New H55F Noise After Install

[atomicshawn]

Pretty sure I’m going to have to pull this thing back out damnit, but interested in opinions on what I’m dealing with exactly before I do.

Aug, 1986 fj60. Replaced 4-speed with new, in the box H55F. New clutch kit. Rebuilt the split case and installed new low range reduction gear set while I had it apart.

I did install the the 5th gear oiler. I also had to replace the original, slot-end shifter with a new ball-end shifter. All parts I got from CO except the shifter which I picked up from the dealer.

Took my time. Everything went together very smoothly. No issues.


On first test drive I noted a buzzing noise and a vibration in the shifter when vehicle is moving, clutch in or out, and transmission in 1st or 2nd gear, or when the shifter is simply pushed to the left, still in the neutral position, between 1st and second. The buzz/vibration can also be heard/felt in 3rd & 4th if you put just the slightest amount of pressure on the shifter to the left. Does not happen in 5th. But I noted shifting into 5th seems subtly resistant or stiff. Test drove 25 - 30 miles. Different speeds. Hoped noise would go away. Ya nope.



I’m not certain, but the noise/vibration sounds/feels like a sleeve slightly moving off center of the hub, and rubbing on the speed gear. Sleeve teeth rubbing gear teeth. If that’s what it is, it would have to be 5th as it is the only gear in which the noise does not occur.

New trans looked good. No damage to packaging. 5th is exposed, so it’s easy to inspect. Didn’t notice anything wrong. Can’t think of how I could have screwed anything up but...

Any ideas are appreciated.

 

[Seth S]

Did you check the oil level?

 

[atomicshawn]

Good question. I filled both cases when I had it on the lift. Between the transmission and transfer case I used almost 2-gallons of SAE 80W-90 GL5 conventional gear oil. Added until oil started spilling out fill hole. I haven’t checked level after test drive.

 

[atomicshawn]

Drove a few miles this morning. Smoother shifting in and out of 5th, feels pretty normal now. Buzz is the same

 

[OSS]

That buzz is definitely not normal and definitely shouldn't exist. There's no way to screw up the install that I can think of that would cause that sound.
If there's something stuck in the groove of a shift fork ring (whatever it's called) it would buzz like that.
Edit — THE HUB SLEEVE

Drop the tranny, remove the top cover and closely examine the hub sleeve while turning the input shaft by hand. Make sure there's no burrs or stuck debris in the hub's groove. Also take a close look at the friction surface of the shift fork. Sliding surfaces should be smooth as glass

 

[atomicshawn]

Thanks for the thought and time you put into this oss. We’re pretty much on the same page. The more I drive it and think about it, the more I’m convinced it’s related to 5th speed gear, hub, and sleeve because, again, I can make the noise to happen consistently 1st through 4th. I cannot get the noise to occur when it’s in 5th. Only in 5th is that sleeve manipulated big time. I don’t think it’s coincidence that the noise won’t happen in 5th. But is the problem with shift assembly on top, or back by the the gear? 5th speed gear assembly is all located in the extension housing (or whatever that’s called) between the transmission main body and transfer case. I was working in that area installing the split case. I can’t think of what I could have done to cause the sleeve to ride too close to the gear. Guess I’m going to have to tear it all back down to see

 

[atomicshawn]

Ok I thought my 5th gear sleeve rubbing hypothesis was a good one, but now I think it’s wrong.

We tried tonight and found we can run it in gear on the lift and can get it to make the noise. Using a pry bar to press back on the external 5th gear shift shaft didn’t change the the buzz even a little bit. So then I went all over the case with a stethoscope and found the noise was most pronounced on the top cover drivers side.

So then we got creative. I popped the shifter out, positioned a screwdriver in place of the shifter to give it that light, lateral pressure to make the noise in 4th, which then gave room to use the stethoscope on some of the internals. Pointing one of the ear pieces toward the mic we were able to record this:





Pretty sure this is what I had the stethoscope on:

It appears the problem is directly related to 1st & 2nd.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Wild. Sorry to hear you're dealing with this on a brand new OE tranmission. That sound is odd and I've never encountered that on a new trans, literally 100+ in the last few years along and not even a sound out of them. Unfortunately I can't think of any options beyond get the top cover off and see if it's something obvious. Toyota has a 1yr warranty on these and we'll absolutely make that happen if it turns out to be something internal. If it's anything that happened within the 5th gear housing during install they likely won't help us out but any other issues and I'm 100% confident we can get it swapped out. Unfortunately, either way it has to come out

 

[atomicshawn]

...That sound is odd and I've never encountered that on a new trans, literally 100+ in the last few years along and not even a sound out of them...

I would be the lucky one.

Pretty convinced now the noise isn’t directly related to 5th. Something’s wrong in the main case.

When I had the unit on the trans jack in the process of mating it to the engine noticed that plastic cap the factory installs to cover the shifter hole had fallen to the ground. Maybe debris fell into the hole during installation? That is the only problem I can think of that I could have caused.

I’m heading out of town for a while, not sure if I can get to this before I go. As soon as I get it torn down I’ll let you know what I find. Thanks Kurt.

 

[davegonz]

I have a similar sound on my H55. I have narrowed it down to the shifter rails under the top cover. I was thinking of removing the cover and and peening the part where the rails are supported to remove any slack. Mine sounds a little different because of the diesel vibrations.

 

[atomicshawn]

I have a similar sound on my H55. I have narrowed it down to the shifter rails under the top cover. I was thinking of removing the cover and and peening the part where the rails are supported to remove any slack. Mine sounds a little different because of the diesel vibrations.

Hey Dave, odd comfort in knowing I’m not alone. How/when did your H55 noise start? Was it a new transmission?

 

[davegonz]

Well, mine is pretty old. It came out of a mine truck that had 4th and 5th gear disabled. I removed the collars on the shift rails that prevented me from going into 4th and 5th gear (yeah, never used 4th/5th gears!). My sound goes away when I engage the clutch pedal or if I put a load on the shifter.