Strange grinding noise... (long, sorry)

[Awolff]

Hey, I drive a manual-transmission 97 pick-up XE w/ 52,000 miles, which I bought second-hand w/ 26,000 miles. A strange, not too loud grinding noise that sounds as if it is coming from behind the center stack or just under the gearshift occurs is in several situations:

1. Everytime ignition switch is turned off grinding noise can be heard for about 1 second after the engine is shut off.

2. Changing gears, as the clutch is depressed and the shifter is moving.

3. When the car is moving either in or out of gear and the gas pedal is depressed at low rpm's (up to about 2300).

4. When the engine is cold and the car is stopped and in nuetral and the gas pedal is depressed at low rpms-- goes away after the car is warm.

In all cases it is the same grinding noise-- at first I thought it might be the timing chain because it occurs at low rpms, but I don't think it is since it also occurs after the engine has stopped. The sound also seems louder in the cold (cold for FL anyway 40 degrees). Since I bought the truck the sound has always occured when the ignition is switched off, but seems to be occuring more during driving. Could it be the ignition switch itself? The truck has not had any transmission or engine work done to my knowledge-- all oil changes have been done by me every 5000 miles and belts are properly tensioned.

A Second Rattle

The truck also has a steering wheel that is off-center and rattles at idle unless you put your hand at the top of the wheel and push. Could this be the steering damper?

Finally

It is sometimes very difficult to get into 1st gear. Occurs mostly when the truck is cold-- I changed transmission fluid but it didn't go away. When I first got the truck I had a hell of a time getting the original shift-knob (melting in FL sun) off and I think I may have bent the shift fork-- just including this on the off chance it has some relevance to the grinding noise.

TIA for any help or suggestions.

[drjohn]

The noise sounds as if it could be a couple of things!! Start the engine up cold ,let the clutch out in neutral and does it make the noise? If so this could be a bearing in the trans, and if it goes away when the clutch is depressed than it's a bearing in the trans. If the noise happens when pushing the clutch in it could be a release bearing or pilot bushing noise.