Is it time to replace the clutch? Help!

Last night, I was driving home from work, and noticed a squeaking sound when first and second gear were engaged. It wasn't too pronounced, but it was noticeable. On third, the sound came on and off, sporadically. Fourth and above, the weird noise was absent. Does this mean a clutch problem? Are there any troubleshooting steps a novice mechanic can do? Your suggestions are truly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

Only need to replace clutch if you notice slipping---- the tach goes up but the speedo doesn't.

Did you notice a reduction in power to the rear wheel when there was the noise ??

 

I concur with Squirrel...doesn't sound like clutch. How about the drive chain? Maybe it needs lube and adjustment.

 

It's been over 1K miles since I lubed the chain, so I'll start with that. Based on your comments, it seems the clutch is not the problem. This is good news, since I was dreading a large expense. Thanks...