle" Sometimes it sounds like a squeak. I have driven on a clutch that went 225,000 miles with this phenomenon. It does not necessarily mean you are going to loose a clutch. There is no fix for it other than putting in a new clutch.
The clutch heats up with running and the clearances change and the noise gets less or disappears for a while.
I have noticed that I can get "pop" the clutch and make it stop. This occurs because you are loading those springs and I suppose they bind for a while.
What is worse is that only after a few thousand miles, a replacement clutch started doing the same thing. (I actually had to replace a clutch at 225,000 on a 1.6 diesel. I was driving along and shifted to 4th gear at low rpm and torque. The clutch plate just came apart. However, this was completely unrelated to the loose damper springs.The rivets that hold the center disk to the the leaf spring separators sheared.) I wouldn't worry about the problem.

 

[ukguy]

Great stuff, thanks for all the replies there. It gives me more confidence now that the clutch is not about to break up and die on me

When the clutch is about to come to the end of it's life, I guess clutch-slip is exhibited at that time ? I don't get any clutch slip at all so hopefully this means it'll last a good few miles yet as other people have mentioned!

I will live with it unless I notice any more symptoms.

Thanks,
Adam

 

[astrolumen]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I'm having a sound that seemed to change from a rattle to a squeak today. Sounds very much like what is described here. Although, mine started on startup this afternoon. Is it possible that this clutch plate damper spring noise could be heard on startup when pedal is completely depressed?