Transmission noise (sound like bearing failure)

ronstoppable · 10-25-2011, 05:13 AM

I had my car now for 2 years. I drive about 100 miles round trip a day to and from work. The car now has 44000 miles on it. Mainly all highway. Approximately 20000 miles ago I experienced a noise coming from the underside of the car when i release the clutch and the car is in neutral. I could really hear the noise when going through a drive through as the noise bounces off the wall. I took it to a dealer and they told me the input drive bearing sounds bad. Being under warranty the dealer put in a new transmission instead of rebuilding the old one (cheaper for Nissan). Now I'm experiencing the noise again and it seems as if its getting louder. When i take off in 1st gear very slow it sounds really bad as if a bearing is grinding. All in all though the car drives and shifts fine and the clutch doesn't slip. Also, when i depress the clutch the noise goes away. The car is still under warranty so i am going back to the dealer about this, but before i do i would like to get other peoples input. Thanks :-)

MJB · 10-25-2011, 08:03 AM

I have a similar noise coming from mine as well, maybe not as loud though. I really hear it when I'm at a stand still in N or 1st and I'm slowly letting out the clutch. Almost like a "chatter" sound. I had the same sound on my old 350z so I just figured these trannys are noisy like that. Still shifts nice and smooth. No problems what so ever.

m4a1mustang · 10-25-2011, 08:06 AM

The noise you hear in neutral is normal. It's a little bit of a knocking/clanking sound.

The clutch chatter is also normal when pulling away from a stop. It's more likely to happen if you give too much throttle while feathering the clutch.

phohman · 10-25-2011, 08:25 AM

When a bearing is going out on the Input gear (main drive gear) The noise will change or even go away while in that range (normally 4th or 5th gear) and be more pronounced in the lower range. If the Trans makes noise in all ranges it would more likely be the Input gear or counter drive gear due to fatigue and an exchange will be your best option. fatigue is normally diagnosed as lack of lubricant.

ronstoppable · 10-25-2011, 09:38 AM

The one thing that worries me is when they put a "new" transmission in my car the noise was not noticeable at all. The car sounded fantastic. Then the more and more i drove it, the noise came back and i can even feel a little tapping in the clutch pedal when depressed.

B&W_Evader · 10-25-2011, 09:56 AM

Sounds like a throwout bearing to me. Did they replace it when they did the transmission?

elmz · 10-25-2011, 10:46 AM

I know this is probably not what you want to hear, but what you're experiencing is normal. I'm not exactly sure to what extent, but the "tapping in the clutch pedal when depressed" and chatter or clanking when in nuetral is quite normal on the Z. Nissan just can't get it right when it comes to the transmission. Although its rough, noisy, and sometimes embarassing it functions well IMO.

ronstoppable · 10-25-2011, 11:01 AM

I don't believe they replaced the throw out bearing. They said when the clutch is pressed in That's when the throw out bearing is engaged and That's not when the noise is happening. This is what the dealer told me. I kinda figure it may be normal. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the car. It runs great! Just maybe a little embarrassing when at a light and your sitting in a fancy new looking sports car and its chattering away. Lol. Ill invest in a loud exhaust.

roy'sz · 10-26-2011, 02:55 AM

^factory nissan oil rids of the chattering.

cossie1600 · 10-26-2011, 10:39 AM

The clutch chatter is simply the material and friction. I get the dreadful bearing whine too. Is it a throwout and pilot bearing or is it my main shaft? It's really annoying too.

B&W_Evader · 10-26-2011, 11:05 AM

Throwout bearing & Pilot bearing issues - noise will change when you engage and disengage the clutch.

I get a slight howle in 4th gear, sounds like a quiet turbo, but I don't have a turbo. Haven't heard anyone else talk about this so I'm hoping it's OK

elmo · 03-11-2012, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B&W_Evader

Throwout bearing & Pilot bearing issues - noise will change when you engage and disengage the clutch.

I get a slight howle in 4th gear, sounds like a quiet turbo, but I don't have a turbo. Haven't heard anyone else talk about this so I'm hoping it's OK

Just got my 2012 5days ago and that howle or whine I also only hear in 4th I'm going to the dealer thursday to fun out what they tell me Im all over the place with my gears to as I just got the car and first time stick so I haven't favored one gear over any others sure is embarisjng tho

B&W_Evader · 03-12-2012, 10:22 AM

FYI...

Mine has not gotten worse. Maybe even improved a little bit. Last thing I want is some idiot at the dealer (or any repaair shop) f-ing my car up while he's fixing it. It always seams like a big risk every time you let someone touch anything. The only people who really know how to put these things together right are the people who built it the first time. Everyone else is just guessing. Don't take it appart unless you really need to. (at about 7.7k miles now)

fuct · 09-21-2012, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elmo

Just got my 2012 5days ago and that howle or whine I also only hear in 4th I'm going to the dealer thursday to fun out what they tell me Im all over the place with my gears to as I just got the car and first time stick so I haven't favored one gear over any others sure is embarisjng tho

how about a period or two in that babble of words?

ronstoppable · 10-26-2011, 01:16 PM

Im taking my car to the dealer tomorrow. Will see what they have to say after bringing the car in for the second for the same reason.

10-25-2011, 05:13 AM	#1 (permalink)
ronstoppable Base Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: auburn al Posts: 4 Drives: 2010 nissan 370z bla Rep Power: 14	Transmission noise (sound like bearing failure) I had my car now for 2 years. I drive about 100 miles round trip a day to and from work. The car now has 44000 miles on it. Mainly all highway. Approximately 20000 miles ago I experienced a noise coming from the underside of the car when i release the clutch and the car is in neutral. I could really hear the noise when going through a drive through as the noise bounces off the wall. I took it to a dealer and they told me the input drive bearing sounds bad. Being under warranty the dealer put in a new transmission instead of rebuilding the old one (cheaper for Nissan). Now I'm experiencing the noise again and it seems as if its getting louder. When i take off in 1st gear very slow it sounds really bad as if a bearing is grinding. All in all though the car drives and shifts fine and the clutch doesn't slip. Also, when i depress the clutch the noise goes away. The car is still under warranty so i am going back to the dealer about this, but before i do i would like to get other peoples input. Thanks :-)

10-25-2011, 08:06 AM	#3 (permalink)
m4a1mustang A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Northern VA Posts: 55,385 Drives: on two wheels Rep Power: 6963	The noise you hear in neutral is normal. It's a little bit of a knocking/clanking sound. The clutch chatter is also normal when pulling away from a stop. It's more likely to happen if you give too much throttle while feathering the clutch. __________________ - Steve Zs & Coffee - Saturdays at 10AM in Fairfax, VA and Columbia, MD (Click the banner!) LIKE us on Facebook!

10-26-2011, 11:05 AM	#11 (permalink)
B&W_Evader Track Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: CA Posts: 972 Drives: slower than before Rep Power: 387	Throwout bearing & Pilot bearing issues - noise will change when you engage and disengage the clutch. I get a slight howle in 4th gear, sounds like a quiet turbo, but I don't have a turbo. Haven't heard anyone else talk about this so I'm hoping it's OK Last edited by B&W_Evader; 10-26-2011 at 11:08 AM.

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10-25-2011, 08:03 AM	#2 (permalink)
MJB A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Tacoma, WA Age: 41 Posts: 1,498 Drives: a POS truck Rep Power: 496	I have a similar noise coming from mine as well, maybe not as loud though. I really hear it when I'm at a stand still in N or 1st and I'm slowly letting out the clutch. Almost like a "chatter" sound. I had the same sound on my old 350z so I just figured these trannys are noisy like that. Still shifts nice and smooth. No problems what so ever.

10-25-2011, 08:25 AM	#4 (permalink)
phohman Base Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Katy-Houston Tx. Age: 62 Posts: 124 Drives: 2012 370Z Nismo Rep Power: 15	When a bearing is going out on the Input gear (main drive gear) The noise will change or even go away while in that range (normally 4th or 5th gear) and be more pronounced in the lower range. If the Trans makes noise in all ranges it would more likely be the Input gear or counter drive gear due to fatigue and an exchange will be your best option. fatigue is normally diagnosed as lack of lubricant.

10-25-2011, 09:38 AM	#5 (permalink)
ronstoppable Base Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: auburn al Posts: 4 Drives: 2010 nissan 370z bla Rep Power: 14	The one thing that worries me is when they put a "new" transmission in my car the noise was not noticeable at all. The car sounded fantastic. Then the more and more i drove it, the noise came back and i can even feel a little tapping in the clutch pedal when depressed.

10-25-2011, 09:56 AM	#6 (permalink)
B&W_Evader Track Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: CA Posts: 972 Drives: slower than before Rep Power: 387	Sounds like a throwout bearing to me. Did they replace it when they did the transmission?

10-25-2011, 10:46 AM	#7 (permalink)
elmz Track Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 674 Drives: 2014 Porsche Boxster Rep Power: 18	I know this is probably not what you want to hear, but what you're experiencing is normal. I'm not exactly sure to what extent, but the "tapping in the clutch pedal when depressed" and chatter or clanking when in nuetral is quite normal on the Z. Nissan just can't get it right when it comes to the transmission. Although its rough, noisy, and sometimes embarassing it functions well IMO.

10-25-2011, 11:01 AM	#8 (permalink)
ronstoppable Base Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: auburn al Posts: 4 Drives: 2010 nissan 370z bla Rep Power: 14	I don't believe they replaced the throw out bearing. They said when the clutch is pressed in That's when the throw out bearing is engaged and That's not when the noise is happening. This is what the dealer told me. I kinda figure it may be normal. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the car. It runs great! Just maybe a little embarrassing when at a light and your sitting in a fancy new looking sports car and its chattering away. Lol. Ill invest in a loud exhaust.

10-26-2011, 02:55 AM	#9 (permalink)
roy'sz A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: palmdale, ca Posts: 1,299 Drives: 2010 nissan 370z Rep Power: 16	^factory nissan oil rids of the chattering.

10-26-2011, 10:39 AM	#10 (permalink)
cossie1600 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: californee way Posts: 5,380 Drives: 370, Leaf Rep Power: 30	The clutch chatter is simply the material and friction. I get the dreadful bearing whine too. Is it a throwout and pilot bearing or is it my main shaft? It's really annoying too.

03-12-2012, 10:22 AM	#13 (permalink)
B&W_Evader Track Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: CA Posts: 972 Drives: slower than before Rep Power: 387	FYI... Mine has not gotten worse. Maybe even improved a little bit. Last thing I want is some idiot at the dealer (or any repaair shop) f-ing my car up while he's fixing it. It always seams like a big risk every time you let someone touch anything. The only people who really know how to put these things together right are the people who built it the first time. Everyone else is just guessing. Don't take it appart unless you really need to. (at about 7.7k miles now)

10-26-2011, 01:16 PM	#15 (permalink)
ronstoppable Base Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: auburn al Posts: 4 Drives: 2010 nissan 370z bla Rep Power: 14	Im taking my car to the dealer tomorrow. Will see what they have to say after bringing the car in for the second for the same reason.