Rattle or knocking

[TN_trucker]

I have either a rattle or knocking in my 2002 Ford Ranger truck when I am driving it. Have you even ridden a rolloer coster and heard the clanking noise as the coster is being pulled up the hill and around the corner, right before it takes off downhill? Well, my truck sounds like that now. I took my truck into a garage last week for them to fix a small oil leak and do a tuneup. There was NO noise when I took it into them. The oil was never lower than 1.5 quarts and my truck has never overheated and no engines lights come on.

When I left the garage, and after about a mile, my truck started having this knocking or rattle noise from somewhere in the engine or transmission area. I have a manual 5-speed, 3.0 engine.

The oil is still full, the leak is fixed, but I am NOT happy about the noise. I took it back to the shop and they said they did not cause it (of course). they told me that I would need a new motor.

Here's the thing... when I press in the clutch, the noise is gone. When I am driving it... the noise is not too noticable at high speed (around 40 plus MPH). However, in slower traffic, when the clutch is not pressed in, the noise is very noticable.

Any ideas of what this could be or what I need to have checked? I do not want to get a runaround, like that garage saying I needed a new motor. That may be, but it did not make sense to me.

 

[Rearanger]

... when I press in the clutch, the noise is gone.

If the truck is in neutral with clutch released do you hear the noise?

 

[TN_trucker]

Truck noise

Yes, if the truck is in neutral and the clutch is out, the noise is there and gets worse if I rev the motor.

 

[Rearanger]

I'd say transmission not engine. If you can get it on a hoist with the engine running you might be able to hear where the noise is coming from. Could be in the bell housing (throwout bearing, clutch) or in the transmission (syncros etc.)