Clutch Noise
 

I'm wondering if anyone else has had this loud rattling noise from the clutch when you start up from a stop? The car is new only 500 miles but it's been doing this since I got it. Should I give it more time or bring it in to be checked? I've owned many sticks before and none sounded like this.

I got the same thing, took it to the dealers but they cant diagnose it because it doesnt happen all the time.
Just here and there.

You mean when you start from 1st gear from a complete stop? Yea I get this noise. Thought it would of been fixed with the '04s. Guess not. For what it's worth, tons of other guys have the same noise. I remember a post about it.

I get this noise too with my 03', its like a clicking sound when engaging first gear, but once out of first it doesnt do it, and theres sometimes where its worse and sometimes it doesnt do it.

Yes when starting from a stop as the clutch is slipping a bit, really annoying. I searched earlier for a thread on this but I didn't find anything. If you happen to find the thread please let me know I would really like to read it. I'm bringing the car in tomorrow anyway to see what's up. Thanks

damn mine does that too, good to know its not just me, anyone feel like the clutch is really sensitive, like you gotta feather the clutch to take off smooth in first gear? im getting a little jerk in 2nd gear anyone else?

When you come out of first, pause on the clutch a second longer. The flywheel needs to spin down a little to make it more smooth. Otherwise, you are engaging at too high RPM to make it smooth.

Sorry to hear about the other problems. I can't recall hearing that before. However, I do have clutch chatter on ocassion :(

I'll see if i can find the post for you. I have it saved on my hard drive somewhere anyway. The title was called something like "noise while starting from a stop" or something like that.

If you find the post, that would be great. I also have this noise on occasion. Although I seen to notice it more, lately. I have just 1200 miles on the car.

I've had manuals before and this doesn't sound like a stall. It sounds more like the knocking when your car needs a tune up, or higher octane gas.

I do use the technique that Peptidbond recommends. Maybe we just need to be more skillful shifters. But it seems anti-intuitive as we all learned that we're not supposed to ride the clutch.

Any insights would be helpful. Thanks.

Ok here's the scoop. My car has 490 miles on it and it had the rattling noise from the day I got it. It happens every time you start up from a stop and you can also hear it when shifting from first to second. This is not the noise some of you hear when you release the clutch in neutral.
I broght it to the dealer today and they called me at work to say that the tech heard the noise and they are putting in a new gear box!! Unbelievable a new tranny,,,, I guess the 2004.5's still have their share of problems. I only hope the new one is good they even had it in stock!

Interesting. Good for you. This is the exactly when I get the noise as well. It's great to be armed with the experience of others when you go to the dealer. Thanks much!

I picked up the car today with my new tranny installed and the car still does the same thing. They fixed nothing, I brought it back as they were closing but a tech was still there and he came out to hear it. He said that's not normal, so it goes back in tomorrow. I still don't even have 500 miles on this car and already thinking I made a BIG mistake buying it. I hope they fix this so I can get that good feeling back again.

I got the car back again and they checked it out and didn't know what to do. It is a new problem seemingly in the clutch assembly. Since my car is a 03/04 and very recent they think it is a new problem.
While I was there I drove another Z to see if it had the same thing and it made the exact same noise and it was the same production date.

So now I'll log a complaint in with NNA and wait for other people to do the same until a fix gets released (hopefully).

Cyclopz, mine makes the name noise with the 1st and 2nd tranny. I think it's coming from the rear-end. It's funny how I used to get mad that Z owners ignored these strange problems, but now I find myself ignoring them too.

our flywheel / clutch has alot of chatter when in gear below 2500 RPM...

its natural

It may be natural but it is a bit unnerving at times. Here is a summary of the characteristics I've observed and others in the thread have as well:

Makes the noise when shifting into first and second only.
Doesn't make the noise all the time.
Does seem to make the noise more often at lower RPMs
I can often prevent the noise by pausing for a moment before fully releasing the clutch.
To those of us who are used to manual transmissions, it doesn't feel like we are mis-shifting

This maybe one of those idiosyncracies that different cars often have. But I still plan to take it in eventually as ask the mechanic about it.

I'm not sure what noise the rest of you are talking about but the noise I started this thread about only occurs while lifting the clutch starting from a stop. It happens all the time. Very disturbing.

It may be the same noise, only you have it worse. Did you take it back to the dealer after the initial fix didn't work?

The second time I brought it back they said it was a normal noise. That's when I drove 2 more brand new Z's each with the same Production date as mine, 03/04 and they both made the same noise. It is coming from the tranny but seems only to be normal gear chatter for this car.

Thanks much for the update. I appreciate the effort you went to to research the issue. Thanks again.