I have a 2000 Manual Tran. 4 Runner. I've only owned it for 9 months and it's got approx. 65K miles on it. I've had a squeak in the clutch for a few months and everyone has told me it's a release bearing starting to go, but don't worry nothing to serious. Well, not I've got a popping sound coming from my clutch virtually every time it is pressed and released. Now they are telling me it's locking up and needing to be replaced. Apparentely the bearing is inside the bell housing and is quite labor intensive - might as well replace the clutch while you are up in there.

Anyone have any thoughts or ideas on how much a clutch should cost?

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Mike

Make sure it is not the spring on the pedal itself I have replaced alot of the bushings that the spring sets in. This is the spring that brings back the pedal.

Thanks for the thoughts - everyone just kept telling me that it's the release bearing so this is hopefully good news. I have a friend that owns a shop here so I'm going to have him check it out this weekend. HOpefully saves me for spending all the money for a new clutch. I drive so much highway I'm just nervous about my clutch going out.

Thanks again!

You can tell the difference. With the engine running, hold the clutch pedal to the floor. A release bearing will make a noise when the clutch is held to the floor (as well as when it is being pressed), the return spring will only make noise when the clutch pedal is in motion being pressed or released, not while the pedal is held to the floor.

hey brian,
i actually sent you an email, but at the risk of sounding even more green than i actually am, what do you (or others) suggest if the problem might be a squeaky return spring? should i go out and buy grease to lube it? it is under the truck housed inside of the rubber, accordion-looking mechanism, right?

any info would be much appreciated by this newbie.

thanx,
-steve

No, there is no spring in the boot. If the squeak is coming from this area, it is probably the clutch release fork. If you can get to it by removing the boot, then try applying high-temp grease (like for brakes) on the pivot point and push rod contact point of the fork. If you can reach it, you should also grease the contact point of the fork on the clutch release bearing.

hey brian,
thanks for the timely advice. i'll give it a go this weekend.
i'll post back with the results.

-steve

You're welcome

hey brian,
happy to say that i picked up some high-temp lube, and lubed whatever i could get to (as far as where i thought the squeak was coming from) and it seemed to have worked so far. thanks again,

-steve

hey man is it hard driving that 5speed 4runner, i tried driving a 5speed tundra, HARD!!

hey jmrev,
nahh...i kinda like it!
i came from a 5spd maxima (2001).
beautiful car, and shifted like butter! the 4runner is absolutely heavier, but, it's still smooth!
i drove a friend of mine's wrangler a while back, and THAT was HARD!!! soooo much torque in 1st, and hard to shift!

-steve