Okay so I just got my SS (LSJ) back on the road. It's having two "problems" (mostly annoyances) that it was having back before it was rebuilt.

#1 being a chirping belt (tensioner?)
#2 being clutch chatter

Some history:

In relation to the belt. I dont know why the hell its doing this again. We installed a BRAND NEW supercharger with a stock pulley. We originally thought the belt squeeling/chirping was from our "old" supercharger/pulley because it looked like we may have put the pulley on a lil too far. And it started doing it almost immediatly after installing the 2.7" pulley. But now with a brand new Supercharger/pulley, it's still doing it, not as bad though. This is why it might be the tensioner? Any thoughts?

It is worse when I first start it up, mostly in the morning, as I drive around it quiets down but if I give it a lil more throttle it comes back and stays loud until I go back to minimal throttle engagement.. It is really annoying...

In relation to the clutch chatter. This stumps me. This started way back when we let a friend install a clutch for us (back before we had the confidence to do it ourselves, I mean, now we rebuild engines, lol). He went to install a Clutch Masters clutch. But this way back when they first came out and had the dimensions wrong. So the pressure plate rubbed on the bellhousing. So he put our stock clutch/flywheel back in. However he put in the new throw out bearing. Ever since we got it back it chattered when the clutch was not engaged. EVEN after installing a brand new clutch & flywheel, OURSELVES this time (we learned to do our own work and dont let friends do it). It STILL did it. From my knowledge we did not replace the throw out bearing again cause it had just been done..

Would the throw out bearing cause the clutch to chatter (loudly - sounds like rod knock, lol) when the clutch is not engaged. As soon as you put it in, it's quiet as can be. The clutch (being a stage 4) still grabs like all hell. No slipping in it. But man she is noisy at idle.

I JUST had my entire transmission rebuilt (while we were rebuilding the engine), and we put our clutch/flywheel back in, and I was hoping the sound wouldnt come back.. but it did. It still has the same throw-out bearing in there.

Before I pull the trans out, I want to make sure I know what exactly is causing it.

Both dont seem to be affecting the car. They are just annoying as all hell.

 

to the belt - the tensioner can make noise, you would probably want to take the belt off and spin it as fast as you can to see if it makes noise / doesn't spin freely or feels like crud is in it.

the clutch I'm not sure, but if it is a stage 4, isn't that a full race clutch? I believe that the full race clutches are going to make a lot of noise at low RPMs and idle because they are made to be with a revving situation and not dd.

 

As far as the clutch. It is a 6 puck sprung clutch. The reason why I say it's not the clutch, for starters, is the problem started when my stock clutch/flywheel were put back in. The sound carried over when the Spec clutch and Fidanza flywheel were installed shortly after then. The only thing that stayed the same is the throw-out bearing. It was left in, because it had just been put in (it was one that came with the Clutch Masters clutch originally).

I guess my question is, would a bad throw out bearing cause heavy clutch chatter?

 

on my ACT clutch on my CRX its a 6 puck and it says on the box! Minimal to severe Chatter- for race use only! I googled it and most people say with race clutches like this there is minimal chatter at low RPMS and such , The guy above is right , I wouldnt worry to much about it as long as its JUST CHATTER , anything else like slipping and **** is what I would worry about , and not to be a jerk because I am sure if your doing clutches you know how to drive but are you sure your used to the clutch? and know its EXACT engage point ? you may not be letting the clutch out enough before you give it gas.

 

For the belt tensioner chirping try releasing the tensioner and religning the belt,I had the same thing and that cured the problem.

 

Like I said before. It started doing this on the stock clutch/flywheel FIRST after a friend of mine reinstalled them when then Clutch Masters didnt fit. I can deal with some chatter. But the fact that it was doing it on the STOCK stuff first, I know something is causing it.

It also has nothing to do with engagement point. I know how to drive a standard very well.

Here is what happens: I am sitting, idling, clutch out, it chatters, the second pressure is put on the peddle, it starts to go away and within much more movement of the peddle downwards, it completly stops. Quiet as a saint. Let it back out (still idling) and you hear it.

When Im driving I cant hear it, not sure if road noise/engine noise is just covering it up. However under decel it causes more vibrations and im pretty sure I hear it rattling then as well.

It does not effect how the clutch engages. It engages somewhat rough, not as smooth as some cars, due to being a stage 4, but for the most part i can still get it to ride nice and smooth. The chattering itself does not effect "launching" or shifting at all. It grabs like all hell when you need it too. So as far as I can tell it's not effecting driveability. I hear it clack sometimes and I hear it chatter at idle. (sounds like my motor is falling apart if no one knew the cause, lol).

Hmm.. I dont see how the alignment of the belt could be off but I suppose its worth a try. The problem is the lil "nub" to move the tensioner downwards is starting to round off so its hard to get a good grab. I almost want to buy a new one just for that reason, lol.

I couldnt find them on GMparts direct... probably sucked at searching. Anyone how much a new tensioner w/idler goes for?