Truck problem.

So, I have Googled this a bit, but I figured I would try here and see what the automotive minds have to say.

My truck, a 2000 Ford Ranger with a manual transmission, is having the following problems:

About a month ago, it began making a scratching noise whenever I had the clutch pressed down and the shifter was in first while at idle. Once I got into about second gear, the sound stopped. The sound would also stop if I put the shifter in neutral and took my foot off the clutch.

This happened in cold weather, and seemed to stop once it warmed up. I thought it had to do with the cold, but now it seems I might have been wrong.

I recently returned from a trip to Tallahassee, about 500 miles round-trip. Once returning, as in once I got off the Interstate and got back down to shifting speeds, it got REALLY hard to get into first gear when I am stopped.

By that, I mean I have to muscle the shifter stick into position. Something under the truck makes a loud THUNK once I finally muscle the shifter into gear, followed by a scratching/screeching noise that will continue until I get to about 35 miles per hour or third gear, depending on which comes first. After third, the gears shift clean. Also, if I hit a speedbump or pothole, the screeching sound will return temporarily.

On top of all that, once I muscle the shifter stick into place, it has a tendency to shimmy and shake a lot.


Any guesses?




Edited by agentwhale007 - 16 February 2009 at 11:50pm

did you check the flux-capacitor? honestly though, no idea.  My extremely amateur guess is that your synchros may be going bad.  probably something with the clutch as well.  most likely the capacitor though. I would start there first.

im gonna go with .636 and say the synchronizers may be going bad, best to have a mechanic check it out to make sure.

it's not clutch/throw out bearing or pressure plate, or you'd notice it in every gear, I think 636 is right, the synchro is mashed. You could drain the oil and I'm guessing you'll see lots of lovely filings in the oil but if you are on a budget, it's not the end of the world, I drove my jeep for 3 years with 1st gear synchro's shot, double clutching helps, hitting it at the right revs, you'll get a feel for it and it pops right in.

It's a ford. ( How has anyone not said this yet)

IMPULS3. wrote: It's a ford. ( How has anyone not said this yet)

Because it is dumb.

Here's a thought, if it's a synchro going bad, would double-clutching eliminate the issue as it would give the gears a chance to synchronize without the need of the synchro itself?

Although, looking at tin-man's post, it may be the pilot bearing on the crankshaft. The symptoms fit the best with that one. Oh, and if the pilot bearing on the shaft goes, you wind up needing a whole new tranny. Happened on my subie back in the day. Mind you, the subie still ran and shifted.... weird I know...

tallen702 wrote: Here's a thought, if it's a synchro going bad, would double-clutching eliminate the issue as it would give the gears a chance to synchronize without the need of the synchro itself? Although, looking at tin-man's post, it may be the pilot bearing on the crankshaft. The symptoms fit the best with that one. Oh, and if the pilot bearing on the shaft goes, you wind up needing a whole new tranny. Happened on my subie back in the day. Mind you, the subie still ran and shifted.... weird I know...

Not necessarily, all depends on how the input shaft looks. if its not worn out of specs he can get away with a new pilot bearing. if the shaft its worn quite a bit there is a possibility of getting a over sized bearing or a new input shaft for the trans.


And I cant see how a thrashed pilot bearing would = needing a new tranny. Sounds a little hokey





Edited by .636 - 17 February 2009 at 10:14pm

lol tranny

I think this synchros deal sounds like the best bet, because after reading what synchros do, I realized that when muscling the shifter into place, it often will make the grinding "too fast to be in this gear" noise, even when idling.