Input shaft or Throw-out bearing? (help!)

"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa)
02/22/2015 at 12:21 • Filed to: None

1998 Honda Civic 5speed. Push the clutch in, start the car, all is well. Let the clutch out in ANY gear or neutral and I'm rewarded with what sounds like straight-cut gears whirring against each other. The two working theories are the notorious Honda input shaft problem, or a bad throwout bearing. Anyone here have opinions?

DISCUSSION (11)

Biased Plies > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
02/22/2015 at 12:30

I know nothing of typical Honda gearbox problems but you'd hear the throw-out bearing with the clutch pushed in so I'd lean toward the input shaft problem you refer to.

JGrabowMSt > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
02/22/2015 at 12:50

Throwout bearing? Straight cut gear type whirring would be starter sticking. Crunching sound is Throwout bearing, Ive had that twice in my old neon.

crowmolly > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
02/22/2015 at 13:28

Either way the trans has to come out, right?

DiExMachina > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
02/22/2015 at 18:13

Does it go away when you push the clutch in while driving? Is the noise always there when the clutch is released? If the noise goes away when the clutch is pressed in, then it is a throw-out bearing. Just buy a kit and do it all. While you are in there, do the input as well.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > crowmolly
02/22/2015 at 18:15

Pretty sure, yeah.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > DiExMachina
02/22/2015 at 18:16

Yes, it always goes away when the clutch is pushed in. How difficult is it to do both of them? I'm assuming either one requires removing the trans from the car, but what parts do I need?

crowmolly > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
02/22/2015 at 18:17

Based on my little information about this, if it comes out for one you should strongly consider both (in a Honda like yours).

DiExMachina > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
02/22/2015 at 18:21

Buy a clutch kit for your Honda, it will come with everything you need there. I would suggest having your flywheel turned if you have the time to do it. Either that or grab an aftermarket one. Probably going to split the tranny from the motor and drop it out the bottom.

I do not know the input shaft problem on these older Hondas. What had Google had to say for the input shaft issues?

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > DiExMachina
02/22/2015 at 18:31

Looks like this particular bearing isn't terribly hard to get at. The part itself is $30 to $50, and a clutch kit is $65. Hefty bit of change but the transmission is in fantastic shape other than this issue so I might as well plop down the dough.

DiExMachina > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
02/22/2015 at 18:33

Kit would be better, because you will have it apart anyways. Might as well do it all.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > DiExMachina
02/22/2015 at 18:33

Just looked again. I can get *just* the release/pilot bearings, some lube, and an alignment tool for $13 from RockAuto, instead of $65 for a whole clutch.