I set off in my 89 xr3i MFI the other day for the first time this year as it has been SORN and soon as I engaged the clutch there was a very loud screeching coming from the engine. It carried on every time I engaged the clutch in every gear, which makes me think it is the clutch release bearing.

First question is... would it happen so suddenly and so loudly like this? Would it not gradually stop working and start with a faint noise building up to a loud screech?

And second of all.... I'd there anything else quite simple it could be that i could check before I go taking my gearbox apart?

Thanks in advance

 

Put the car in neutral and let out clutch, if the noise happens then it is most prob the release bearing, put foot on clutch and if it stops then most def bearing. You don't need to take the box apart, just separate from the block. Shouldn't take long.

 

Well it doesn't happen in neutral it only happens in gear when you press the clutch down. When you let the clutch back up in any gear or neutral it goes away. Reckon it's still the release bearing?

 

Sounds the opposite to a release bearing to me. Maybe first motion shaft / bearings?

 

I'd second this maybe lay shaft bearing. Best to whip the box out :-(

 

Oh oohhh I hope not!

 

To be honest mate at work we get cars coming in where we would put money on the gearbox being shagged (that's a technical term) and we pull the box out and the clutch is shot to pieces.

 

So took the gearbox off and found the problem. There is part of the bearing fork missing that holds the release bearing in place so looks like someone has bodged it at some point in its life! FUCK! 😠
Anyone any idea where I could pick up a release bearing retaining part?!

 

Good for you getting stuck in. I would have thought a breakers would be your best bet but try the Euro car parts or even Ford as they may have one.


Also put a wanted ad up on here


Post up a pic, it may be that one of us can weld a bit back on. I am on holiday soon but happy to MIG a bit back on if we can work out what needs doing. If you are quick you can get it here for Fri / Sat and I can post I back next day.


Make it easy for me, take a pic of yours and google an image of what it should look like and then I can tell you if it can be done

 

Thanks a lot pal!
I had the gearbox off by 1 o'clock and would have had it back together by afternoon so I'm a bit p'd off that now I'm held up. I hate when people bodge things like this which are obviously important!

The part missing itself is quite a substantial part that's bolted in place so I don't think a weld will do it but you know better than me so have a look at the photos and see what you think.
Also I think there should be a pin of some sort holding it at the top. As you can see in one of the pics it looks like it snapped

 

Sadly I think you need to call all the breakers and get that bit...sorry

 

Not problem pal thanks anyway and thanks for the info

 

Now I am confused!
Just been googling images of escort mk4 gearboxes and none of them have a retaining part on the release bearing. But how does it keep it in place? And why does my haynes manual say there should be one?

 

The release bearing has a slot for the pin which is located in the clutch fork. Yours appears to have snapped.