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54 1/2 ton with saginaw 4 speed. I'm getting a very loud and strange growling noise when I depress the clutch. Doesn't always do it and usually in first or reverse gear.It's intermittent. I thought it was the throwout bearing so I changed that and still have the problem. I'm wondering about thr pilot bushing. It almost seems like maybe it's spinning in the crank at times. Is it supposed to not turn in the crank but the input shaft turns inside the bronze bushing? Could that be making my noise? Anybody have a problem like this before with a pilot bushing?-----thanks

Exact same thing happened to me. My 53 3100 with 350 and saginaw, started making a squeeling/chirping noise going 1st to Rev. I had put in new throw-out when installing tranny. Pulled tranny and replaced pilot bushing, no more noise!

Just got done with further diagnosis of the noise. It now does it intermitently going from any gear to the next, not just 1st and reverse. I was able to make it happen with my wife at the controls and me underneath. It definitely is not coming from the trans but more toward the clutch area. It's not a chirping or squealing noise like described for a pilot bushing. It's really loud and will go away when you step on the clutch a little. Now I'm thinking it might have to do with the disc. could there be a spring that's jumping in and out and hitting the flywheel or pressure plate? seems to me that if a spring was broken or askew it would be constant not intermittent.

Sometimes, you just have to pull it apart to know for sure.