Rav 4Clutch Problem

[dennisjohnson]

New Rav4 2.2d xtr 1800 miles on clock, when car is idling slight rattle coming from clutch area when dipping clutch noise disappears,spinning sound coming from clutch when changing up to or down to 3rd gear not always there but annoying plus whining sound in low gears on overun and at slow speeds, is there a problem with the above symptoms

[anchorman]

The rattle is OK and the whining is probably the synchros (also OK) but just let the dealer listen. 1st, 2nd and 3rd have triple synchros and they bmight quieten down with time but try slowing down a bit more before engaging the next lower gear.

[abraxas]

You have already had a comment from the resident expert, and it is probably nothing, but I thoughtI'd chip in a personal expirience as well...

I had a similar problem in that I noticed a rattle when idle a while ago. Exactly as you described, it would go away when I depress the clutch pedal. Sounded a bit like a bag of loose metal components in a bag on top of the engine block. If I'd "blip" the accelerator pedal, it would be most noticable on the engine spin-down. And It didn't really matter whether the engine was warm or cold.

I ended up taking the car in for a service and another fix and talked to a mechanic at the dealers who diagnosed a "clutch resease bearing" failure and booked it in for repairs. The good news is that it got done and the rattle is no longer there. The bad news is that the infamous RAV4 rough gearchange particularly 1st to 2nd got a lot worse after this fix. I took it back to the dealer's and of course it warmed up by then and worked as smoothly as you like. Some days it is better and some it is worse, but it bugs a hell out of me now. I can't really take it back and complain as it works fine by the time I get to the dealers. To make the things worse, I fell out with thedealers over a brake-disk issue that the car was in for originally. Other dealers can't (or won't) help as the first one started the work and Toyota won't pay them. I'm probably taking things a bit personally recently, but Toyota has managed to make a huge fan into a disgruntled customer. (One that is now looking at other brands on autotrader website way to often)

Anyways (rant over), I was going to start up a new topic on this, but it is similar to what you described so I thought I'd contribute to your post instead.

I suppose, the moral of the story is: you may get the noise fixed, but it may not work out the way you want. I will let someone who knows what a "clutch release bearing" is and exactly what it does comment on what happens

if you leave it as it is...

Also, there is a TSB that I got from one of the helpful members here that addresses the issue of noise from the gearbox that you may want to look into. (basically they just add some sound insullation). And that is the only good thing about Toyota in my eyes now - this forum and the kind and helpful people you will encounter here. And in an effort to repay atleast some of the kindness and help I got on this forum, if you need the TSB details, send me a PM.

And welcome to the forum! :)

[anchorman]

Interesting stuff abraxas.

For info, when you press the clutch you work a lever to disengage the engine from the gearbox. The release bearing on the end of the lever converts back and to motion of the lever into a spinning motion of the clutch;

http://videos.howstuffworks.com/howstuffworks/116-how-clutches-work-video.htm

It is just a pivoting lever in contact with the spinning clutch (shown in red in the video).

On these 2.2 diesels there is a dual mass flywheel and a twin countershaft gearbox and at idle all the backlash in these components are free to chatter but are silenced when under load. It is quite normal for a surprising amount of noise (although yours abraxas obviously had something more).

I believe the noise fix is applied to the 59 plate vehicles but let us know what they say.

Regards

[bothwell_buyer]

We have 8 diesel motors in our growing fleet -

the only one which has an annoying rattle from the gears is the Renault Midlum - but its an issue with the gearlever linkage. Non of the Transits currently have any issues with the gearbox, so I guess its because they are not 5 door RAVs ( :shutit: :shutit: )