Just got my new motor running. 54 car with a 235 and t5 conversion. When I re-installed the transmission I used the clutch and pressure plate that I had in there from before. It was just installed about 2 years and a few thousand miles ago. Never had any issues. Put a new release bearing in as the one that I removed just didn't feel right after I dropped it( the new one felt like it should). After I broke the cam in and went for the first run I had a rattling noise coming from the transmission/clutch area when I had the clutch pedal pushed in. It went quiet when the pedal was released. It didn't get better or worse or go away at that time. I parked it and called it a night. The next day I started the car and went for a ride and the noise was gone! Well at least temporarily. After driving around town for a while it came back, but intermittently. Whenever it does happen it was always with the clutch pedal depressed. Sometimes sitting at a red light in neutral with the clutch pedal down it would make the noise, but if I pushed the clutch in and out a few times, it would sometimes go away. Whenever it does make noise, sometimes it is worse than others, but it hasn't ever sounded so awful that I felt I should stop. I'm guessing it is the release bearing. It was brand new and sealed, but I am guessing I could have gotten a bad one maybe. Anyone have any opinions? And since I have never had one go while driving, what could be the consequences if I keep driving it and it does go all the way?
