HunterGreene

At a local strip, I had a fun night of finding out my quarter time (Best time was 14.8, I know I can improve). By the end of the night, I noticed a little slipping of the clutch (assuming I wasnt letting in the clutch too slowly). Obviously, I drive a stick, with the upgraded TRD clutch assembly.

The slipping seems to have gone away after a day or so, but now I notice that sometimes when I am slowing down (First noticed it coming off the freeway), I will hear a chirping noise similar to the SC, but slightly louder and not as rhythmic as the SC. It almost sounds like a couple of plates rubbing against each other, which makes me thing something is loose in my clutch.

How far off am I?

HunterGreene

Update/bump:
Ok, so you all must think im an idiot, there havent been any replies to this.

So I went into the dealer (still under warranty) and they took the clutch apart (appears normal) test drove it (no noise) and said it was probably just due to the clutch being hotter than normal. I did not tell them I had been racing.

Assuming these guys know what they are doing (so far they have been fantastic servicewise), I said "ok" and got my car back. The clutch actually felt better, and they probably did tighten down a few things.

Well woudln't you know it, the noise was back today on my way into work. As I am in third gear slowing down (no brake, coasting in gear), the chirping noise like two ceramic plates rubbing against each other is back, and constant until I pull into the parking lot, at which point i shifted into second, found my space and parked.

Any ideas? grrrr....

Blue_TC_Man

possibly the friction material is loose and not allowing the clutch to fully engage/disengage and you hear the friction material rubbing against the pressure plate.

HunterGreene

Well, they had the clutch apart at the shop, nothing unusual. If it continues, ill bring that up the next time I take it in.

Blue_TC_Man

well if the material is just loose then it will look fine when they lay it out and once you use the clutch again it will pop out of place.

HunterGreene

Good news, its not the clutch making the noise

Bad news, its the serpentine belt. Started the car this morning and heard a "thwap-thwap-thwap" coming from the engine. I turn the car off, open the hood, and there is a 3-foot ribbon hanging off the belt. And the dealership said it was a cosmetic line, not a wear line. Yay warranty

HunterGreene

In case anyone was watching here, it turns out that the idler pully was a defective part that was giving way, wearing the belt and pulling it off of the other belts. The good news is that the idler pully is in stock at the dealership. Bad news is that the drive belt (for the SC engine) is on order and wont be in until next week, so I am stuck driving a rental...weak...

Blue_TC_Man

ask for the size and get a gatorback better belt anyway.

HunterGreene

Hah, figured this needs an update. Root cause of it all was that the genius who installed my S/C mounted it wrong. The belt broke two more times before this was figured out. 1.5 years and 30k miles later, and the car is still running like a champ.

Frustrating, but at least I got an extended warranty out of the deal

BZinn1

Wow with as many SCs that get installed,and with the fact that the instructins for the install are actually very good,it is amazing the techs screw them up.....glad to hear you got it all figured out though.....

elcapetan

ok my car started doing this today. When i coast down from about 3.2 k rpm and when i change gears I hear it.

HunterGreene

I think the issue was I had the first MY07 that the dealership had ever sold, and with the engine configuration changes that year, the tech was probably in over his head.

HunterGreene

do you have an '07? The big giveaway was a wear line which appeared on one side of the belt or the other, (on the smooth side). How long have you had the S/C in the car for? (milage)