Dear Tom and Ray:

The engine on my '93 Toyota Celica sounds as if it is full of tree frogs. This sound seems to go away when I push in the clutch. My mechanic said my throttle bearings are going bad. When I asked him what the consequences might be, he said my engine might "seize up." However, he said it wasn't bad enough to replace the bearings yet. My car has only 40,000 miles on it, but lots of city driving. Can you tell me about throttle bearings and when I'll know when I have to replace them? -- JoAnne

Tom: I've never heard of throttle bearings. But I'm going to write that down and try it out on a few customers next week. It's obviously working for this guy!

Ray: He may have said (or meant) "throw out bearing," which is a crucial part of the clutch. But that wouldn't be right either, because a bad throw out bearing would START making noise when you pushed in the clutch. You say the noise GOES AWAY when you push in the clutch pedal.

Tom: And in any case, a bad throw out bearing wouldn't cause your engine to seize.

Ray: Unfortunately, when pushing in the clutch causes a noise to stop, that indicates that the problem is inside the transmission (pushing in the clutch stops the transmission gears from spinning). So that may be where your problem lies. It's very unusual, however, on a Celica with only 40,000 miles. So this is a case where a second opinion is definitely called for.

Tom: And the dealer is the right place to go. When you have an unusual problem, the dealer has an advantage over other mechanics, because he sees a lot of these specific cars and may recognize the problem right away, without a lot of exploratory (i.e. costly) work.

Ray: So take it to the dealer. Who knows, Joanne, Toyota might even feel guilty about this and pay for part of the repair (if you yell enough). Good luck.

Which is cheaper, buying or leasing? Should you keep a car forever or dump it after three years, before trouble starts? Find out in Tom and Ray's pamphlet "Should I Buy, Lease, or Steal My Next Car?" To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1999 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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