What Causes the Abnormal Noise in the Buick Excelle Clutch?
3 Answers
Buick Excelle clutch abnormal noise mainly has the following reasons: 1. When judging clutch noise, gently press the clutch pedal to make the release bearing contact the release lever. The sound heard at this time is the release bearing noise, which may be caused by insufficient lubrication or looseness and damage of the bearing. 2. Continuously pressing and releasing the clutch pedal, if noise occurs during clutch engagement or disengagement, the severity of the noise can help determine whether it is due to wear and looseness of the release lever pin hole and support pin, or loose rivets of the driven plate assembly, or failure of the damper. 3. Lightly pressing the clutch pedal, when the clutch release bearing and release lever contact, if there is obvious abnormal noise, it can be judged as the clutch release bearing noise.
My Buick Excelle used to make a squeaking noise when I pressed the clutch pedal. The mechanic said it was because the release bearing was worn out due to lack of lubrication. This kind of bearing rotates when the clutch is pressed, and when it dries out, it makes noise. It could also be due to uneven wear on the clutch disc, which often happens if you frequently drive with the clutch partially engaged. I noticed it also makes noise when the fluid is low, so you should check the clutch fluid reservoir level and top it up with brake fluid if it's below the mark. If it still makes noise after adding fluid, then it's likely the bearing needs to be replaced. Delaying the repair might damage the pressure plate as well. When driving, avoid holding the clutch halfway down at traffic lights—shifting to neutral is better for the clutch. If you hear metal grinding noises, get it fixed immediately, or the repair will cost even more.
I've been driving this Excelle for almost five years, and recently I keep hearing a clunking sound when pressing the clutch. I asked my regular mechanic, and he said it's commonly caused by a warped pressure plate, especially in cars that frequently drive on mountain roads or make frequent starts. It could also be due to a loose clip in the pedal linkage mechanism, which you can check yourself: just remove the panel under the steering wheel and inspect if the clutch pedal's spring and connecting rod are loose. If there's air in the hydraulic system, the pedal will feel spongy and produce strange noises, requiring you to bleed the system. Last time, my car had air in the system because the slave cylinder was leaking, and replacing the seal fixed it. Those who have modified their clutch should be especially careful, as non-OEM friction discs are more prone to making odd noises.
