Got TKO installed, new clutch, put squeaking noise - is it throw out bearing?

[tmoneyballin]

Got TKO installed, new clutch, but squeaking noise - is it throw out bearing?

SO I just shelled out $3,600 to put a new TKO in my 98 cobra, I didn't cut any corners and I will put the invoice at the bottom of the post so you can see what I purchased. I had the transmission, clutch assembly, etc (again all listed below) shipped from a very reputable performance supply shop that the mustang shop said I should order the parts from.

Of course I crank up the car and it has a totally different feel, and obviously driving it home, I am listening for noises that weren't there before and I notice that if the clutch pedal was fully released there was a squeaking noise coming from the around the clutch area(obviously). However, if I push the pedal in about an inch the squeaking stops. It will also squeak when in gear sometimes too, again unless I press down about an inch on the pedal. So my gut was maybe this adjustable clutch quadrant cable that the shop guy recomended I add after he installed the tranny could be my problem....

Turns out my buddy who works at another performance shops said - "yeah I have heard of this happening, let me ask the guys at work" Well they all immediately said it was the throw out bearing - and it was either bad/old/needed to be replaced, or was improperly installed.


My question is how do I approach the mustang shop that did the work - is this a no brainer that they have to fix it? I mean you can see in the invoice(from the shop that sent the tranny setup) that there was a new throw out bearing included in the kit. Is there any wiggle room they could try and get out of fixing it? Mind you I have had the car for a couple days since picking it up. My shop buddy said it requires them dropping the tranny out again to fix it - so I know the shop guy is not going to want to flip that bill willingly (I assume) The only other thing I can add is I know they didn't remove my h pipe when they did the install, but other than that they said it went in smoothly and later installed the quadrant cable. This mustang shop also had to rebuild my $7,000 engine rebuild twice in the past because the timing chain broke 200 miles after the rebuild(another horror story) So I know this guy is not going to be happy when I drop him another call with a new problem...

PLEASE HELP! I need advice on how to approach the shop!

Invoice from ProMotion Performance Products:
NEW TKO 500 FORD Transmission w/26 spline Input &
Lakewood Bellhousing 4.6L - 5.4L Ford
Drive Shaft Spacer Kit
Tremec 500/600 Shifter Stop Kit / INSTALLED
10.5" x 1-1/8 / 26 spl Kustom Dual Performance Disc
10.5" Blue Printed HI REV P/P (yellow)
FORD Throw Out Bearing $19.00
Labor to RESHIM & CHECK SHIFT LUGS / @ N/C

 

[tmoneyballin]

Also, am I damaging my clutch/burning it out, while I drive it? Could it be possible I could adjust the cable so the pedal doesn't release to the point where it squeaks?

 

[tmoneyballin]

Talked to the shop and he was like call the guy who shipped all the tranny stuff and get his opinion - that guy ends up giving me a rude lecture for the most part - and adds in 50 complaints of a possible bad throw out bearing, none of them were from a bad bearing. He said most likely the set screw of adjustment has backed off so the bearing is skipping across the fingers. He said he was going to call the shop owner and talk it over with him...

Assuming the adjustment has "backed off" is this something I should have to come out of pocket for? I would assume that it would be on the install place since the supplier says his parts are not bad. ????

 

[Rusty67]

I don't see a pilot bearing in that last and the worries me. Start the car and take it for a drive until it starts to make the noise. Pull over to the side of the road. Put it in neutral and let the clutch out. Rev it in neutral, press the clutch in and wait for the RPMs to come back down and then try puting it in first. Do you feel any awkward resistance ? If so it would seem to me that the pilot bearing is bad.

You should AWLAYS replace the pilot bearing/TO bearing when doing a clutch job. If the shop didn't replace the pilot bearing I'd look there first. If he DIDN'T and you failed to ask for it then technically it should come out of your pocket but I'd never go to that shop again. Its a 10 dollar part and should always be replaced. A GOOD shop will know to replace it every time they service a clutch.

The other thing that wierds me out is the "Driveshaft spacer kit". I've never heard of that and I don't know anything about it, but personally I'd have another drive shaft built or change the yolk or something.

Ok, I just looked it up and they look like billit spacers. Honestly, I wouldn't personally use one of those.

Bottem line, call these guys up and ask if they replaced the pilot bearing. If not I would ask them to do it and see if they can come to some sort of agreement on a cut rate for the labor, if that turns out to be the problem.

It could be the TO bearing but as far as I know the Ford units are good quality and don't tend to go bad within 1 week. If they didn't adjust the clutch cable right then they should fix it. You are not damaging your clutch unless you are not geting full release from it when you drive.

"The only other thing I can add is I know they didn't remove my h pipe when they did the install" <---- I don't think that is even possible. The more I read about this shop the less I like. I think you need to find another place to get work done after this is over with.

 

[tmoneyballin]

So I call them back and they are like if you adjust it at the firewall you should be good to go - "turn it counterclockwise" until it goes away...I'll call their bluff and *hopefully* it will work. As far as mustang shops go that would be the second one I would ban - Dugan racing screwed me twice and now this place is potentially about to screw me twice - I am starting to realize that I can probably do better work on my car than most of these "mustang" shops in the Atlanta area.

 

[Rusty67]

Be careful, if you do that you may end up pre-loading the bearing onto the clutch fingers and burn your clutch up in short order. A properly adjusted clutch is crucial to longevity and holding power.

 

[tmoneyballin]

How will I know if it's properly adjusted? I mean I tweaked it a little bit and the squeak is barely barely noticeable...I guess from what I could tell it still squeaked a small amount when in gear driving around, but not nearly as much before?

So I guess what it boils down to is do I drop the car off again and have them adjust it "properly" or do I just roll with what I got now...the more I read into similar problems the more I wonder if the shop was giving me the "fake fix" just to get me off their back? I mean I guess I tightened the adjustable knob about 180 degrees to quiet it down...I am just clueless on the whole adjustable process? Thanks again guys

 

[ShortThrow50]

How will I know if it's properly adjusted? I mean I tweaked it a little bit and the squeak is barely barely noticeable...I guess from what I could tell it still squeaked a small amount when in gear driving around, but not nearly as much before?

take your clutch fork cover off and look in there with a flash light while the engine is running and clutch disengage, then tighten your firewall adjuster up enough where the tob is touching pressure plate and is spinning, next go back up and loosen firewall a TINY bit at a time until you see that tob come off the pressure plate and stops spinning. Doing it this wat, will let you be as close as possible to where you dont have contact