Clutch issue.. help please

[gottabstick]

Hi,I have an 03 GT with F1 racing stage 2 kit installed 20k miles ago. Over the weekend I noticed a noise whilst driving on the interstate. It sounded like the clutch grinding at cruise i.e. when my foot was off the accelerator. The noise was barely audible below 60mph but was quite irritating at 65 and above. Like I say once I hit the gas the sound went away, and of course when I pushed in the clutch pedal it was gone too. I'm thinking flywheel or bearing. Anyone have any input before I run it into a shop? Thanks

[joatmon]

I've heard people report sounds like that that were later attirbuted to a throwout bearing, which is a pain to get to but cheaper than an internal tranny bearing. I'd expect you put a new throwout when you did the stage2 kit, seems early for a failure. It's really hard to isolate sounds in these cars. Could it also be a CV joint going?

[wyatt89]

Most likely the throw out bearing. If you are sitting at a stop light and you let it sit in neutral with your foot off the clutch does it make a whirring noise? If so does it go away when you push in the clutch? Cheaper clutches tend to have cheaper parts which includes the throwout bearing...that's why it's worth it to pay the 200-300 bucks and get a name brand clutch.Also did you have your flywheel machined when you did the clutch (if it needed it)?

[gottabstick]

Yes you described it perfectly. My wife just reminded me that the same noise was intermidently present before the clutch changeout. Maybe it is the flywheel , I dont think they did anything with that when they worked on the clutch.ThanksGuys

[wyatt89]

You are most welcome, and yes the whirring is a bad throw out bearing.