Help: Belt and/or Pulley Squeak

Marrk · #1 (**permalink**) 08-12-2009, 12:20 AM

The Car: '08 Base Fit, manual trans., with 25K mi.

The Problem: Belt and/or pulley squeaking.

Symptoms:
--Engine temp doesn't influence squeak
--Air Conditioning on or off doesn't influence squeak
--When I increase RPM in neutral, I cannot perceive that the squeak is louder (all I can hear is the engine)
--I don't think the belt is loose, but there is no room to really get to the belt to check it.
--The squeaking is intermittent but is becoming louder and happens more often.

Solution: ??

polaski · #2 (**permalink**) 08-13-2009, 06:44 PM

Step one, check belt tension
Step two, check belt for damage/cracking in the ribs
Step three, replace belt
Step four, start checking pullies, it's usually the little ones that squeak

Necos07 · #3 (**permalink**) 08-13-2009, 07:56 PM

Check ur belt, if its ok & tight see if there is brown residue on the belt. Sometimes water gets on ur pulleys & developes a slight film of rust on the pulley causing a squeak. Just take a bit of rubbing compound on ur finger & put it on the ribbed part of the belt, just on 1 little section, Whatever 1 finger covers & start car. REMOVE FINGER BEFORE U START CAR LOL

Marrk · #4 (**permalink**) 08-14-2009, 12:40 AM

Thanks, guys.

I can barely see the belt, let alone "inspect" it, but I'll get in there tomorrow and give it a try.

kylerwho · #5 (**permalink**) 08-14-2009, 02:20 AM

spray some lubricating oil on the belt to see if this kills the noise.

its not a lasting solution but it should do the job for now.

Marrk · #6 (**permalink**) 09-24-2009, 03:44 PM

Sorry to revive my boring little issue, but here's an update.

I've examined the belt and hit the belt and pulleys with WD40, but the noise remains. For the moment, let's say it's not belt/pulley noise.

I recently noticed this: When I engage the clutch, the noise stops. As soon as I lift my foot off the clutch pedal, the noise returns.

I don't know much about clutches and transmissions, so my question is: What could be making a metallic rattling noise that goes away when I push the clutch in?

Thanks for your thoughts.

P.S. Is there any way that what I am hearing is cam chain noise? Honda's are famous for crappy cam chain tensioners.

kenchan · #7 (**permalink**) 09-24-2009, 04:27 PM

throwout bearing maybe?

sonicsc1 · #8 (**permalink**) 09-24-2009, 06:11 PM

second that

Marrk · #9 (**permalink**) 09-24-2009, 07:50 PM

So, if it is the throwout bearing, where is this leading to? Clutch slippage? Clutch failure? And what is the remedy?

Thanks.

Marrk · #10 (**permalink**) 09-25-2009, 07:29 PM

Is the pilot bearing the same as the throwout bearing? I'm looking at Page 12-13 of the Fit 2007-08 Service Manual.

Thanks.

Marrk · #11 (**permalink**) 10-02-2009, 12:46 PM

I made an appointment for next week with the dealer.

Has anybody here done any clutch work? If so, how long would it take to inspect the clutch bearings? Is opening up the clutch a long and difficult job?

Thanks.

GD3_Wagoon · #12 (**permalink**) 10-02-2009, 01:36 PM

i've swapped out the clutch a few times on my crx and it was cake. although, i've read that it's a little more involved on the Fit as the subframe needs to be removed to drop the trans.

Marrk · #13 (**permalink**) 10-02-2009, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GD3_Wagoon

i've swapped out the clutch a few times on my crx and it was cake. although, i've read that it's a little more involved on the Fit as the subframe needs to be removed to drop the trans.

Sounds complicated.

Thanks.

explosivpotato · #14 (**permalink**) 10-02-2009, 04:03 PM

My car makes that very same noise. Its a noticeable whirring whenever the clutch is engaged (foot off the pedal) and slows down to a stop when you press the clutch. It's the throwout bearing, and I'm pretty sure mine is going because I beat the hell out of it (relatively, anyway). Somehow I'm still on the stock unit even though I'm putting down something like 65% over stock torque. Hopefully the warranty covers it for you.

Marrk · #15 (**permalink**) 10-02-2009, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by explosivpotato

My car makes that very same noise. Its a noticeable whirring whenever the clutch is engaged (foot off the pedal) and slows down to a stop when you press the clutch. It's the throwout bearing, and I'm pretty sure mine is going because I beat the hell out of it (relatively, anyway). Somehow I'm still on the stock unit even though I'm putting down something like 65% over stock torque. Hopefully the warranty covers it for you.

Yup, that's the noise.

So, how big a job is it to fix? Is this something that fails gradually or catastrophically? Will I make it to next Thursday?

Thanks, Potato.

Marrk · #16 (**permalink**) 10-03-2009, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marrk

. . . Will I make it to next Thursday?

I know that sounds like a dumb question.

I guess what I really want to know is what scenario am I looking at? So far, the noise has gradually gotten worse. Will things progress slowly? Or will something suddenly fail and make the car un-drivable? What happens when the throwout bearing craps out entirely? The clutch stops working and you can no longer shift?

Thanks for any insight.

explosivpotato · #17 (**permalink**) 10-03-2009, 11:17 PM

It really isn't as serious as you'd think.. I've been driving like this for a year or so, and it hasn't gotten worse. The noise will gradually get louder until the bearing fails, so if it gets REALLY loud I'd worry, but a slight whir seems pretty innocuous. Try searching for "bad throwout bearing" on youtube for examples.

Marrk · #18 (**permalink**) 10-03-2009, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by explosivpotato

It really isn't as serious as you'd think.. I've been driving like this for a year or so, and it hasn't gotten worse. The noise will gradually get louder until the bearing fails, so if it gets REALLY loud I'd worry, but a slight whir seems pretty innocuous. Try searching for "bad throwout bearing" on youtube for examples.

Thanks, Potato. That's a bit of a relief to hear.

Thursday it goes to the dealer. Do you happen to know how extensive a job it is to fix?

explosivpotato · #19 (**permalink**) 10-04-2009, 12:59 PM

Well it's an integral part of the clutch, so probably a lot. I hear the clutch on the fit is an involved job, as the subframe is in the way of the transmission, so I'll just say be happy it's a warranty job.

Marrk · #20 (**permalink**) 10-04-2009, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by explosivpotato

Well it's an integral part of the clutch, so probably a lot. I hear the clutch on the fit is an involved job, as the subframe is in the way of the transmission, so I'll just say be happy it's a warranty job.

One last question: On a stock '08 Fit that has not been thrashed, just a daily driver, what would cause the bearing to fail? This has never happened to me before.