Grinding noises while shifting

[Piluso]

Hi, I drive a 5 speed '95 Firebird. As I shift gears I hear these horrible grinding noises and the car starts heating up if it stands still for a little while.

I'm guessing my clutch disc is done for.

I'm considering buying a replacement online and install it myself if I get the tools. Because I can't really afford 600 bucks for someone else to do it...but I can afford 120 to do it myself...

Any suggestions on what to do? What tools do I need to borrow?
Am I way off track?

I'm as poor as it gets, man.

[viperh]

Originally Posted by Piluso

Hi, I drive a 5 speed '95 Firebird. As I shift gears I hear these horrible grinding noises and the car starts heating up if it stands still for a little while.

I'm guessing my clutch disc is done for.

I'm considering buying a replacement online and install it myself if I get the tools. Because I can't really afford 600 bucks for someone else to do it...but I can afford 120 to do it myself...

Any suggestions on what to do? What tools do I need to borrow?
Am I way off track?

I'm as poor as it gets, man.

We need some more info. If your clutch is bad put it into like 5th gear while doing 30 and punch it. If your rpms rise real fast then your clutch is shot. Be careful not to redline it. Now If you can feel the grinding flow through your shifter then that my friend is bad synchros and you'll need to rebuild the tranny. Make sure you have a plastic clutch install tool with that clutch you buy from the online. Also have a friend with you to help maneuver that tranny after you unbolt it. What I do is put a jack under the car place a board between the jack and the tranny and stary lowering it. Maybe 3 or 4 inches to the rear of the car from the middle of the tranny to counteract the balance .

Nate

[wrightz28]

Welcome to AF! Viperh pretty much covered the possiblities being clutch or synchros and how to dtermine. Another thing, is if it is really that bad, you should smell what is left of the disc friction material burning away (smells exaclty like a locked up brake caliper).

My best suggestion is get a detailed manual and read up on the removal procedure very thuroughly and determine if you can handle it and have the tools, space and time to do so. A huge help is to have some one who has dropped a tranny at least once. But if you can't get someone, well, it's the virtual assistants from Af to the rescue