chatter/squeaking/squealing during decel?
 

There is no way I'm going to be able to describe the noise I'm hearing, but I'll try anyway. Last night my clutch/driveline developed a weird chatter...almost like a super rapid sqeaking when the car is in gear and decelerating; usually around <3k rpm's then as it starts to drop. If I push the clutch in it goes away instantly so obviously it's clutch related. If I'm real high in the power band and let it decel then it starts the chatter/squeak then goes away very quickly. It even for a split second will sometimes make the sound at a stand still just putting the car into 1st gear. The car has 102k miles with what I would assume the original clutch. The clutch does not slip AT ALL as I've tried the stomping it in 5th gear during super low rpm's. The car just snaps the slack out of the driveline and pulls forward hard.

Any ideas or suggestions? It's pretty damn loud at lower speeds and it's a slight embarrassment to drive it like that. lol I don't necessarily think it's hurting anything by continuing to drive it, but it certainly isn't getting any better. Thanks in advance to anyone's input.

And after a quick drive home from work just now, it ALMOST sounds like high-pitched belt squeal. It's incredibly bizarre and frustrating.

I found out the car does the exact opposite in reverse. It only make the noise when giving it gas; as soon as I let off it stops.

I tried making a video to demonstrate the noise. I know this isn't a great video, but maybe it'll help.
http://s260.photobucket.com/albums/i...710_223328.mp4

At first I was thinking throw out bearing but idk now.

Does your car have a pilot bearing or a bushing?

Dude, I know. :(

It has a pilot bearing.

I found this when doing Google searches...

http://www.drivetrain.com/parts_cata...wers_here.html

And here is an excerpt from that...

"If the problem is noise coming from the clutch system, a simple test can identify the source of the noise before you tear into the system. There are two potential bearing-noise makers in the clutch system-the release bearing and the pilot bearing. To determine which one, if either, is making the noise follow these steps:

Step 1 With the engine running and the transmission in neutral, if the noise occurs it is in the transmission, most likely the front bearing supporting the input shaft.
Step 2 If that is not the problem, place your foot on the clutch pedal and begin to depress the pedal. If you begin to hear the noise at this point, the problem is the clutch release bearing. If not, proceed to the next step.
Step 3 Push the clutch pedal all the way to the floor. If you hear the noise at this point it is the pilot bearing or bushing. If you do not hear any noise during this test, the problem is not in the clutch system. Identifying these conditions early before removing and replacing the components goes a long way toward preventing a recurrence of the problem."

None of those steps cause my issue.

Bent pressure plate finger?

I'm not necessarily saying that couldn't be it, but I would think that would be highly unlikely. How could that have happened? No one (since I took ownership) has taken the transmission out of the car. Would that make a noise during deceleration only and acceleration only during reverse?

Ive never had it happen to me personally, but I have seen pictures online of it happening before. I would think that, similar to a brake dust shield, it could vibrate/rub only at certain RPM based on the frequency of the engine rpm, but I'm just tossing out a guess. If the noise is that loud, its probably worth pulling apart to inspect it.

The way you described it kind of sounded like a throw out bearing until I heard the video...

I didn't realize it was so loud or screechy.

Are you sort of able to pinpoint at all where the sound is coming from?

Yeah, I'm trying to avoid that for the time being. lol

EXACTLY! And that is precisely why I posted a video...because describing that sound was near impossible for me. I also knew most people would lean towards TOB which I knew it wasn't.

Unfortunately I cannot while driving the car. I took my dad for a ride and he seemed to think it was coming from the rear. I guess I really need to see if someone can walk beside it to try to pin point where the noise is coming from.

Any way, as a side note after my dad said that I jacked up the rear of the car and ran it through the gears and for the life of me could not re-create the sound. So obviously the car needs to be under load. However, when driving the car I can't NOT get the car to do it. lol

would pressing the brakes slightly simulate a load? if its rear wheel drive just use the e-brake. front wheel drive you'd have to hit the brake pedal of course.

worth a try before pulling stuff off the car that could not be the issue. stethoscopes work wonders! especially the ones with the probe on them.

i just heard the video and every time i have heard that noise it was a u-joint somewhere. it sounds like the same frequency as a driveshaft would spin at the speeds you were going in that video. give them a check. the last one i had that made that noise was rusted and locked up, not loose and clunky.

Hmmmm...good question/point.

Stethoscopes do work wonders, but I'm first just trying to determine where to look. lol

Now this is one suggestion I have not heard yet. Interesting. However, wouldn't a u-joint on the DS make that noise while accelerating or even maintaining a rate of speed? This noise goes away the moment I touch the gas pedal.

u joints. my truck did the exact same thing and when i pulled the drive shaft the rear joint was a holeshot away from snapping completely.

no. think of how it works. if you are on the gas the drive shaft and the yoke are pressed together and when you let off they separate. sorry i cant really think of a better way to say that right now lol

kind of like they are twisting together when you are accelerating, if that makes sense.

cars do funny things that you think would never happen, its crazy and i hate it lol. but i would check them.

but to try to explain why it may be not making noise when you hit the go pedal: if you are giving it some force you may be putting pressure through the joint which is toning the noise down or getting rid of it all together. but once you let off the pedal there is slack in the drive train and the joint may loosen up, move around freely and squeek. i'd definitely check all u-joints. if they are loose they can squeek and clunk around. like i said though mine was rusted and locked up. it made an extremely similar if not exact noise. it just did it 100% of the time. the faster i went the higher the frequency was.

Hmmmmm...so you're saying that fits the bill perfect huh? Even if I'm just sitting at idle?

What about when I had the rear up in the air (giggity) and tried to replicate the noise and couldn't?

it makes the noise at idle? i couldn't hear it at idle in the video just when it was moving. even if you are inching slowing a bad u-joint would make a noise but not without movement.

like i said cars sometimes/always do weird things. if there wasn't a squeel when the rear was in the air (giggity x2) then it must not have had enough load.