Disco 2 Groaning/Screeching spigot bush

Hi All
My screeching spigot bush is getting worse! Its now happening daily, worse when Im reverse parking, loud enough to get some very funny looks in Sainsburys!
Its also starting to set the EML off, I assume thats due to the vibrations spooking the CPS, it resets after a restart.
Question is what are the chances of doing serious damage if the bush breaks up? Will it take out the clutch/flywheel?
Plan is to drop the gearbox/T.Box out using my engine crane through the gear shift aperture, change the bush, sort out the oil leaks and re-install.
But time is too short to do it now.
Anyone heard of catastrophic damage caused by spigot bush break up?
Thanks Mark

Spigot bushes don't usually make a noise are you sure it's not the release bearing?

Hi Wammers, I did think it could have been the release bearing, it still could be, but I sort of discounted it because a new one was installed with the new clutch about 8k miles ago.
Also if you slowly depress the clutch pedal there are no strange noises until the clutch is fully disengaged, so I pointed the finger at the spigot bearing.
Almost all my driving is on motorways, I never leave the car in gear when stationary and I can prevent it from screeching when Im changing gear by lifting of the accelerator just ahead of depressing the clutch.
But having said all that, it would be crazy not to change the release bearing anyway, so it will get changed!
Mark

I fitted a new clutch and thrust bearing a few years back. Ever since its made noises first thing in the morning reversing out the drive and goes away when it heats up. I've blamed the spigot bush as I foolishly forgot to change it.

The screetching spigot bush is a very common Td5 issue... it's a self lubricating sintered bronze and it looses self lubrication capacity in time then it can wear out by becoming thinner and thinner... the problem is that it's there to support the gearbox's mainshaft in gear with engine running and the clutch depressed... better not let it wear out completely IMO

I read somewhere that spigot bush and flywheel should be changed with clutch as spigot bush tends to wear out before the replacement clutch. Mines been abit noisy in cold weather for about 4 years but stops when car warms up my clutch has abit of wear to it so will do it at same time.

that's exactly how it behaves...no worries

Mine went the same way squealing first time I used the clutch then dies away.
Buy a new bush now and put it in a jar of oil with about 3 or 4 mm sticking out of the oil for as long as possible as Sierraferry says it is sintered bronze and it is porous so if you can soak it for long enough it will be nicely loaded with oil and hopefully last longer.

Hi Ray
Yes plan is to change it before Winter, its actually behaving itself now!
Have say Im "lovin the beast" at the moment, another 900 miles on her over the past two weeks!
If I do it, ill bite the bullet and pop the head off to do the hydraulic followers as well!
Mark

Great to hear that all your hard work is paying off now and you are getting the pleasure of driving the beast. I did my clutch and flywheel as the engine had 113 k on it but the clutch was actually pretty good. I bought the pilot bush about 6 weeks before I did the job as I had read the tip about soaking it first. Even though mine was howling as I reverse off the drive, when I pulled the engine the bush didn't seem too bad.
Good luck with it but after all you have done it should be a walk in the park.

Cheers Ray! Well I've been planning to drop the box anyway, so I can sort the oil leaks that Ashcroft couldn't seem to fix!
Im putting a little "hit list" together so I may have her off the road for a week or so!
Mark