Clutch Chirping Noise
 

My 2004 RX-8 GT (94000miles) recently developed a chirping noise with the clutch engaged. If I apply slight pedal pressure the noise stops. It's the same whether I'm in gear or neutral. I've searched this forum and all the YouTube videos I could find of a similar description and nothing seems to match exactly.

It started yesterday evening, I went for a long canyon drive in the morning out to Neptunes Net on the PCH, stopped for some lunch, drove back home and had no issues. Started the car up an hour later to drive to a friends and still nothing. That night, several hours later it started and seemed to go away as the car warmed up. This morning it didn't go away on my drive to work but it was only a 6 mile drive or so, coolant temp gets up to the operating point in less than half way into the trip for reference. The following video is right after start up before I drove home this evening. Again the noise started to come in and out on the way home and by the time I got home is was completely gone.


Have a listen and let me know what you think.

I think the noise is getting worse and I'm not sure but I might be smelling burning metal. Anyone have any advice on this?

Difficult to hear your problem from the video (though I'm at work and its difficult to hear to begin with), are you sure its not the typical idle gear (gear rollover) noise common with our transmission?

Have you checked the transmission oil? How long has it been since that's been replaced?
You can replace the oil and see if that helps with the noise.

We've even heard chirping noises come from lack of lubrication on the clutch fork where it contacts the release bearing or the slave cylinder alignment pin where it goes through the fork.

If you truly are smelling burning metal and the sound is in fact getting worse, it could be the input shaft bearing failing... possibly the pilot bearing

I would start with the easy item to rule out and see if fresh oil helps.

Yes this is definitely beyond the normal gear noise. I don't have the service records with me right now but I know the trans and diff were changed recently. Also the noise goes away with the slightest of clutch pedal pressure. I plan to grease the slave cylinder to clutch fork joint but I'm not sure how I would get to the release bearing without complete disassembly, which at that point I'd just replace everything from flywheel to clutch and all the seals and bearings in between.

You can't grease the fork without dropping the transmission.
Unfortunately that will be your only way to look over everything.

Ever find the problem? I am dealing with the same issue. Except I replaced my throwout bearing, pilot bearing, clutch fork, and put new transmission fluid. I'm so stuck.

Yes, I replaced the clutch, pressure plate and throw out bearing and had the flywheel re-surfaced. It was definitely the throw out bearing because it didn't feel great when I pulled it out and once I cleaned it up, it seized. Part of the issue was the clutch was wearing and throwing fibers everywhere which contributed to the ruined bearing.