So I’m driving down the street today, and I hear this sound of grinding metal on metal. I look around to see whose vehicle has been mistreated to make such a sound. Well, as I keep diving, the cars around me are changing, but the sound is still there… yep, it’s my truck making the noise.

So I get home, and inspect the vehicle to determine the cause of the clanging sound. Turns out the noise is coming from the transmission, right where it meets the engine. The sound is there when idling, in gear, moving, clutch in, clutch out, all the time.

What can be making this noise? My guess is it’s the clutch, but I have no experience with a clutch going bad and making this noise. I can tell you that the clutch doesn’t grip as well as it used to. From day to day, it will be either OK, or will slip when I accelerate from a standstill. It’s a 1999 Tacoma, original clutch, 100k miles.

The funny thing is that I just went to the store and on my way back, once I got to 45mph in 4th gear, the noise stopped. It’s gone for the time being... strange. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

could have been a pilot bearing going/gone out, the throwout bearing (less likely because its always there unless the bearing exploded) but I am not a great clutch mechanic :/