Shift shaking and loud clicking noise?

[Lencrull]

Hello all! I have a 1996 Ranger, 2.3 liter, with a 5 speed manual. It has always ran good, but not today. Shifter is wobbly, shaking as I hold it. Loud clicking noise when accelerating. I just did an oil change last month and check the transmission fluid. All seemed good. Did my clutch go? Thanks!

update: the noise is through all gears. Only at acceleration, not when decelerating or clutch depressed. No noise in neutral and giving gas. Truck sounds like it is struggling. No noise at ideal, engine sound normal. There is a small oil leak so it hard for me to tell if there’s a transmission leak as well. Will drive in all gears, but seems to struggle at beginning of each gear.

video:

Truck is shaking, really struggling. It stalled in 2nd gear coming out of a corner. The clicking is only during acceleration, but not if I give it just a little gas. I have to accelerate normal. Truck is really struggling now. I would think it’s an engine issue, but no noise if in neutral and giving it gas.

 

[pentode]

Is it clicking in all gears? Only accelerating, not decelerating? Any noise in neutral? Does depressing the clutch make the sound stop?

 

[Lencrull]

Pentode,

It does make the clicking through all the gears when accelerating. No noise when decelerating or if depressing the clutch. Shift never shook before and now it shaking badly. It still shifts through all gears and drives. No noise as soon as I let off the gas.

 

[Blmpkn]

What fluid did you put in it?

Ranger manuals are one of the few trannys made that want ATF and NOT gear oil.

 

[Lencrull]

I have not changed the transmission fluid yet, just checked the level. I have had this truck a little over a year. It has around 200,000 miles on it. Guy I bought it from did all his own maintenance and seemed very knowledgeable/good. The fluid is dark blue and not too thick. Maybe a little. Thicker than regular engine oil.

 

[pentode]

Do you have any symptoms of clutch slippage?
Someone else will have to comment on blue trans fluid. Royal Purple or something else? We don't have that in these parts. I'll assume it's some kind of ATF, which would be a good thing.
Are you saying the shifter is shaking more than usual? Like violently? And something has changed? It's normal for them to shake going down the road to some extent.

 

[pentode]

Are you sure this noise is coming from the transmission and not, say, an exhaust pinhole? Just trying to rule a few things out. It's an unusual set of symptoms for a manual trans.

 

[Lencrull]

Are you sure this noise is coming from the transmission and not, say, an exhaust pinhole? Just trying to rule a few things out. It's an unusual set of symptoms for a manual trans.

No, not sure. I will crawl under there to see and get back.

 

[Lencrull]

Do you have any symptoms of clutch slippage?
Someone else will have to comment on blue trans fluid. Royal Purple or something else? We don't have that in these parts. I'll assume it's some kind of ATF, which would be a good thing.
Are you saying the shifter is shaking more than usual? Like violently? And something has changed? It's normal for them to shake going down the road to some extent.

Yes, it shook before, normal ranger slight shake. Now it’s really shaking, hard. I will climb under the truck and see if I find out anything more after work.

 

[pentode]

Ok, good luck, let us know. I"d really rather avoid being pessimistic. It doesn't sound like clutch to me. I can think of a few things that could cause your symptoms but they're not happy thoughts. Let's hope for an easy solution.

 

[Lencrull]

Are you sure this noise is coming from the transmission and not, say, an exhaust pinhole? Just trying to rule a few things out. It's an unusual set of symptoms for a manual trans.

Not coming from exhaust, no noise when in neutral and giving it gas.

 

[RobbieD]

It's a long shot, but look at your driveshaft universal joints and make that one hasn't grenaded, and that there's not any real excessive looseness in them. At least rule that out.

 

[Lencrull]

U joints seem good, drive shaft was not lose.

 

[pentode]

I might be missing something... I've started typing 3 guesses but I keep thinking something doesn't add up. This clicking, it's regular, like synchronized with the engine RPM, and increases with engine speed?

 

[pentode]

It happens under load and in all gears with the clutch fully engaged... If the noise is coming from the trans it can really only be a few things, none of them good. Maybe shift linkage messed up and synchro hubs not fully engaging? Otherwise broken gear or broken bearing? I know these aren't uplifting thoughts. Hopefully I'm wrong.