Clutch / gearbox tappet-like noise

[Don R]

I’ve just finished the rebuild on my vitesse and it’s running (dropped valve fixed after first attempt..).  However, it’s developed a rattling noise from the clutch /gearbox.  It is a light noise, like tappets, a rattle that gets faster and slower with engine revs. It happens in and out of gear and disappears with a slight load on the clutch pedal.  It has started after 100 miles running in and I think it’s getting a more insistent.  (The car has a new clutch, a new release bearing and the engine has had a complete rebuild inc. crank grind and bottom end.) 

I’m thinking unlikely to be engine end float.  my suspicions are around the release bearing and carrier, the release fork or the clutch itself.  Has anyone heard of this, is it serious/ urgent and is there an easy fix (or is it drop the gearbox time again…

thanks!!

[Pete Lewis]

having a budgie in the clucth seems quiet common the fact it stops wiith alight touch of the pedal is its the diaphragm fingers skidding on the throwout bearing 

there have been ideas used like a light spring added to the throwout to just keep the two in contact,  it may improve as time free up the bearing to spen more freely 

it will chatter away for ages   not overly detrimental but annoying 

what make of clutch   did you fit ????  

there can be a lot of wear points the pins wear the groove in the carrier can wear ( solve by reposition the anti rotation pin/dimple   

and to reposition the lever angle  add a washer under the pressed in spherical post to even up the pivot see saw fulcrum 

lots of small points all add up as these wear the lever becomes off centre to the tube centre line  the carrier  runs on and it become a little pitched 

Pete

 

[Don R]

Thanks Pete, that is a relief- imagining all sorts of things but the diaphragm fingers on bearing fits all symptoms.  I’ll dig out the make of clutch.  All the actuating bits have been apart and cleaned/disturbed and with the new bits i guess it’ll take a while to settle down.  A light spring sounds the most accessible fix, I’ll start there…

[Paul H]

34 minutes ago, Don R said:

Thanks Pete, that is a relief- imagining all sorts of things but the diaphragm fingers on bearing fits all symptoms.  I’ll dig out the make of clutch.  All the actuating bits have been apart and cleaned/disturbed and with the new bits i guess it’ll take a while to settle down.  A light spring sounds the most accessible fix, I’ll start there…

Hi Don , I had a singing canary, same situation as you , tried springs which worked for a while then the birds returned . Got used to it in the end . Turned out to be the dimple stopping the RELEASE BEARING CARRIER from spinning had been flattened by the previous owner . Sorted by drilling and adding a split pin to the carrier to stop the spinning . Discovered with a recent  gearbox overhaul and clutch change with Pete in control . Vitesse mk1 gearbox 

Paul 

[Don R]

I did suspect that the carrier might be part of it, and I don’t recall seeing the dimple (though I may just have missed it).  Thanks for the tip

[Pete Lewis]

carriers have a dimple in the groove or a roll pin the pin is early  the dimple  later  but next time its out drill the carrier and add a split pin in a new position to make some wear in a new spot this is  just to  arrest any rotation as this wears ring grooves in the front cover tube and makes a jerky clutch operation 

Pete