RAV4 D-4D 2.2 2007 Manual Gearbox smoothness & clutch behaviour

[Ravdozer]

Hey all!

My first post on this forum (an introduction to new users section will follow!).

I recently bought a 2007 model RAV4 2,2 D-4D (228k km /141k miles) with manual gearbox as a winter car. Roads here in Finland/Norway get pretty slippery and rough to drive with a FWD and honestly I just love the RAV4. I don't have any experience with RAV4 from before, but have driven Corollas and Hiaces a lot, both old and newer ones so I think I know how they should behave. As for using a manual gearbox, I have actually never owned a car without one.

Some background:
After purchasing the car I took it to a basic check for any faults just to see if I missed checking something before buying the car. Everything was OK with engine and gearbox, but to my surprise the test result for clutch came back with a note "Clutch dragging when switching gears" and "Noise, possibly from flywheel". I was surprised because this is how I thought an older diesel Toyotas feel and sound and I didnt notice anything out of the ordinary or dragging with the clutch either.

So I contacted the workshop that had changed the clutch a few years back (I happen to know the chaps) and asked them to check it out. Apparently during the clutch change they had fitted a stronger clutch and a single mass flywheel instead of DMF. The mechanic  said that the single mass is the reason for vibration and noise during cold start and the clutch behaviour can be explained by the clutch itself; current clutch is meant for heavier loads, and its an aftermarket one. He also said that there's nothing wrong with either the clutch or flywheel. I took this with a grain of salt, just because I haven't had this experience before with clutch or flywheel. However, after some intensive googling I found out that is a normal behaviour with single mass flywheels, especially when fitted into a car designed for DMF? 

And then the actual questions about the gearbox / clutch to all you fellow RAV4 owners out there:

Does the manual gearbox normally feel a bit janky/difficult when downshifting? On few occasions I've had a slight synchro grinding noise when downshifting from 4th to 3rd or 3rd to 2nd, but never when shifting up. I noticed this while I was test driving the car, but at that moment I just remembered that "this is how it has always felt with older Hiaces too". But is this really normal behaviour? To elaborate a little more, 1st gear resists a lot until the car is almost stopped, 2nd gear is resisting until speed is down to less than 15-25 km/h and same with third on 30-50km/h. Do I have a completely wrong understanding of the RPM range of this car, or is this something else? Double clutching helps with this, but doesnt completely resolve it. Can this be explained with the type of clutch or my own driving behaviour somehow? The car is completely drivable, but I feel like it's better to ask anyway.

ps. Sometimes the reverse gear needs some love before it connects, but I know this is more of a feature, not a problem.

Any input and comments on this would be greatly appreciated! 🙂
- Mikko
 

[AnteP]

On 12/16/2021 at 1:16 PM, Ravdozer said:

Hey all!

My first post on this forum (an introduction to new users section will follow!).

I recently bought a 2007 model RAV4 2,2 D-4D (228k km /141k miles) with manual gearbox as a winter car. Roads here in Finland/Norway get pretty slippery and rough to drive with a FWD and honestly I just love the RAV4. I don't have any experience with RAV4 from before, but have driven Corollas and Hiaces a lot, both old and newer ones so I think I know how they should behave. As for using a manual gearbox, I have actually never owned a car without one.

Some background:
After purchasing the car I took it to a basic check for any faults just to see if I missed checking something before buying the car. Everything was OK with engine and gearbox, but to my surprise the test result for clutch came back with a note "Clutch dragging when switching gears" and "Noise, possibly from flywheel". I was surprised because this is how I thought an older diesel Toyotas feel and sound and I didnt notice anything out of the ordinary or dragging with the clutch either.

So I contacted the workshop that had changed the clutch a few years back (I happen to know the chaps) and asked them to check it out. Apparently during the clutch change they had fitted a stronger clutch and a single mass flywheel instead of DMF. The mechanic  said that the single mass is the reason for vibration and noise during cold start and the clutch behaviour can be explained by the clutch itself; current clutch is meant for heavier loads, and its an aftermarket one. He also said that there's nothing wrong with either the clutch or flywheel. I took this with a grain of salt, just because I haven't had this experience before with clutch or flywheel. However, after some intensive googling I found out that is a normal behaviour with single mass flywheels, especially when fitted into a car designed for DMF? 

And then the actual questions about the gearbox / clutch to all you fellow RAV4 owners out there:

Does the manual gearbox normally feel a bit janky/difficult when downshifting? On few occasions I've had a slight synchro grinding noise when downshifting from 4th to 3rd or 3rd to 2nd, but never when shifting up. I noticed this while I was test driving the car, but at that moment I just remembered that "this is how it has always felt with older Hiaces too". But is this really normal behaviour? To elaborate a little more, 1st gear resists a lot until the car is almost stopped, 2nd gear is resisting until speed is down to less than 15-25 km/h and same with third on 30-50km/h. Do I have a completely wrong understanding of the RPM range of this car, or is this something else? Double clutching helps with this, but doesnt completely resolve it. Can this be explained with the type of clutch or my own driving behaviour somehow? The car is completely drivable, but I feel like it's better to ask anyway.

ps. Sometimes the reverse gear needs some love before it connects, but I know this is more of a feature, not a problem.

Any input and comments on this would be greatly appreciated! 🙂
- Mikko
 

I've owned my 2007 Rav4 2.2D for a couple of months. 

My clutch isn't exactly smooth, and I regognize the downshifting symptom you're talking about.

Comparing to my previous car, a 2006 Volvo 2.5T, the Rav4 feels a lot more like "a tractor".

But i got used to it quickly and now I don't think of at all.