Transmission Rattle in Neutral With Clutch Released

[pmg]

My clutch master started leaking a few weeks ago. I replaced both the clutch slave and the clutch master cylinder (for a Getrag 245) as well as taking some time to rebuild the rest of the pedal box.

 

When I put in the new cylinders in and got everything up and running I'm now hearing a rattle when waiting at a traffic light with the car in neutral and the clutch released. If I push the clutch pedal down, the rattle goes away. Three weeks ago with the old cylinders there was no rattle. With the new cylinders there's a rattle.

 

I'm at a loss on how to debug this one. Is my pedal travel not set up correctly? Or might it be something more serious like the pilot bearing that possibly got damaged when removing the clutch slave?

Edited February 16, 2017 by pmg

[ingramlee]

Mine is doing the same thing, rattle goes away when clutch is pressed. I had an older gearhead friend tell me it was my release bearing. 

[thinksound_mike]

Very well could be. There was a recent thread on this and people chimed in with other possibilities. I had the same thing and it was my throw out bearing. You should fix it soon before the tranny fails. Mine did.

[ingramlee]

Excuse my ignorance, but is the throw out and release bearing one in the same?

[TobyB]

Yup. Clutch release bearing's also called the throwout bearing.

 

But that's probably not your problem.

 

This is called the 'Getrag rattle', and you'll find it's a feature, not a bug, if you stuff that phrase into Google. 

Seems to have started about with the 245, and it's been a

feature in lots of cars...

 

The way to tell the difference between the 2 is:  rest your foot gently on the clutch.

If the rattle stops, it's probably in the clutch actuation system somewhere.

But if it doesn't go away until you push the pedal down to the release point,

it's most likely Getrag rattle.

 

Some have had luck with heavier trans fluids, but most of us just live with it.

 

t

 

[ingramlee]

Thanks Toby,

 

The rattle does not go away until the clutch pedal is completely pushed in.

[adawil2002]

The usual culprit is the last thing you did. Could be something in the pedal box.

[Healey3000]

I had the Getrag Rattle on my e34 535i and it was LOUD.  I tried different fluids but it never went away.  I'd notice other drivers at stoplights  look around to see where this strange noise was coming from - nah, it couldn't be coming from that fancy BMW.

 

On those cars, the dual-mass flywheel contributes to amplify the racket.  I just gritted my teeth and lived with it.

[Buckeye]

make sure clutch release arm spring is seated behind pivot bolt collar