Clutch 'rattle'

[kgrey]

Hi (1st post!!) ...lurker for a few weeks...
My '72 1600 has a horrible rattle that is present in all geasr and neutral.. the clutch works fine, however the rattle settles immediately with the slightest pressure on the clutch (nowhere near approaching the bite point!)
I did wonder about the clutch release bearing initially, however this amount of pressure - literally just tickling it, makes we wonder if it's something far simpler..Not as noticeable at higher revs either, but still present.
Just wondered if anyone had any suggestions for troubleshooting before I begin stripping the transmission down

Thanks in advance!

 

[sparkywig]

Hello and welcome to the forum.
It does sound like one of the retaining pins has broken and the release bearing is bouncing on the gearbox input shaft.

 

[kgrey]

Thanks sparkywig - some great advice here!
That makes perfect sense looking at how it fits.... transmission out then nonetheless I guess, I presume there's no magic knack to replacing it without engine out? (this is my first bus - but I've worked on other classics)

 

[ozziedog]

Hi to you and again welcome along. It is possible to get a cheapso endoscope in there and have a little look and you may be able to see what’s going on with the retaining clips etc. Not telling you how to suck eggs but just have a little look around at the bell housing bolts on the outside to see how clean they are, or other signs of recent activity with the spanners. Quite often peeps sell busses when they think they’ve solved a problem and it’s bitten them again and again then they give up and sell. I’d initially be thinking of the release / thrust bearing itself with your noise description. Second thought would be , perhaps the clutch cable is a little too tight and just irritating the teeth on the pressure plate, not likely but worth a look and thirty seconds with a couple of flats on the adjuster nut to slacken it a tad.If you have android devices, an endoscope/ boroscope with light etc will cost you less than a tenner :shock: and plug into your phone or tablet, if you’re on the IOS scene, then it’ll need to be a wi Fi unit which now days will cost just under thirty quid :roll: and work through an app. Fab for chucking down plug holes too and investigating in behind panels etc etc. :mrgreen:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,Great toy to play with,,,, and welcome again :mrgreen:

 

[kgrey]

Ozziedog - sounds amazing for playing with all sorts (including my breather/fuel smell issue...I won't start!) - didn't know they exist - on amazon as we speak! (Had to use it as a daily driver last 2m after the timing belt went on my S-max, ... Lola - needs putting to bed for the winter). I'll have a gander - though suspecting engine out over the winter for a new release bearing (and clutch!)
No signs anyone has touched the tranny/engine in a while, clutch cable look good...
Thank you!