Morning all,

Apologies if I am posting this in the wrong section as I am a new member, but here goes anyway.

Firsty I have a 1.6 petrol 2004 Ford Focus Flight and I am having issues with the clutch.

I would like to point out that my clutch seems to bite fine, can change gear fine and generally drives pretty well as can be expected for a car that age.

I am hearing a weird metalic / low pitch squeal / groan (also sounds like something is contacting something else) when I lift the clutch just past the start of the biting point, it is more pronounced when it is very cold and setting off slowly. It is definitely happening around the biting point as if i dip and raise the clutch very quickly when setting off the noise will come and go, like music!

It also seems to happen in every gear i tried. I do not hear any other noises once moved off and it does not seem louder under more load e.g. hill starts. Generally the noise will go after maybe 30 min of driving and is definitely worse when setting off to work on a cold morning.

I have read numerous threads suggesting it could be anything from the release bearing to the engine mounts. My freind mechanic mentioned it could be something on the flywheel and said not to worry as long as the clutch operates fine, which it does. The noise is very embarrassing and I would rather it did not do it as it does not sound good.

Sorry for the essay and any help will be greatly appreciated.

Regards

Scott

It does sound like the release bearing to me. Problem is it's an expensive and time consuming job to reach it, and if it turns out not to be that then obviously that's all wasted. Think I'd leave it until it gets worse personally.

Thanks a lot for your response.

To be honest that is what i was fearing as I know how much work is involved and that I might as well change everything while it is stripped. I have only had the car about 2 months and had the timing belt changed last week as I was not sure if it had ever been done so wanted piece of mind. Could really do without this outlay.

If it is the release bearing would it ever get to a point where the car is undriveable and / or be more expensive if I do not fix it ASAP (could it take something else out with it)? Is this sort of thing normally slow and progressive or could it go 'bang' at any time? Like you say I don't want to change it to find out it was not that in the first place.

Regards

Scott

There's not really a time scale you can put on it, I've had a couple failing (noisy) for several months without issue and never had one fully fail on me. One of my mates had one start whining and a week later it exploded making the clutch unusable, didn't take anything else out with it though, I just put a new clutch kit in and it was fine after. Sorry that's not overly helpful!

Thanks for that TomsFocus,

I will just have to keep an eye and ear on it until it gets worse or affects the driving of the car.

Regards

Scott