Creaking/Squeaking Sound on Depressing Clutch Pedal

**Tham** · 28-10-2006, 01:43 AM

There is a creaking noise when I depress
the clutch pedal in my KE70 these few weeks,
much like a noisy gate whose hinges are rusted.

The mechanics here have been given me
different opinions as usual. One says it is the
clutch cable, another says it could a worn fiber
or rubber bush at the fulcrum on which the pedal
flexes. (I've sprayed lots of WD40, then silicon oil,
in that area without much effect).

Yet another says it could be a lack of grease
on the release fork mechanism inside
the gearbox bell housing.

However, I have replaced my clutch cable,
disc, diaphragm and release bearing just
about a year ago. And the squeaking or
creaking sound only comes about on
depressing the pedal AFTER the engine
has been started, not before. It also seems
to be more frequent in colder temperature,
such as at night or a rainy day. And it also
appears to be more prominent when I am
depressing the pedal on a slope, particulary
when reversing. It's also coming from inside
the car from the clutch pedal area, not eminating
from outsite like the bell housing, I believe.

I'm using Exedy (Daikin) clutch disc and diaphragm,
which is so damn stiff (just after a week of
installation), even the mechanic complained.

Anyway, I'll try replacing the cable for a start.
My current one is a good brand, I think by
TSK of Japan.

**Cuzzo** · 28-10-2006, 07:58 AM

I would have thought it was the spring for returning back to original spot. But seeing you have tried silicon spray you prob have sprayed it on the spring???

Maybe if you can press it with your hand and your other hand feel the moving components near the pedal box and feel for vibration with the creaking sound. It may be hard to press clutch by hand though, may need another person.

**IN 05 NT** · 28-10-2006, 08:00 AM

give everything that you can get to (without pulling the box off) a good spray with wd40. or similar,

pull the cable off and saturate the cable while working it in and out....

lube everything you can,....

**love ke70** · 28-10-2006, 09:50 AM

spring
mines done it for years
its a little quirk you come to enjoy

**Tham** · 28-10-2006, 04:37 PM

Thanks, all you good people.

I'll check that return spring and spray
lots more silicon oil again. I never knew
a spring could creak that loud ? It actually
sounds like the firewall is creaking or flexing.

I don't think one can buy the spring in the
spare parts shops in Malaysia here, not even
in the salvage yard, unless some other spring
can make do. The suppliers told me this
morning they don't even have the fiber
bush on the pedal pivot.

I'll try lubing the cable too. The mechanics
told me they can't pump grease inside the
cable ?

And I think maybe I better stick to silicon
spray - I've just read on the net that WD40
is quite an aggresive spray (kerosene based ?)
and might actually degrade the fiber bush or
other rubber parts there.

I hope the spring, cable or pivot won't snap !

**Vios-GT_07** · 28-10-2006, 06:21 PM

nah mate it won't.. i used to drive an antique datsun 120Y for a while.. it apparnetly had everything still stock except for the wear and tear things like the clutch.. and that squeaking is alright.. comes with the classicness of the car..

just associate a squeaky clutch with antiquity.. heheh

or u could just do a hydraulic clutch conversion and be away with the cables..

(hint = 4A-GE with T50 box FTW)

**Karma Supra** · 28-10-2006, 10:05 PM

My '83 porsche does it too..... makes a funny warbling chirp/squeak, sounds almost like a muted wastegate..... whcih is odd, on an N/A

**mrshin** · 28-10-2006, 10:43 PM

It's a valuable part of cable clutch ownership...

**oldcorollas** · 28-10-2006, 11:53 PM

it does it for hydraulic clutches too...

actually.. i have never had it with cable clutches... only hydraulic!
i vote something to do with the hinge ... since for me it still happened with the spring pulled off.

**Vios-GT_07** · 29-10-2006, 03:35 AM

on hydraulic clutches i'd imagine it wasn't as high-pitched a squeaking as the cable type..
then again, i've had clutch cylinders fail.....

and if oldcorollas says so.. it must be so... *meh* on hydraulic clutches i hear more liquid gushing squeakiness than cable high pitched squeakiness though.. heheheheh

**oldcorollas** · 29-10-2006, 03:52 AM

Originally Posted by Vios-GT_07

and if oldcorollas says so.. it must be so... *meh* on hydraulic clutches i hear more liquid gushing squeakiness than cable high pitched squeakiness though.. heheheheh

ummm.... i only said so because the AE82 my mum drives, and a car i drive sometimes now, both squeak when you push the pedal and they are both hydraulic.....

liquid gushing??? umm..... there is only a very small volume of liquid moving and not quickly... you must have air in the system

disassemble the pedal assembly, and grease it properly...

squeaking = dry surfaces.
spraying stuff onto dry surfaces _that are in contact_ won't help

you need to pull it apart and lubricate the bits you can't get to....

**Stu** · 29-10-2006, 09:04 AM

I wouldn't say that its the sping, more likely the the fork. The spring is only there to keep the fork arm against the slave cylinder.

I've actually got the same problem on my grand vitara, and there is no spring. At the moment I'm putting a 1G into my celica so put on a new clutch. Whilst doing this I pulled off the fork and the knob that it pivots on was shinny and bone dry. Pilled some grease on there and it should be right.
As for the grand vitara, it would have to be the same thing, but I'm not about to pull the box out just yet.