Clutch scraping noise
 

Hi everybody,

I'm new here and have searched for quite a while to find this noise but I can't find anything that's been posted.

I have a 2014 FR-S 6MT and it only has about 850 miles on it so far. Every time I push the clutch in to shift a gear at a normal RPM (3-3.5k), I hear a grinding, almost vibration noise and it only lasts about a second until the clutch hits the floor. I took it to Toyota and they swear it is absolutely normal. However, I'm not entirely convinced.

Interesting side note: it will not do it in neutral, the clutch is completely silent unless there's some sort of load on the transmission.

Any thoughts at all? Is it normal??

Does it happen if you completely let go of the gas pedal before pressing on the clutch?

I experienced a similar problem when I first got this car because I wasn't used to the high catch point of the clutch so I still had a little bit of throttle input before the clutch was fully depressed. That caused the clutch to slip for a split second during shifts

Did it make the exact same noise? I've tried everything but lifting off completely before shifting sure does make for a rough shift. But yes, since there isn't any load on it, it doesn't make the same noise... But who shifts like that? This is my 5th manual car and I've never experienced this

Before you shift into the next gear make sure the clutch is completely down on the floor then put it into the next gear.

I'm having this rattle when I put in neutral coasting up to a light, I went back to the dealer and of course it didn't do it when the tech was with me. My FR-S only has 450 miles, like yourself have had many manual cars. I'm finding this car a bit weird to drive at the moment lol hopefully I can get the shifts more smooth.

I couldn't imagine driving a manual where I had to floor the clutch for every gear change...as it is now I've never used more than the top 1/3 of the clutch travel when shifting in every manual I've ever driven.

Putting it to the floor every gear would result in a very awkward shift.

I always put the clutch to the floor. Like I said, my problem isn't the shifter, it's the actual clutch making noise. I wish I knew if it was normal or not.

Seems to be pretty normal to me. Does this happen under 2k RPM? If so, I believe it's the common flywheel rattle a lot of people hear.

Try starting in 2nd gear a couple times, slip the clutch slowly as you build revs. You should be able to reproduce the "rattle/grinding" sound you're speaking about. If that's the case, I think you're alright.

I see what you mean, but this noise is coming from the clutch itself only when pressing it down with load on it. If I let the gas go completely before beginning the clutch pedal's journey down, there's no noise. I guess the engagement point is just so high?

This thread might help:

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68957

No, that's not it actually. This is simply a clutch noise upon up shifting.

Well unless you get a video I think you've exhausted our knowledge.

Bet of luck.

I'll try to get a video. Thank you for your help nevertheless!

for mine it almost sounds like a horn, dont know what it is and i havn't got it checked out cuz my car is running fine at 38kmiles now

edit: it doesn't happen all the time, and it has happened from a cold start and when the engine is warm

I may have miss-understood you, but why would you have the accelerator applied when up-shifting after you put the clutch in? That will just cause clutch wear and increase the RPM adding more syncro wear on the shift and more clutch wear again on release.

Unless you are doing power shifts or hot shifts which will feck your clutch, the only reason to have pedal on when clutching it, is to blip on a downshift or in some big diesels to keep the rpm up as they take too long to rev back up if you change slowly.

If you let the accelerator off too soon though you'll get a forward jolt. The trick is to do both simultaneously, just as you lift off the throttle (completely), slip the clutch. You should already have the shifter "pre-loaded" in the direction of travel required so it will pop out into neutral, into the next gear, then bring the clutch back up to the bite point and apply throttle as you smoothly release the clutch.

Remember... you don't need a clutch to change gear. The syncro's work fine on their own as long as you are passing the correct RPM. Upshifts are therefore the easiest. Just lift your foot off the accelerator with a gently preload on the gear stick. As the transmission passes the "neutral" point with no load the gear will pop out. Immediately offer it to the next gear ups syncro. DO NOT FORCE IT IN! Maintain gentle pressure and as the (falling) rpm passes the correct rpm for the gear it will pop in. Then accelerate. Down shifts are the same, but you either have to rev match, or blip the rpm up above the gear and apply the same technique as upshifts.

My car has the same noise. Originally I thought the horn sound was given by someone until I went for a drive on a quiet country road recently. It does not happen all the time. Do you have an update? Many thanks.

i dont, but i recently gave a friend a ride and asked him about it and he had mentioned it sounded like the flywheel

It seems that if I fully release my gas peddle before I press clutch, it will be fine. If I release my gas peddle millisecond slower when I press clutch, the horn sound may come out. Just a thought, but still not sure.

Could you be hearing the shifter buzzer?

does it sound like a car horn? my clutch sounds like a car horn

i also realized this car is drive by wire, so there is a slight delay in when the gas is pressed compared to a car thats not drive by wire

Too lazy to find the thread but some where on here is info that the "car horn / goose honk" has been linked to the throw-out bearing. If it happens all the time it is best to take it in and have it checked.

our car is drive by wire? O.o Don't feel like it to me..

'Tis true

it's been happening since day 1. Only when everything hasn't warmed up yet. Do you think theres a long term problem or its just an annoyance? 'Cause I don't care too much about the noise

From what I have read (I am not an expert on the subject) it can eventually lead to throw out bearing failure.
But... as long as everything seems to be working ok otherwise I would wait until closer to the warranty being up to have it fixed.

how helpful. and NOT unhelpful.

???????????

no need to be snide to tcoat, he's trying to help. You'll be waiting forever if you truly only listen to 'clutch experts', i.e. professionals who manufacture or install clutches. They don't typically come here to reassure you about a VERY discussed and debated symptom such as this. I have the same noise. Am I worried? No. Am I attentive to the noise? Yes.

Ya nothing like a 1500 word technical thesis and 20 counter argument replies to confuse a simple thing!
I like too use the K.I.S.S. principle when I can.

Don't think he was being snide and am pretty sure I know what he was referring to after thinking a second.

I made that really ambiguous. I was referring to mr. T.B.

That was what I thought after I questioned it.
Although in fairness T.B. was not the issues B7 was.
Guess that is what happens when you get judged on 2% of your posts!!!!!