Hello, I have a 2000 f-150 4x4 4.6 manual and have a question about a sound I've been hearing....

About 6 months ago, I hauled some wood 100 miles or so in the bed of my truck -- It was a good size load but I didn't flatten out the springs or anything like that. Anyway the truck drove fine and I took it easy on the clutch, however shortly thereafter I noticed a strange noise that seems to be coming from the clutch area:

When I push in the clutch pedal I hear a scraping noise coming from the clutch area -- it sounds kinda like the flywheel scraping an access plate. The noise only seems to be there when I push in the clutch pedal, and it doesn't matter what gear or speed I am in. Also, oddly enough, the noise goes away once the engine has warmed up -- quiet as ever.

I've put quite a few miles on the truck since then (and made quite a few more heavy loads) and the truck still drives fine and the sound is exactly the same...

I don't have skid plates on the truck, maybe I dented some sort of access panel to the underside of the bellhousing area, does anyone have any ideas what might be going on?

Also I want to check out my tranny fluid level as I have not checked that yet, does anyone know the best way to check that?

Thanks for any/all help!

 

My best guess would be the throw-out bearing is going south. The grease in it is probably about all gone so it takes a little while to warm it up and sling it through all the bearing. Did you cross any water while hauling the wood? How many miles are on the clutch and throw-out bearing? Anyway that's where I would start looking. That it goes away when going in or out on the clutch is a tell-tale sign it is going dry.

Good Luck!

 

Yep i tend to agree. Usuallt these make a more squealing type noise when they start to go, but can't really tell unless you hear the truck. Pull the rubber grommet off the side of the tranny and with a flashlight look up in there. maybe you got some mud/dirt/shrubs stuck somewhere and the flywheel is rubbing on it?

Have fun!

 

I was wondering about the throw-out bearing, but the truck only has 61K on it, that seems strange for such low mileage... Also the noise goes completely away once warmed up, which has me more confused. I'll crawl down there and take a look.... Anyone know how difficult swapping that bearing would be? I've done tranny and engine swaps before, but nothing on a 4WD vehicle...