Hey guys, I have a 94 4runner 4x4 with a manual transmission. The transmission makes a noise similar to a "dying powersteering pump" when the clutch petal is pressed down. When the clutch petal is released the noise disappears. When shifting through the gears with the clutch petal pushed, the noise persists in all gears except for 4th.

The truck makes no whining noise in gear while moving. The clutch, pressure plate, throwout bearing, and pilot bearing have all been replaced within the last 25,000 miles.

It is also making a rattling noise from the rear of the drive shaft, but I believe that this is due to the rear u-joint and not the transmission (figured I would throw this in there just in case )

The only thing I can think of is the input shaft bearing, but I thought that made noise with the clutch petal released. Anyone have any input as to what this sound could be?

 

With the clutch pushed in, the flywheel and input shaft are now spinning at different speeds = the pilot bearing makes noise

With the clutch up, the flywheel and input shaft are spinning at the same speed, however now the flywheel is spinning, and the clutch fork is stationary = the release bearing makes noise

It's probably your pilot (input shaft) bearing. Yes you said it was replaces 25k miles ago, but if it was crooked at all, it'll chew itself apart.

 

Thanks, looks like I'm going to have to pull the transmission again . Defiantly going to replace all three of those bearings as well as the rear seal when i go in there.

 

At least they're cheap

 

Did the bearings fix your problem? I'm hitting the same problem in mine, only below when in neutral, engine running, it sounds like an ice machine churning underneath. Seems to be a bad tranny, but it still drives, with whining in 1,2,3 and 5th gear, 4th is fine. Am I looking at a bad tranny or a few bad bearings??

 

had the same issue in my 86 when i installed the pilot bearing crooked. changed it out for another new one and never had another issue.

 

I'm not totally convinced yet. When I push in the clutch, the noise goes away. I am noticing the odor of transmission fluid while driving in 1,2,3 and 5th gears, but that could be in my mind.

What is the ice machine sound that it is making while idling when in neutral? Is that the misalignment of the input shaft due to the bearing being worn maybe?

I've hardly got any money in this truck, so I don't want to replace the tranny if I don't have to - I'd really rather it be bearings...

Thanks for the help.

 

If you can smell it, maybe it has a small leak somewhere and is running really low on fluid. I'd recommend checking the level in the trans. Good luck

 

Wow. This thread is all messed up. Starts off with a misdiagnosis of a throwout bearing issue(it was NOT the pilot bearing, I can guarantee it). And ends up with this guy butting in, who might actually have a pilot bearing issue.

Either way, you'd need to pull the tranny to find out for sure.

You've pretty much gotten all the help you're going to get from us with it. So good luck!

BTW, your transmission doesn't use transmission fluid. It's uses gear oil, which smells nothing like it. If you're smelling transmission fluid, it ain't your transmission. It'd be your power steering, which does use transmission fluid.

 

^ What he said! Although... The 1st thing I would check if my tranny/transfer etc started making a weird noise would be the OIL level... Note as said above, its gear oil, NOT tranny fluid.

 

Subscribed, since I just swapped my W56 with a lower miled used one and am curious what happened here.

Mine is now making noises of a different kind (I think it's actually drive shaft related since I wasn't able to mate up the existing DS with the old tranny), but curious all the same.