This is an old thread, Im updating with new imformation. It was the throwout bearing. Thanks for taking a look.

02 R53, 94K miles, 6sp. Ill try to include every single detail I can think of.


I have a roughly 12.5 mile commute at mostly cruising at 70mph. As I was pulling into the parking lot this morning something felt odd. The entire car felt wrong. Depressing the clutch gives a clicky, stuttery feeling similar to when you lock up a wheel with anti-lock brakes. Its also making an unpleasant noise while the clutch is depressed. It sounded less bad after I drove home than it did when I first started the car for the drive home. Any other time the car feels fine, it is making a slight screeching noise at low speed.

The sound seems to be coming from the backside of the engine on the passenger side of the car. Had the Wife depress the clutch while I listened. Ive had the car about 3 1/2 months and Ive been pretty gentle, no burnouts, no overly aggressive launches.

I checked the resivour on the driverside cowl, its full. I checked under the car right when I parked, and when I left 8 hours later. No drops. When I stopped the car when it first happened I smelled a popcorn-ish kinda smell seemed to be coming from the driverside of the engine.

 

I'd stop driving it. My guess is the throw out bearing has bit the dust. If you keep driving, it will explode and some people have had to buy replacement transmissions when they do.

I think there's a pic on here somewhere with a trans case with a nice hole in it.

 

After reading through several threads about the throwout, Im not having similar symtoms at all. Several people are saying theyve had noise for a while. I have not. Several are saying noise with the clutch pedal out. Mine is with the clutch pedal in. Also my noise is coming from the passenger-side of the engine, where the transmission is on the drivers side.

 

check you crank damper....

http://www.waymotorworks.com/super-d...ulley-r53.html

the rubber fails with age...starts to slip...
result is NO waterpump, SC, alternator or AC....
car become immobile, and will overheat and be destroyed...
the smell is the tell....
check to see if damper will wiggle...

the odd clutch feel...not sure.....but the damper is common....could be something else...but the smell is common when the damper goes...spot is right...sound is right...

 

Im going to get under the car either tonight or tomorrow. Is there any way to know for sure if it is the throwout without taking the transmission off?

 

If anyone else has any ideas please chime in. Im reading and searching and not finding anyonel else that is having similar problems to what I am having.

 

So Im finally getting to this.

1. It was the throwout.
2. Got the trans out.
3. Bought the Valeo kit from Way, new throwout, new gaskets all that stuff.
4. The flywheel doesnt line up.
5. Bleh!

 

The flywheel on R53's (and possibly others as well, but for sure on the R53) has an offset bolt pattern, slide it up, and turn it till all the holes line up, there are 2 other positions where most line up but some do not. Search for "Mod Mini" on youtube and watch his 2 part clutch swap video, he covers this issue