Slight TOB whistle, how long do I have?

[1997GT4.6]

What's up gang, my car has had an intermittent TOB whistle that is hardly audible (most people think I'm crazy) since a month after I got it 3 years ago. All started when I drove it on a cruise/canyon run when I barely had 3 weeks ever of driving manual. I'm sure that had something to do with it, because while on the cruise it started to howl really loud but then quieted off back in town.

It slightly whistles and not all the time, and not every day. I know its that because when I clutch in the sound is immediately gone.

Its holding me back on getting Long tubes because I don't want to deal with dropping the transmission after headers are in even if people are saying you can still drop the trans with certain headers. And that's true, but what they are not saying is that you have to most of the time, use a strap to pull the passenger side header away, dent them, or loosen it.
I don't want to spend that much money to do both at the same time. Headers are being done at a shop for a super cheap price.

How long do I have before the whistle gets crazy annoying? Generally speaking.

 

[D3VST8R96GT]

Who knows .....hell it could go out next week..... tob suck....

The D3V

 

[joekd]

My 00GT had a noisy TOB for like a year, sold it with it and the new owner drove ti like that for awhile too until he decided to replace the whole clutch

Now my 96GT on the other hand started the noise and one week later turned into a HUGE grinding mess, the whole bearing pretty much exploded so when we pulled the tranny to replace the clutch ball bearings came rolling out

 

[D3VST8R96GT]

Buddy had one recently it sounded like he bent a rod and bad..... when grabbed it (still on the fork) it snapped off..... it was literally one clutch drop away from death

The D3V

 

[1997GT4.6]

Damn Joekd that's crazy. Hmm, mine is barely squeaking but has been doing this for a few years now. So, in truth you just never know what will happen.

D3VS yeah TOB suck. My clutch is still good which is why I really don't want to replace it just yet. Almost at 80k miles so I guess it might need it sooner than later. But I really do want the headers.

School starts in August and when it starts I will have no time to deal with a clutch change if I have headers installed beforehand. I really want to hit the 300whp mark but can't without headers, damn B heads. The 4.6 dohc na with B heads is really a lose-lose situation lol.

This is why I'm heavily considering getting out of the mustang game. Really annoyed.

 

[Orange 94]

You've got 12.6hrs.


Same thing with me... The first one blew up while I was on a test drive with my dad to show him the problem lol. The other 2 lasted awhile.

 

[ttocs]

been driving on mine with just the HINT of a squeal for about 12k miles now.

 

[1997GT4.6]

You've got 12.6hrs.


Same thing with me... The first one blew up while I was on a test drive with my dad to show him the problem lol. The other 2 lasted awhile.

Damn! As of your post or my reply?! Time is ticking away lol.
Wow, that's crazy. So you just never know when it will give.

been driving on mine with just the HINT of a squeal for about 12k miles now.

Same for me as well. Just don't know if I should tackle it now or wait. I want LTs before summer is over but I don't want to do the clutch and headers all in the same time period. Don't really have any other options as far as mods go for 4vs which really sucks. I wish I owned a 5.0, always something to work on.

 

[ttocs]

Hell it started up about a month after I swapped it out...

 

[evilcw311]

Mine made a whistle/lite grinding noise last summer. Did it for a couple months then POOF.........stopped making the sound and hasn't done it since!!!! Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[joekd]

I have heard people spraying white lithium grease in there to reduce the noise, not something I would try myself though

 

[Mustanger]

Why don't you guys try this simple cheap mod that really works? If the TOB is merely chirping/squeeking etc. this WILL fix it! If it is bad this mod helps the new TOB last longer!

 

[Rallim]

My TOB has made noise since I did my clutch (AKA, since I put it in). Still doing fine almost two seasons later.

 

[1997GT4.6]

Mine made a whistle/lite grinding noise last summer. Did it for a couple months then POOF.........stopped making the sound and hasn't done it since!!!! Lol
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Awesome! Wonder why it happens. Coincidentally mines not making noise anymore. The cricket has stopped chirping.

I have heard people spraying white lithium grease in there to reduce the noise, not something I would try myself though

I've heard of that, can't imagine it would hurt but no point in masking a problem that needs to be addressed.

Why don't you guys try this simple cheap mod that really works? If the TOB is merely chirping/squeeking etc. this WILL fix it! If it is bad this mod helps the new TOB last longer!

Never heard nor seen that before. How does it work?


Rallim that's good to hear. Mine got dead quiet now. No more noise.

 

[Z06killinsbf]

Is that a spring on the cable? Mine chirps and squeels but once I put the slightest pressure on the pedal it stops.

 

[Justang]

Mine had a slight whine for years and I figured I would tackle it once it got worse. The severity seemed to change with the seasons, but eventually it was whining almost all the time. Then one night as I was leaving school, it escalated into a full-on pterodactyl mating call. It was an incredible noise; just about made me nauseous. Managed to baby it 20 miles home, and to the shop the next day.

Then the clutch chatter saga began...

 

[Pete@FTR]

Replace that shit asap. Don't want it going out at the wrong time

 

[D3VST8R96GT]

http://www.mustangevolution.com/forum/f280/t272375/

 

[Mustanger]

Yeah that is a 1/2" spring about 4-5" long & two 1/2"x3/4" copper reducers less than $10 bucks at Home Depot. It applies spring pressure on your clutch fork to force it back to the fully disengaged mode & the TOB stops turning all the time. The same as if you pulled UP on your clutch pedal to stop the chirping noise. Lethal performance used to sell this kit for $16 plus another $16 shipping!

If you guys that are have a problem like this & don't at least try such a cheap fix I'm not gonna feel sorry for you! LOl...there may be some TOB's that really ARE bad but I haven't seen one yet

 

[1997GT4.6]

Yeah that is a 1/2" spring about 4-5" long & two 1/2"x3/4" copper reducers less than $10 bucks at Home Depot. It applies spring pressure on your clutch fork to force it back to the fully disengaged mode & the TOB stops turning all the time. The same as if you pulled UP on your clutch pedal to stop the chirping noise. Lethal performance used to sell this kit for $16 plus another $16 shipping!

If you guys that are have a problem like this & don't at least try such a cheap fix I'm not gonna feel sorry for you! LOl...there may be some TOB's that really ARE bad but I haven't seen one yet

That is definitely not a 4-5" spring because I bought a 3.5" spring and it fit just right. Only problem I had was getting the spring over the 1/2 x 3/4 copper reducer. Didn't get all the coils over and it is a 1/2 but got at least 3 of the coil over and on the reducer. It did apply some force onto the fork and it looks like it cleared up a tiny bit of room.

However, now I can feel the damn spring through the clutch pedal. Not to mention my engagement point changed for some reason. So when I depress the clutch I have to put my foot in really far and that is when I feel the spring "compressing" and its rather annoying.

Where did you get your spring? It looks heavy duty too. Mine has thinner coils. I bought it at Home Depot and they didn't have much to offer. Just a few different ones.

Now I gotta wait several hours so I can take the spring and reducers off or it'll drive me insane as I drive.

So, now that I have been driving my Cobra more regularly as I'm getting ready to sell my truck and the TOB has not made a single sound the last 2 weeks. If I don't drive it for a week then it starts chirping. If I drive more often it never makes a sound.