2001 lx470 tranny noise?

[samwise]

Help please!
I have a 2001 Lx470, about 110k on it. No problems with it, regular maintenance, some towing with a small utility trailer a few times year, I don't believe any prior towing with the PO, otherwise my wife hauls the 4 kids around in it. Until last week, then we towed about 4500lbs of boat from Eastern to Western Washington. No problems, did fine other than crappy gas mileage.
Just when were almost home, like 2 blocks, hear a kind of faint humming/whirring not really grinding sound at lower speeds, 30ish mph.
I have test driven around and I am scared.
It seems to occur when it shifts to 3rd, nothing any other time. It only happens around 30mph and if under load, nothing at higher/lower speeds, and will go away completely if i put OD off.
Tranny Fluid is fine, it shifts fine, normal power, nothing at highway speeds, smooth shifts.

Given its only under power, goes away with OD off, and only at certain times makes me think its tranny related? Is it worth messing around with wheel bearings, trouble shooting, etc or should I just take to a reputable tranny shop and have them dive in?

I am not comfortable pulling it myself, and with 4 kids and work don't have the time. I don't want to spend 4-5 grand on a reman unit either, if a shop can rebuild the one I have.
Since I still have power it makes me think it would be able to be repaired?
For now we are driving around with OD off. I would like to get this fixed asap, as with all the car seats this is only car we can all fit in.

Oh, manufacture date is 10/2000, I never realized that until now, I always thought it was built in 2001. I specifically looked for a non 2000 100 for the reason of the tranny problems. I know its like 95% chance it won't happen, but this certainly sounds like it might be one of them.
Thoughts on this? Would you mudders consider a good shop doing a repair/rebuild vs a reman?

Thank you!!!

 

[samwise]

Update,

Took to local tranny/mechanic shop, (good reviews online, real ASE, etc) they think its the fan clutch, as its a little loose.
Quoted me $250 for parts and 2 hours labor, plus the hour they already did, Im looking at $650 with tax. Thats seems really high, and they nor I am convinced thats it. I think I can do it myself, its the whole time factor thing though.

Does that even make sense that it could be fan clutch?

No cooling problems, granted its winter, but never over the summer. I dont have it right now to look at for myself.
Please help, need to get this wrapped up. Thank you!

 

[re_guderian]

Grab the fan and see if it's indeed "loose". Fan clutch issues should be RPM (and temp) related, not necessarily MPH related. Can you record the sound? Have you greased your driveshafts/u-joints lately? Just thinking that the "under load" might be affected by shafts/joints. I'd hesitate to throw $ at it, unless you have $650 burning a hole in your pocket, especially if your shop isn't "convinced" that it's it. I'm a little confused by the "OD off" part. So it does it in 4th, but when you push the button and it downshifts to 3rd, it goes away?

 

[samwise]

Guderian, thanks for the reply! I appreciate it! The truck is in the shop now, and I am going to pick it up tomorrow, will check the fan. everything was just greased up so that should be good to go. I think I will take it back play with it, they dont think it has anything to do with the tranny and that is my biggest fear. I figure I can buy a fan clutch and replace it a whole lot cheaper than having them do it.
The noise comes when I believe it shifts in 3 rd, or at least its the 3rd shift, usually around 30-35mph, and usually only under load, occas with acceleration at that speed too though. If I take OD off, it will down shift and go away. With the OD off, I cant make it do it, tried like 10 times, through varying acceleration and speeds etc. It wont do it in neutral with throttle either.

Thanks again for any help!

 

[samwise]

Update.
I picked up from shop as I didn't want to pay them to do the fan clutch and they still didn't know what causes the noise.
BUT
I was almost home of course, and thought to try put the transfer case in Low and see what happens. So nothing in 1st or 2nd shift but at 3 shift (10mphish) the sound was very loud and obvious, I put it back in high and all normal again. It smelled kind of hot/burning when I got home, so I am going to check the fluid level in the transfer case (didn't before).

But if the fluids normal, what could this be??? NOT good I gather.

Help please! The good shops are 30 min away and with 4 little kids its a pain!

Thank you!

 

[samwise]

Ok, fluids fine.
I jacked it up, got the wheels off the ground, well the front wheels, and disconnected the rear drive shaft. Put the transfer in Low and no bad noises, sounds fine. I ran it up 2k rpms, but nothing, I guess it has to be under load to get it to make the noise.

I called the shop they wouldn't give me any ideas, just said to bring it back in.

Thoughts?

How hard it is to pull the transfer case?

Thanks!!

 

[samwise]

Anybody with any ideas?
When I put it in low range, definitely loud in transfer case, but not until after the 3rd shift. A rattling/kinda of grinding sound. Not subtle at all that way. Still does when in Drive and High, after 3rd shift as well but then is much quieter, still goes away if take OD off.
Is it hard to pull the transfer case? I am trying to think how to save money, I don't mind pulling it if its not hard, then taking it in somewhere, but don't want to do that if its something else.
Any help would be great please.

 

[INTP]

I just had the output bearing replaced on the transfer case of my 100 series. It would make noise above 35mph. I thought it was universal joints at first, but my tech was able to confirm it had play and used a heat gun to detect that it was hotter. I think I might have caused the problem by over greasing the drive shaft slip joint.

 

[samwise]

Bad news, a lot of metal in pan. Looking around at reman vs rebuild. Its at the shop right now, quoted 1900$ for labor to rebuild, plus parts. Depending on parts might just go reman.
Local dealer said 4k plus tax installed reman.
I guess add another one the list, wish it wasnt me, moneys tight right now.


Info:
2001 lx470 115k manufacture date 10/00. Not sure what else is needed for the stats you guys have going on here.

 

[echoack]

I've been working with a Toyota dealer this week to get a reman trans installed under warranty. FWIW it is OEM Toyota and they said the trans itself costs them $2950 which is lower than they've seen in the past. Apparently other reman trans companies were charging more than that this week. Hope that info can help if you try to negotiate price.

 

[samwise]

Update,

Shop said several parts were broken, I was on cell at work, so dont remember specifics, but they quoted me $4300 including tax for a rebuilt transmission, 3 year unlimited mileage warranty.
I can get a reman transmission from rock auto for $2100 after core exchange, the shop would charge about the same total to buy that and install one, but if anything goes wrong I have to pay them to take it out and send back to manufacturer.

Local toyota dealer quoted me $2673 for a reman if I were to purchase just the transmission.

I am screwed either way it appears, bad timing for us financially, although for most of us $4 grand unexpected is never good timing.
How hard is it to install a transmission? Not something I think I am up for, but money is so tight right now.

Any advice would be really great.

 

[Sandroad]

It is major work to remove/install a transmission, especially working alone and on the floor. Your description of time available, tools available, and experience indicate it might be best to have someone else do it and for you to live to fight another day. And, By the time you get any needed tools and arrange other transportation while you did it, there may not be much cost savings? Get a reman because rebuilding one takes a good mechanic and they are rare.