HELP! Squeaky clutch / problems shifting

[ryanee182]

I noticed my Jeep was making a slight squeaky noise when the clutch pedal is pushed all the way in, but has been driving fine the past few weeks. Last night the noise got louder, so I took a video of it. My Jeep has about 75,000 miles, and still the original clutch.

jeep.MOV - YouTube

This morning, it had some problems shifting between gears. About 1/2 the time, it wouldn't go into ANY gear. No grinding, it just wouldn't go into gear until I turned the engine off, put it into gear, and started the engine again. The shifting problem seemed to be random, and while up or down shifting in any gear.

The searching I have done suggests that the clutch release bearing is the problem. Can anybody confirm this?

And....What should I expect to pay for repair?

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[k99jk99j]

the clutch release bearing spins when the clutch pedal is in. sounds like you need a whole clutch job! i would stop driving because you don't want to tear up your input Shaft over a 25 dollar throw out bearing. mike

 

[ryanee182]

I called my local 4x4 shop to get a new clutch kit installed this weekend. I will leave it parked in my garage until then so I don't make the problems any worse!

$740 is the total estimate I got for a new Luk clutch kit, flywheel resurface, and install labor.

 

[ryanee182]

the clutch release bearing spins when the clutch pedal is in. sounds like you need a whole clutch job! i would stop driving because you don't want to tear up your input Shaft over a 25 dollar throw out bearing. mike

UPDATE:

Unfortunately, I'm too late! The bearing seized and tore up the input shaft just like you said. The carriage that holds the needle bearings was gone, and the bearings were scattered about. Transmission is being sent to another shop to have the input shaft replaced, plus anything else the might find along the way. Quoted $600 to $1150 to fix the transmission. Should be on the lower side since the transmission has been working fine, and the input shaft should be all that needs to be replaced. But the way my luck has been going, I wouldn't be surprised if they find something else!

They also found my rear main seal was leaking, so at least I can get that replaced at the same time and save a few bucks.

 

[Billwill]

UPDATE:

Unfortunately, I'm too late! The bearing seized and tore up the input shaft just like you said. The carriage that holds the needle bearings was gone, and the bearings were scattered about. Transmission is being sent to another shop to have the input shaft replaced, plus anything else the might find along the way. Quoted $600 to $1150 to fix the transmission. Should be on the lower side since the transmission has been working fine, and the input shaft should be all that needs to be replaced. But the way my luck has been going, I wouldn't be surprised if they find something else!

They also found my rear main seal was leaking, so at least I can get that replaced at the same time and save a few bucks.

I replied to your post on the Lost site warning you to not get the flywheel machined down flat...some removal of scoring with Emery cloth is OK but the flywheel itself has a deliberate curve on it. If you let the machine shop machine the flywheel flat then you will need a new flywheel and new clutch assembly.:disgust:

 

[ryanee182]

Apparently this is only the case for the 2.4 engines that use the dual mass flywheel. The shop has been working on Jeeps and other 4x4 for over 40 years, and has always recommended resurfacing the flywheel. I showed him posts and the FSM that recommends not to, so he removed the flywheel and put a straight edge on it to confirm it was perfectly flat. I drove out to see it for myself, and it is dead flat. I was looking for the very slight dome towards the center, and there was none. My flywheel is still the factory original, and doesn't have any major damage to it, as the clutch was still okay and the only the bearing that failed.

 

[Billwill]

Apparently this is only the case for the 2.4 engines that use the dual mass flywheel. The shop has been working on Jeeps and other 4x4 for over 40 years, and has always recommended resurfacing the flywheel. I showed him posts and the FSM that recommends not to, so he removed the flywheel and put a straight edge on it to confirm it was perfectly flat. I drove out to see it for myself, and it is dead flat. I was looking for the very slight dome towards the center, and there was none. My flywheel is still the factory original, and doesn't have any major damage to it, as the clutch was still okay and the only the bearing that failed.

You are probably right about it being applicable to the 2.4L...it definitely is applicable to the CRDs with the manual box.

 

[ryanee182]

I just picked up my Jeep this evening. The new clutch works great, but will take some getting used to. It's nice and smooth, but the pedal is much easier to push than before! Call me crazy, but I kind of liked the pedal resistance of the old clutch.

 

[sevenhelmet]

Sorry for the revival...

@#$% it, I just had the SAME PROBLEM! Mine was driving fine up till yesterday and when I went to start it up this morning, I got the "angry chipmunk" just like in your video and occasional hard shifting (although I was able to double-clutch and get it to shift normally- weird.) I drove it at most 10 miles total to a local shop and they're working it now. Guy at the shop said it sounds like a clutch job and hopefully that is all. If the ****** is bad, it could be the end of the line for Lady Liberty.

104K miles, original clutch. Happened very suddenly, it's been fine up to now. Of course I'm out of town for work, and I need my Jeep to get me home on Wednesday...

 

[ryanee182]

Hopefully you caught your's in time, and before any damage to your input shaft. I drove mine for about a week after noticing a slight squeak, and it was too late.

I'd highly recommend the Luk clutch. In my last post, I questioned the low pedal resistance. It has since stiffened up a bit, and I'm used to it. Now I love it!

Oh, and my resurfaced flywheel has been just fine.

 

[sevenhelmet]

Thanks. I just talked to the shop and he said he thinks the transmission is fine based on what he could see on inspecting the clutch. They hadn't dropped it to do the clutch job yet though, so I'm still holding my breath. With some good luck, I might get my Jeep back tomorrow.

 

[sevenhelmet]

UPDATE: It was the pilot bearing, which apparently self-destructed after my 230 mile road trip to San Diego. The mechanic found its remains scattered all over the place. Luckily the ****** input shaft was OK. I went ahead and had him do the whole clutch job since the pressure plates have been wearing out for a while. Got her back yesterday with a brand new luk clutch installed (no flywheel resurfacing.) I'm amazed at the change- problems I didn't know I had are now fixed. There are NO rattles or squeaks any more. None. A cold idle squeak I thought was coming from the engine is also gone. And best of all- the clutch pedal force is almost zero, making driving in traffic much more pleasant. It feels like I'm driving a brand new vehicle. Of course that means I have to re-calibrate my clutch foot, since I'm used to the old clutch feel. Not bad for $689 out of the shop when it could have easily been a couple grand or more.

Kudos to the shop that did it on such short notice.

 

[ryanee182]

Glad to hear you didn't run into any other problems. I noticed the same changes you did, so smooth and effortless to push the pedal. It took me a week or 2 to re-calibrate my clutch foot, and works perfectly now!