Clutch Engagement Noise??
 

I picked up my GT RX-8 last week and I have an observation I could use some help with. When I have the car idling and I have the clutch in the engine sounds great, nice and smooth. When I let out the clutch (the car is in neutral) the engine sound changes significantly. Not particularly nice sounding actually - just sort of whiny (hard to describe). When driving as I roll to a stop in neutral and put the car in first (with the clutch in) the engine sound changes. I have owned a couple standard transmission cars and have never noticed this. Any thoughts? Any one else notice this? I will be bringing it to the dealer for another issue, so I will point this out.

i was told by a friend whos a little more experienced in manual transmissions that the sound (when rolling) and placing the shifter in first with clutch pushed all the way in is synchromeshed 1st gear which is uncommon, but helpful for downshifting into 1st. Whatever it is, I have that sound too and believe it's normal.

this is great to hear as i've experienced the exact same thing...

i didn't notice the noise until late last night when showing it to a friend...he was in the driver's seat and pushed the clutch in to start the car...it sounded fine...then he noted that when he let go of the clutch, there was a grinding type of noise coming from the engine...he's like, "hey, my Integra had that noise and it was because of worn out ball bearings..." after that i started to freak out about the noise and was gonna post the exact same thing here...

also, i know what you mean about putting the car into first...mine kinda jumps a little when you put it into first gear...that's never happened to me in my 3000GT or any other stick i've driven...when placed into first with the clutch in, nothing happens but when you put the RX-8 into first with the clutch in, it feels like putting an automatic into drive from the park position...weird but i guess that's normal if you guys have the same thing

My wife noticed that too when she drove it, yet it never does it when I drive.

After analyzing our driving styles, I think I've identified the difference and developed a hypothesis.

I noticed that I tend to depress the clutch several seconds before engaging first (in anticipation of the light changing), while she tends to depress and select almost at the same time. What I think is causing the "clunk" is the rapid decelleration of the gearbox input shaft from around 800rpm (which the engine was spinning it at at idle) to zero (which will allow it to mesh with the stationary output shaft).

Try depressing the clutch a little earlier when you're getting ready to pull away, and see if your "clunk" goes away.

do a search on throwout bearing rattles and you'll see it's fairly normal, evidently a lot of aisin tranny's do this.

Thanks guys. I feel better knowing it isn't a problem.

As somebody stated in a previous thread, it's probably the input bearing of the transmission. (the bearing that the shaft the clutch disk splines on to passes through, inside the trans. housing)

The situation is well known on earlier RX7's, my '85 tranny makes a bit of a racket, a kind of a grainy whirring noise. It is supposedly a weak point on 2nd gen. RX7's, mine packed it in on the '86 I used to have.

I also have the noise on my RX8, but I've chosen to ignore it. I'm hoping it doesn't become a problem!

thanks eccles, that worked...i just push the clutch in for a good second or two before putting it into gear and that clunk doesn't happen...good observation!

clutch not disengaging
 

I had to bring my car to the dealer at 1800 miles because the clutch was not disengaging all the way.
they said there was air in the lines and they bled them.after 200 miles it started again.

anyone else have this problem

Glad I found this thread.

I have two RX-8s. Mine makes the same noises "clunks" into 1st. It is also rough going into second unless I am more aggressively dirving it. Lastly, I really have transmission whine at 55 in 4th or 5th and it changes with changes in the throttle.

Wife's car does not have any of the above.


Bugs me.....

Re: clutch not disengaging
 

I've had the prob on a different car. It can be a tolerance problem in the clutch itself, or it can be just air in the system. You'll usually have trouble in first or reverse gears and feel the clutch dragging a little, even with the pedal depressed.

A likely cause of air bubbles in hydraulic fluid is overheating. Be sure you're not riding the clutch pedal or slipping the clutch a lot. If you continue to have the problem you should ask to have the clutch replaced.

My RX-8 has 1000 miles on it now. I noticed the transmission noise right away. I happened to have my drivers door open when i started the car with the clutch depressed. when I put the car in neutral and let out the clutch I heard all kinds of bearing and gear noise. I have a honda prelude with 150,000 miles on it and I dont hear ANY transaxel noise in that engine. The transmission noise from the RX-8 really upsets me and I am glad I am not the only one with the problem. I really believe it is a bearing problem. I have not taken it back to the dealer yet, I am afraid they will make the problem worse. I am trying to live with the noise but i really bugs me

Mine does it too..

Who cares?

My wife's WRX makes a litany of "Scary Tranny Noises" but those are all normal as well.
Until someone comes on and says that their transmission dropped out of their RX8, I'm not gonna worry..