Nasty rattle from transmission. Please Help!
 

Hello. I just bought a 2000 ap1 Grand Prix White S and the paso owner did not take good care at all.
From the beggining I knew it needed some work, by reading here and from talking to other people.
Today I notice, on my way to work, at a stop light a nasty, similar to a can full of nuts and bolts, rattle from the transmission. It only happens when the car is at idle and, on neutral and no clutch pressed. The rattle goes away as soon as I press the clutch.
I'm really asking for everyone's imput just because I'm new to the s2k game and I dont want to visit a mechanic and get taken by a fool.
Besides that, I'm loving every second with the car, every sqeeak and rattle too lol.

Thank you for your imput.
Sorry I dont post a vid, I really dont know how.
If you want to see it feel free to send me an email or text to:

jessiel.gonzalez@upr.edu

787-454-0830

That sounds like a bad clutch release bearing.

The fix is to drop the trans and replace it. But chances are if the repease bearing is bad, its because someone replaced it with an aftermarket part, which are all crap. But that means the rest of the clutch parts are also aftermarket crap. So if you are going through all the labor to remove trans, you should plan to replace it all.

ONLY USE OEM HONDA PARTS!!!

Clutch disk
Pressure plate
Release bearing
Release bearing guide
Pilot bearing
Honda urea grease

Do not use exedy 'oem' thinking its the same parts as what you get from Honda. The Exedy is total crap.

Do not bring the car to just any mechanic for the clutch. This car has some unique aspects to clutch replacement, and most mechanics will assume what they have done successfully on hundreds of clutch jobs on other cars will work equally well here, and not do some of the steps that are vital for success. They will use the wrong grease. They will not grease everything that needs grease, or use the correct quantity. They will not thoroughly clean the splines and properly grease them.

Find someone that has experience with S2000 clutch, or better yet diy.

It can be the secondary shaft bearing in the transmission too which do go out and arguably more often then the throw out bearing it seems based on what gets posted here. The secondary shaft/bearings can be removed/installed with the trans in the car - there is a few threads on this. Its about $300 in parts if you do the work yourself, otherwise you will be at the subject of someone else troubleshooting and labor, and that will usually mean them pulling the trans and inspecting the throw out bearing to see if that's the culprit before moving on to the transmission.

Could be loose springs in disc too. Mine rattles a lot too, during 2nd and 3rd gear decel, while clutch is not pressed in. I feel it is springs rather than throwout bearing.. as a throwout bearing wouldn't rattle like that (it would make a different scrape'y or squeaky noise I'd think).

Thank you everyone for your time and input! Now I have a better idea so when I get to the mec know what could possibly is wrong and how to treat it. I have to do the head for retainers and upgrade them to the ap2 ones wich I already have. The car has some details still. I feel like I just puchased looks and no mechanics at all. Getting a bit fustrated but it is what it is. Still love the car.

I found out the problem!. I'm writing this up for anyone with the same problem. I took the head out for some upcoming upgrades. While working on that, after the head was out I decided to look around the tunel of the trans hoping to see something. Of course I found something. The past owner lost the replica mugen oil cap and it went behind the engine and got stock between the trans and trans tunel, causing the nasty sound. For anyone with the same problem, chech that first. Not saying to take the head out, but check and be sure first.

That's super awesome of you to update us! Thank you!

(Also for future readers, that clutch buzz mentioned above doesn't happen when the car is at a stop and in neutral as this OP was)

This would not be the first time ive heard of this on this forum. Interesting. 14 years ive never lost one, knock on wood lol.

Been there also
have a drilled the cap now and have it zip tied to throttle cable <,UK>and 04 MY never needs top ups :tipwink:

I had the same damn thing happen to me, with the oil cap when i first bought mine. Was pleased to find out it was just an oil cap!