Have an '88 13B stock convertible, is this the throwout bearing going? Hear a faint low whirring sound when clutch in pushed in. Clutch seems good, no slipping, shifts nice. If so will this get worse real quick, can I wait until it gets worse, car is barely a weekend driver.

 

I've heard that it's normal, most seem to call it "clutch chatter." mine does it, and I haven't noticed any changes

 

It soulds like the throwout bearing is starting to go. It should last a little while, since you barely drive it. Its relatively cheap to replace as far as parts, but you have to drop the tranny to get to it.



If you do that, do no use anything other than a Mazda OEM throwout bearing. I got one non-oem clutch kit(it was a stock replacement, not a performance clutch), and the throwout bearing that was included ate up the fingers on the pressur eplate after 20K miles. I had to replace the PP because there was so much wear from the throwout bearing. Then I used another non-OEM one, and it fell apart after 800 miles. Literally fell apart, it was in 4 pieces when it came out.



I would go ahead and replace it soon if you can. But if you must wait, it should be fine for a little while.

 

oops, guess I better look into a clutch soon...how do I know when it really goes? does it just give out, or slip a lot?

 

You'll feel it and it will make a slightly louder whining noise when the pedal is depressed, like any other bearing.

 

I heard its better too on an NA to replace the TO bearing with one from a TII. Anyone else hear this?

 

ull see white smoke coming from ur engine bay

 

On S5's the throwout is the same for n/a and TII. But for S4's, it is better to use a turbo throwout bearing.

 

I would replace it real soon because mine did it and now I have burnt clutch

 

or do I have a burnt clutch because I was driving home and my clutch pedal stuck in when i was driving home and would come out and make a different noise from the what it was usually making and then it popped out and got stuck again and then it finally stopped getting stuck but by that time my car stalled and I couldnt get it start again for a while. When I did start it again it started smoking is that my clutch or just my throwout bearing???