Ok it all started a couple weeks ago. When I first start the car, it idles fine. After a minute or so I will hear a clunking noise coming from the transmission (sounds like it's coming from inside the bellhousing). As I hear this clunking noise, the motor will stumble and many times it will stall. If I hold the rpms just above idle the clunking will settle down a bit (although I can still hear it slightly) and it will idle smooth. Once I start driving, the noise goes away and the car drives fine. The problem only happens at idle. I've got a few things in mind that may be causing it. I'm thinking it could somehow be input shaft related or pressure plate related. Possibly the throwout bearing? Also, occasionally I can smell very faint clutch slippage at idle even when the car isn't in gear. The clutch/pressure plate is brand new. Any ideas? It looks like I'm probably gonna be pulling this transmission once again.

Thanks,
Stephen

 

This is just a guess, but it sounds like maybe the clutch is not disengaging completely, IE the clutch is slipping against the flywheel. Does it make the same noise idling in neutral with the clutch engaged? The ball stud that the clutch fork pivots on should be adjsutable, and it may be out of adjustment.

 

Yes it does the same thing when idling in neutral with the clutch disengaged or engaged as well as idling in gear with the clutch disengaged. That's why I'm so stumped by it. Could the main input shaft bearing in the transmission possibly be going bad? Could the pilot bearing or throwout bearing be causing it? Both of them are brand new. Someone please give any ideas that you can come up with.

Thanks,
Stephen

 

its possible the flywheel bolts are loose..did you lock tite em? cheers, Bob

 

That's another possibility I was considering. I didn't locktite the pressure plate bolts. I just torqued them to spec. I guess I'll know when I pull the transmission in a couple weeks. I wish I could do it sooner but with exams and all coming up I really don't have the time. Any more suggestions?

Thanks