So about 3-4 months ago i installed an entire new clutch kit, and slave cylinder cause it was all bad. and recently i had a squeaking noise that i thought was a belt but went away, my brake light came on in my dash and i saw i had no clutch fluid. i filled it up and put some fuel injector cleaner in my tank just to keep stuff good cause it’s getting cold and shitty out here in michigan. and about 1 mike after i did all this as i’m driving through town my car made this screeching noise almost it’s hard to explain for the next 5-8 miles it made this terrible loud noise. but it got quieter, and ended up going away completely. BUT when i was at a stop light i pushed my clutch in cause my car sounded odd at idle and a rattling noise went away when i did so. so i drove home parked it and i have left it there cause i’ve been busy working. i started it today and now my car still has that rattling noise until i push the clutch in and now the car is shaking and it’s idling different and doesn’t sound good and almost sound alike it’s knocking... It shifts perfect and is no trouble to push clutch down. i don’t think it broke already either since i don’t do any launches and i haven’t been driving it daily since i installed it.. if anyone could help i would be grateful cause i’m tripping out about it. i have the 420a engine as well..

Your crankshaft pulley/damper could be separating, might want to pull the belts off and pull on the pulley and see if its falling apart, while the belts are off start it up for a second and see if it still makes the sound.

I have similar issues. I haven't experienced this horrible squealing sound, but at idle it sounds like I have a rod knocking, but when I push the clutch in it goes away. The idle is also a little rough but also goes away when I push the clutch in.

Go drive the car for a bit to get it warm, then pop the hood and listen around the trans area when it's running. I can hear some sort of scraping/rattling noise inside my trans once warm. But it goes away when the clutch is pressed.

motomattx said:

Your crankshaft pulley/damper could be separating, might want to pull the belts off and pull on the pulley and see if its falling apart, while the belts are off start it up for a second and see if it still makes the sound.

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today the car sounds normal. it was a cold start and the car was cold and the temp was about 20°. today it’s idling great but that ambience is still there when the clutch isn’t pushed in but as soon as i push it in it goes away.

Did you replace the throw out bearing when you did your clutch job?

BLACK'98DSM said:

Did you replace the throw out bearing when you did your clutch job?

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Thatd be my first guess happened to me in 2 mustang's I had very similar to what you're experiencing.