Tranny Noise (1 Viewer)

[Iron_Pig]

I finally got the '78 FJ40 on the road! I drove it home from the shop yesterday after the Flowmaster muffler was installed. The 4 speed tranny has quite a loud whine to it. My brother said it didn't make any noise when he parked it 2 years ago.The local shop wrench seems to think it just has some surface rust in the tranny from sitting and it may work itself out. Tranny fluid checks fine. Is there any additive that may help me out or just keep driving it and see...Maybe change gear lube?
This was it's first road trip of approximately 5 miles.

 

[Pin_Head]

If it whines in 4th, it is more likely to be the transfer case.

 

[Poser]

Change the gear oil, and note what comes off the drain plug. Then take it on a longer run, and see what happens, unless you find chunks of metal on the magnet, of course.

Did anyone, at anytime, have these gear boxes opened up?

Is it acctually 80-90 in the trans? How about the t-case? How is the oil on that one?(condition/level)

Does it make this same noise in all the gears, or only at speed, and how fast are you going when it starts?

 

[dd113]

You can try an additive such as Lucas to try and quiet it down a bit. Usually 4spds dont whine much they have difficulty going into gear when they go bad. If the sound is always there but gets worse with speed between gears I would bet on the TC as the issue.

 

[TJDIV]

Since I just went through a 6 month nightmare of Adapter Kits and Tranny changes...for God's sake, check your transfer case. Nothing will chap your ass more than putting in a new or converting your transmission than to find out all you would've had to do was swap the transfer case. It's really easy to look inside and see how the gears look. The whining noise is more typical of the gears in the transfer case than I have found it to be in any manual transmission.

Just my piss-poor transfer case experiences in type.

 

[Iron_Pig]

I just took it for a test drive to further diagnose this issue.The noise is noticable in 3rd gear but isn't a nuisance until 4th and of course, the faster I go the louder it gets.
I'll check my transfer case fluid tomorrow. The drain hole is obvious,is the fill plug the bolt to the left of the case?...sorta close to the botttom (4-6"). Just glancing under the driver-side,I'm guessing that's it. Know what I'm doin' tomorrow

 

[Poser]

It is on the back of the t-case, drivers side. Should take a 17mm socket or wrench.


-Steve

 

[IDave]

Pin_head once pointed out to me that the most common source is the transfer idler gear shaft (worn). I have since replaced mine (I have a 3 speed) and it helped a lot, maybe reducing the noise by 50%, but I have ended up replacing a lot of gears and bearings to progress beyond that. Part of the problem is the straight toothed gears. I know you have a 4 speed, but I would be surprised if the tranny-transfer was ever really what you would call "quiet". Unless your brother left his hearing aides at home when he drove it. Maybe I am just dead wrong here, but there seem to be lots of factors mitigating against a stealthy '40.

 

[TJDIV]

When you pull your transfer case plug and liquid silver comes out....

you found the problem.

 

[Pin_Head]

[quote author=TJDIV link=board=1;threadid=6980;start=msg57681#msg57681 date=1067658106]
When you pull your transfer case plug and liquid silver comes out....

you found the problem.
[/quote]

Yeah, and all those little chunks of metal on the drain plug magnet are pretty good indicators of the problem.

 

[60wag]

I had an 82FJ60 with a nasty tranny/transfer whine. I took it to several shops and they wouldn't/couldn't narrow down the source of the problem. I finally took apart the transfer - under the truck with the tranny still in place. The two tapered bearings that support the ouput shaft were trashed. Two new bearing for about $30 a piece and the whine was gone. I'd rec a full tcase rebuild kit if you're going to tear into the tcase. HTH

 

[fjcruiser]

I recently went through this same thing. I had an loud howl that was worst at around 40 mph, especially while maintaining speed. The noise went away when I let off the gas and decreased when stepping on it. Swapped the tcase and noise remained. Problem ended up being the rearend.
Swapped out the 3rd member and all noise went away.
Not to say this will correct your problem, but another option to consider.

 

[Degnol]

When things sit for a while, all the gearlube does drain off the part of the gears that is not submerged, and especially in North Florida, I'd suspect that rust may be a factor. I wouldn't be in too big a hurry to replace anything yet. Mine had a similar history and really screamed in 1st when decellerating, even with the clutch disengaged(3 spd). I cut up some of those heavy waffley floormats and that seemed to help, but driving it for 5K mi has helped more. The more I drive it the less it whines, unlike the WIFE.
So, you like the Flowmaster? On the cheap, I bought the generic version of the "Turbo" muff and I really like the sound.On startup, waaay choked, it sounds like a radial airplane engine.
Ed Long

 

[HI^C]

lucas additive is not imho worth it, it introduces air into the lube and does not retain the lubes full ability to protect.

The three speed case does make huge amount of noise versus the four speed.

Tranfercase is easy to rebuild, and bearings $$ are not to bad. check it all out, tear in down check for idler play.

could do a no load test of the trans and transfer to see if it is either and not one or the other? might help.

 

[IDave]

[quote author=HI^C link=board=1;threadid=6980;start=msg58154#msg58154 date=1067804365]
lucas additive is not imho worth it, it introduces air into the lube and does not retain the lubes full ability to protect.

The three speed case does make huge amount of noise versus the four speed.

.....
[/quote]

I agree about the Lucas: all it did for me was make it hard to tell when things got dirty.

I don't know why the 3 speed in 3rd should be louder than the 4 speed in 4th. Can you explain that to me? I haven't compared them side-by-side, but I've read this elsewhere, and I guess I just don't understand the subtle differences that would account for the noise reduction.

Hey Ed, so your wife whines, too?

 

[Iron_Pig]

Degnol,I like the Flowmaster.This is the second truck I've put one on. I don't like loud pipes. The Flowmaster gives me a throaty rumble and good performance.

 

[Degnol]

IDave...I think it is oem Standard Equipment, so she's not out of line. Pretty good gal, IMHO...she puts up with me and on occasion goes for a spin in the LC. I put a Flowmaster on her mouth though, no whine, just a nice rumble.
"She ain't no ravin' beauty, an' she doesn't have long black hair...but she's a stone cool mud kicker...and her mug is fair"
Can't remember where I heard that...but then I can't foget it either!
I've got a 'Burb and a Yukon and the guy who put on my KO Flowmaster said not to go that route in either of those rigs because of the resonance in the cab, ie, assend. Like that makes a difference in the LC!!!
The sound on the FJ gives me a woody. There, I've said it, guess that puts the hurt on my run for the Senate...Oh well.
Thanks,
Ed