Bit of a strange one i need help with please.

I get a strange whine from my clutch only when being lifted to about 3/4 way up and only when its cold. Goes away after a few uses of the clutch but i am lost as to what could be at fault as its not slipping. Also it only happens just when its being lifted. No whine noise when being pressed down.

Sorry about the description by the way !

Any ideas on this one please guys?

Thanks 

 

Likely to be the release bearing.  When warm the ball bearings will expand a bit, taking up any slack. 

Ok thanks. Out of interest do you know if its an expensive fix?

The part itself is cheap but requires removal of the gearbox so costs a lot in labour if not doing it yourself.  Due to the time and costs involved, most people would replace the clutch at the same time.

 

 

if it is the clutch release bearing I would put up with it. The work involved / cost of labour replacing it exceeds the annoyance factor of the noise. 

On cars I have had with noisy clutch release bearing the note changes with pedal pressure so you could kind of play a tune on it by moving the pedal up and down slightly.  And they did only seem to make the noise when started from cold. 

I had the same problem this time last year, I have a hydraulic release bearing on mine and I lived and lived with it until one day I couldn't select any gears. I managed to jam it into 2nd ( unknowingly damaging the 2nd gear synchro) and limped home at 20mph.

Had a new clutch kit (£200) had it fitted (£250) only when I had the car back I discovered the 2nd gear crunching. If I knew it was damaged I would have had the 2nd gear synchro repaired (£80) when the gearbox was out.

So car went back in to the gearbox center for gearbox to be repaired £250 for the box to be removed and fitted and as I said £80 for the repair.

So in my case a noisy release bearing cost my just shy of £800 # gutted# skint

The problem with release bearings is that some will last months, or even years after the noise starts, and others go in a couple of weeks.  There doesn't seem to be any correlation, even on identical cars with the same brand bearings...    

On a 2004 Focus it probably isn't worth the cost of replacing but that's the owners decision. 

If you're still able to drive with a dead bearing, it's best to switch off then start the car in 2nd rather than jam it in on the move lol.  

4 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

If you're still able to drive with a dead bearing, it's best to switch off then start the car in 2nd rather than jam it in on the move lol.  

If I'd known that then I wouldn't have tried it, just remember doing it on a Capri many moons ago, get the revs right and it would slip into gear without to much agro.