The history.

Last Friday driving home the oil light came on. stopped at the servo and checked the level... seems that when I park facing up an incline I have a bit of an oil leak, hence the oil level was low. topped it up, Idiot here put a little much in, continued the 20 odd k trip home. Had a couple of small trips that had to get done on Saturday before I could take the extra oil out... I have now changed the oil completely and is at the appropriate level.

there is now a noise that sounds like a bearing is about to fail. It appears when idling in neutral, however when I put my foot on the clutch it disapears. When in gear and travelling the noise is back.

What could this be?

oil in the clutch?

Bearing about to fail?

Thanks for your help in advance.

Cheers.

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Simon
Daily Driver - Yellow Devil 76 Clubman
Restoration Project - Primer grey 66 Morris Mini Deluxe

I hope for your sake its not the idler bearings in the tranfer gears but it is sounding very much like it, how low was the oil level when you checked

Jon

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Roundies and Clubbies(except vans) are both ugly that is why I have Midas and a van
1293 Mini Midas Bronze,1275 Clubman van

It was about a centimeter below the low level indicator....

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Simon
Daily Driver - Yellow Devil 76 Clubman
Restoration Project - Primer grey 66 Morris Mini Deluxe

I would get it to a close mini specialist asap and have it checked out, really the oil; light should not of come on, should of taken about a litre and a half at that level to fill up, could be that the clutch bearing is making light contact only but try and get someone that has the experience to come around and have a listen, clutche release bearings tend to rumble and idler bearings tend to clack clack and if your driving along and put your foot on the clutch and roll along does it still make the noise
Jon

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Roundies and Clubbies(except vans) are both ugly that is why I have Midas and a van
1293 Mini Midas Bronze,1275 Clubman van

No if I am travelling at speed and put the clutch in with my foot off the accelerator, the noise disappears....

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Simon
Daily Driver - Yellow Devil 76 Clubman
Restoration Project - Primer grey 66 Morris Mini Deluxe

should be able to rule out idler bearing then do you have any clearance between the clutch arm and adjustment bolt it may jsut be like i said the clutch thrust bearing making light contact with the pressure plate

Jon

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Roundies and Clubbies(except vans) are both ugly that is why I have Midas and a van
1293 Mini Midas Bronze,1275 Clubman van

Sounds like clutch release bearing then.
To confirm this, when driving normally in 4th just press the clutch pedal lightly (i.e. enough to make the bearing throw in, but not enough to make the clutch disengage). If the car keep going without the noise then you have your culprit.

Ironically nothing to do with oil levels, but cheap to fix yourself.

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Too many cars, and too little time.

Just an update on the noise...

when I take the slack off the pedal, ie push the pedal in lightly, the noise disappears.

It does sound like metal spinning on something...

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Simon
Daily Driver - Yellow Devil 76 Clubman
Restoration Project - Primer grey 66 Morris Mini Deluxe

Clutch thrust bearing then
Did you also check as Jon said to see if there is a gap between the arm & the adjustment bolt? If not, the bearing will be in contact all the time & will most likely be shot. Not urgently life threatening, but you'll need a new bearing.

Follow the steps in the manual & it's not too hard to do yourself. Cheap fix!

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Too many cars, and too little time.

Thanks for all your help

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Simon
Daily Driver - Yellow Devil 76 Clubman
Restoration Project - Primer grey 66 Morris Mini Deluxe