[cjt156]

Hi folks, bit of advice required please. Sorry for the long post.

I bought a 2008 JTD GT from a main dealer some months back; 100k miles on the clock. I was delighted with the condition of the car, many of the big money items had been looked after by the previous owner. It has a good history, including lots of work done by the dealer before selling; a new 'clutch kit' and 'clutch release bearing' being detailed in particular.

I'm used to TwinSparks so I always found the JTD a bit noisey; nothing out of the ordinary I thought. However last weekend, after a 20 mile motorway run in 6th gear, I pulled up to a set of lights to hear a pronounced grinding/rattling noise. Scared the crap out of me.

Continued the mile or so home listening carefully. Noise was present in neutral; but very faint, seemed to disappear with revs. Louder with the clutch pedal pushed in. Loudest with a gear engaged; any gear. Completely disappears once you let the clutch out in gear. From inside it sounds like a rattle, with vibrations though the pedal. Outside it sounds more like a grinding noise - like the friction plate isn't clearing.

It lasted over the weekend, then promptly disappeared on the morning I was going to ring the dealer! Been fine since.

So I'm wondering what this could be? Is it likely to become a problem; is it going to cost me big money? The clock is ticking down on the warranty so naturally I would prefer this was sorted at the dealer's expense not mine. If it's something I can't reproduce it's going to be hard to expect a dealer to investigate.

Or is this one more Alfa quirk that occurs from time to time, but isn't really a big deal?

 

[pubsinger]

More likely to be the DMF if the clutch has just been done, mine's started rattling after 150k miles and they ain't cheap.

Seems odd the noise comes and goes though. If you can put the car up on stands, get the undertray off and start it up you should be able to confirm whether the noise is coming from the bellhousing. Usual warning about keeping away from moving and hot bits.

Good luck

Pub

 

[Shawnobi]

I'd more suspect the input shaft bearing for grinding noises when engaged. DMF's tend to judder when engaged when on their way out.

 

[Mystic]

My dmf goes quiet when clutch is depressed, as you're pulling it tight, basically. But, if something is not turning, it can't make a noise, and the gearbox is totally disconnected with the clutch pedal down, so must be dmf if you can feel it through the pedal as well.