I have a '96 Civic LX with a 5 speed transmission. It drives great, but I have noticed a weird noise that seems to be coming from the transmission.

If I am driving and slow down in first or second gear (say, to pull into a parking space), I notice a slow, methodicclicking or ticking noise like a baseball card in spokes of a bicycle. It only does it with the clutch pedal out and only when I'm not accellerating. If I push the clutch pedal in it stops. The noise also happens at slow speeds briefly just as I'm releasing the clutch after shifting gears.

If I sit with the car idling in neutral with the clutch pedal out. It sounds a little noisier than normal as well.

At normal driving speed or if I'm accellerating there is no noise at all.

During the past year, I have had the clutch, pressure plate, thow-out bearing and both axles and all cv joints replaced.

My guess is the input shaft bearing. If it is the input shaft bearing, should I be afraid to drive the car, and do I need to get it replaced right away ?

Today I noticed that is sounds more like a growling noise than a clicking. It does it in first, second, and third gears. It's looking more and more like an input shaft bearing. How long can I drive it like this without replacing it? It's a '96 and I really don't want to put a ton of money into it.

Sounds like Input Shaft bearing to me....look at the sticky about it. I just changed mine...it's not too bad to do really.