Very faint gearbox rattle

[Laysula]

I've just been to look at a 04 2.5 model with a view to purchase and it has a very faint rattle seeming to come from the gearbox. This disappears when put into gear and the clutch raised to biting point. Could anyone tell me if this is particularly serious or whether it is just one of those things that go with the age of the car? I'ts a five speed box and the car has done 83,000 miles.
Thanks in advance
Steve

 

[colb]

Could be the clutch thrust bearing from what you describe, is the rattle there when the clutch is fully up or only there when you have pressure on the pedal and the thrust bearing is in contact with the clutch pressure plate?

 

[Laysula]

It's still there with the clutch fully up in neutral. I couldn't tell if it was there if the car was on the move it's very faint.

 

[colb]

Is the noise there when you apply a bit of pressure to the pedal and the thrust bearing contacts the pressure plate, thinking the thrust bearing might be chattering when its disengaged, if it is that then gerarbox would need to be dropped out and the bearing replaced. Depending on your mileage it would be prudent to replace the clutch and pressure plate. If its a model with a duel mass flywheel that may be a source of the noise, don't know a lot about these, no doubt someone else with knowledge of that will be along.

 

[Laysula]

No. It doesn't stop when the clutch is depressed only when it's raised in gear and reaches the biting point.

 

[Laysula]

Quick update. I couldn't get to the bottom of the rattle so I bought a different one.