[i30-ADI]

Hi all, I am a UK Driving Instructor and I purchased my 57 reg i30 in August 2009 for teaching. About 3-4 weeks after it started whining at the bite point when reverse parking and another reverse manouvers. The local Hyundai dealership have replaced the clutch which solved it for about 3 days then the new clutch started the whine. The dealership seem to think that the materials of the clutch are not strong enough. My current mileage is approx 26k. I wondered if anyone alse has had a similar problem and how it was resolved?

This is not a problem with engaging the gear fully, and when I test drove one of the dealership i30' it made a similar whine, although considerably quieter.

[eye30]

Did they replace all the bits and bobs which make up the clutch mechanism, e.g. the Release Bearing as I understand that this makes a similar noise at the clutch bite. 

[Lorian]

Surely it's reverse gear whining if it only happens going backwards, not the clutch?

I think reverse gears are prone to whining, my previous car did it for all it's life.

[Shambles]

My 2004 MGZR whined all the time when powering while in reverse, kind of like a baby's stifled cry.

[Lorian]

Actually on a second read I see you say "at the biting point" so it probably won't be the kind of whine I was thinking of. Does it smell too?

I guess it does a lot more reversing than most of our cars will.......

[eye30]

I have a Sept 07 (57 plate) and do not get that noise but I've only done 13K.

Take it to a clutch specialist and ask their views.  
Take it back to the dealers and ask their views,
and see how they compare.
Depending on what they, the dealers, say you can counter and negative response.

Use the 5 year warranty, 3 years left, as that what it's for.

[Dazzler]

I don't reverse very far or very often but I haven't noticed such a noise 

Like one of our other members said I have had other cars whine in reverse so probably wouldn't take much notice...

[Lorian]

I can imagine it's pretty annoying when teaching people to drive.

[i30-ADI]

Just to follow up on your helpful comments -

The mileage when the whine started was around 15k.  
It doesn't smell and the old clutch that was removed showed no signs of burning or excessive wear.
I am not totally convinced that it is the clutch at fault and mentioned to the repair manager that the whine could be from the gearbox, but he is saying definately not.

eye30, thanks for your replies and will check on the release bearing.  Taking it to a clutch specialist is an excellent idea. The work done so far has been under warranty, but all warranty work has to be agreed by Hyundai and at the present time they are not agreeing to any more work and want to see how it goes. My worry is that the whine is so loud an examiner could terminate a Driving Test if he was concerned about it.

[2i30s]

cant using the car for a business [learner drivers car] shorten your 5yr warranty. and the noise you mentioned could be a thrust or spigot bearing noise.the thrust bearing sits against the pressure plate on an arm,when you push the clutch in the bearing loads up and makes noise.the spigot bearing is in the back of the crankshaft and has the center shaft of the gear box siting inside it,but it probably would only make noise all the time,not only during the clutch being released.

[Lorian]

Does it continue to whine if you completely declutch in reverse?

[IMCRZY]

You have to remember aswell that reverse gears are straight cut so they will whine....

Has the gearbox oil been checked?

You have to remember aswell that reverse gears are straight cut so they will whine....

I was also thinking of the straight-cut reverse gears causing a whine but this would not likely change in the life of the box without a concurrent change to something else associated with the gearbox. Nothing forward seems to be affected (that we know of) so I'm guessing it will be nothing in the gearbox proper.

The only other thing that occurs to me is that the diff. also goes in reverse, so perhaps there is some slight extra float that has come from wearing-in that exceeds normal tolerance.

Yeah, I know the diff. is integrated with the gearbox! 

I'm also assuming that the whine only occurs when actually reversing which (probably) eliminates anything to do with the clutch.

[IMCRZY]

^^^^ Sounds Plausable also.... I hate problems like this, because i wont stop thinking about it lol

[eye30]

Is it the electric motor on the steering playing up/ not seated correctly?