So I was driving the other day in my old but fuel efficient 1997 Ford Aspire and after exiting the highway I started to hear grinding noises that sounded like it was coming from under my stick shift. This was different from when I would grind the gears on accident when switching gears, this time the sound was coming when I was in gear and moving. When I had the clutch depressed the sound stopped and when I moved back into fifth gear the sound stopped but any other gear it was making a horrible grinding noise. I’m worried about it being the transmission, somebody tell me I’m wrong. Thanks for any help. I’m planning on taking it in soon but thought I would check here first.
You could try draining out the old transmission oil and putting new stuff in. If there are metal shavings present in the old fluid, there’s bad things happening.