98 Taco Tranny/Clutch Issues

[adistler1]

I've recently gotten back my 98 Taco from my mom, who had bought it off of me a few years ago.

I've noticed a few problems:

The temp gauge fluctuates randomly running really hot, then dropping back down to normal. Fluids are all okay. I notice it runs hotter when I'm idling.

Secondly, I've noticed this in the past few days... The truck seems to lag in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd right after shifting. Also, when I'm in 5th right around 70mph and 2.5 rpms, it lags. It feels like its slipping. There's no grinding, but it will lag and jump a bit before it catches. I've read that there really isn't any way for a manual tranny to slip, so my question is do you think that it's the tranny or do you think that it's the clutch? I've heard of overheating issues being correlated to tranny problems. All in all, I'm too broke to get a rebuild.

Thanks in advance!

[skeezix]

Does it smell bad? Like clutch or brakes do when overheated? If not, might not be the clutch, but some kind of engine problem. You could always check the clutch by applying the emergency brake, then putting the trans into 2nd or 3rd and letting (slowly) out the clutch at about 1500 rpm while increasing the throttle to try to maintain rpms. Should take the engine right down to a stop. If it doesn't or if you get a bunch of chatter, better start thinking about a clutch job.

Don't do this more than once or twice though, or you will overheat the clutch.

I doubt you can get a clutch to slip at 70 mph though, so that's what makes me think it is something in the engine...

[LukeZero]

Originally Posted by adistler1

The temp gauge fluctuates randomly running really hot, then dropping back down to normal. Fluids are all okay. I notice it runs hotter when I'm idling.



Thanks in advance!

This sounds like a failing thermostat to me.