B110 brief grinding noise

With the engine running and in neutral, when I engage the clutch there's a brief 2 second grinding noise.  After the clutch is fully engaged, the noise disappears.  When I change to other gears the same noise is there for the same amount of time.  It's caused by engaging the clutch.

With the engine off and the drive belt off and the transaxle in neutral,  the idler pulley and the transaxle pulley spin smooth, free and quiet.  I pushed and pulled on the shaft for the bevel gear box and there is no play.

I haven't figured out exactly where the noise is coming from.  There is the bevel gear box drive pulley as a possibility, but I haven't figured out a way to test it.

The tractor runs fine otherwise.  I can motor around and mow, it's just that brief grinding noise when I engage the clutch ....

Any tips on how to diagnose the source ?

Thanks, it was worth a try.  No luck . 

I disconnected the brake and it didn't make any difference.  As I thought about it, the tractor is in neutral, not moving and nothing inside the transaxle is moving  so the brake is not stopping or engaging any moving parts.

Best I can determine at this point is that the drive pulley on the transaxle is the problem.  Noise is directly created or stopped with its movement.

With the belt off, the pulley spins smooth and quiet.  There's only a little in/out play on the shaft.  There's no up/down - left/right play in the shaft.

That's what I have so far....

The pulley on the bevel gear box is a half of a pulley which the outer half slips on the inner half to prevent belt grab and wheelies.  There is a nylon washer and a nylon strip bearing. Sometimes this setup will make some noise and that is not unusual. Might be worth taking the washer off ( held on by two 1/4-20 screws) and inspect the condition of the nylon washer and strip bearing. 

ACmowerguy wrote: The pulley on the bevel gear box is a half of a pulley which the outer half slips on the inner half to prevent belt grab and wheelies.  There is a nylon washer and a nylon strip bearing. Sometimes this setup will make some noise and that is not unusual. Might be worth taking the washer off ( held on by two 1/4-20 screws) and inspect the condition of the nylon washer and strip bearing.

Late getting back to this.  I took a look at that pulley and found the plastic to be in great shape.  Not bad for a 50+ year old tractor. 

After putting it back together I noticed the noise was diminished.  Some weeks later now, I don't hear it anymore.   Not sure exactly what changed but I'll take the gift.

thanks for the tip.