[Greenrose]

Okay y’all little background, 04 cc,25k miles, dbw & ecu, Tubis. It winter time and the car is parked in the garage, been there since thanksgiving. Go out to start it, move it around the drive and then park it every week or so. This past week, we had a bit of warm weather, so I took it around the block a few miles, I live in rural Oregon. It was fully warmed up, drove a few miles non sport mode light shifting, then at the half way point threw it into sport and opened it up a bit. Only had a small mile stretch or so that I got into 5th, and from the short time in that gear there was a whine coming from what seemed like the rear end. It would get louder with acceleration and disappear when you let off. Nothing felt restricted, just noisy, didn’t like the noise so I didn’t explore it much. Only noticed it in 5th. One thing to note that might be related, on some starts when I don’t move it around, if it’s sitting for a prolonged time warming up the clutch can get chatter to it, goes away with a little gas, and it’s done that since I’ve owned it march of 2021. It’s garaged for the next 2 months at least. Other threads mention replacing the whole gear box, but that was people still u see warranty and using the dealership as SMEs. Just seeing if anyone’s had experience with this issue? Thanks

 

[[email protected] Enzo`s Atlanta]

The sounds like an issue within the gearbox itself if it makes noise on acceleration and goes away when you lift off..You can try changing the gearbox oil, but I doubt that will do much..I would probably try to live with it at this point..Jason

 

[Greenrose]

Roger thanks for the input, would be my luck, spent a year looking for a one owner low mile very well service history documented car and got one with a shotty gear box, but i love this car so im not giving up. Gonna take it slow for now, might hit 60 this weekend so i might take it out again to explore the noise some more. Never took it to 6th gear and everything else feels fine. From your opinion will it be safe to drive, meaning its more of a harmonic noise from the gear box vs a potential catastrophic lockup of the rear end or something? I drive on some steep mountain roads, would be a nasty fall, and im sure this is a biased question since no one has actually looked at the car, just looking for more general rule of thumb with noises like that. Making an appoinment now to get her onto a lift, but they're 6 weeks out (rural living, only indi for 5 hours either way) again thanks jason and i'll keep this updated in case anyone else runs into this issue, looks like its been over a decade since anyone brought this up.

 

[damichi]

The sound you are describing sounds like the mesh between a set of gears is off inside the gearbox. The amount of force on the gearbox shafts changes with throttle and if a bearing is worn it may push the shaft away making or stopping noises.

My money however is on the torque tube and related problems. That would be the case of your problem exists in every gear.

Best step forward I think is to locate the problem a bit better.

Cheers,
Michael

 

[RJ237]

I think Jason nailed it.

 

[Greenrose]

Okay had her out for a bit today. Rode windows up, radio and fan off (hvac is loud in this car) and explored a bit. Comes on heavy between 3-4k rpm’s in 5th gear, only took it to 5k and it seemed to dissipate quite a bit, but not completely. Before getting to 5th and replicating the sound, I didn’t seem to notice anything in any other gear. But after getting into 5th I feel like I was able to hear the slightest hum that resembled an alternator whine through speakers in 2nd and 3rd. Now thinking back to my time in the car over the last 2 years of ownership, I feel like I’ve heard that low alternator whine the whole time I’ve had it. I think I just assumed it was the alternator coming through the speakers since these whines seem to be coming from somewhere mid to the back of the car. (Plus these other gears are so faint you have to be looking for the noise to hear it over the exhaust) Probably the last time I take her out till I get her on the lift in over a month. Wondering if this points more to the torque tube, mileage lines up with a lot of older posts of people getting them changed out. Thanks for the suggestions so far, will post more once I get her up on the lift.

 

[Greenrose]

Was able to get her in and get her looked at by the Indy shop in southern Oregon. Seems the sound was in fact coming from the transmission. Got the call at COB on Friday night, told em to give me the weekend to decide if I wanted to try anything. Going through the service record history I received with the car there’s a receipt for gear box oil from oct 17th and Nov 5th, 2018 but no records of it being replaced by a shop. Kind of sketchy now that I’m looking at it. Also fuel pump and accessories in aug of 18. None of them with accompanying garage paperwork. In mar of 21 the dealership I bought it through, foreign cars Italia charlotte, has a documented pre owned inspection and had to refill the f1 pump.
I guess my two cheapest options are a drain and refill, check the fluid coming out for anything out the ordinary but more so just to make sure we know it’s filled properly if by chance it was done in 18’ as a DIY job done wrong? Or a full transmission service with filter replacement? And just keep it out of 5th where the noise is really only noticeable… any more thoughts after knowing the service history or just change it out and ride it till a nice trans comes up for sale somewhere?

 

[Greenrose]

Well Jason I got the fluid changed, the tech doesn't believe whoever purchased the trans oil ever ended up doing the job, oil was a bit dark for only being 4-5 years old and 5k miles supposedly put on it and had some real minor shavings stuck to the plug. Picking her up in the morning, the tech said he thinks its almost non existent now, $280 fluid change hopefully bought me some more time with my girl. Thanks for the original input.

 

[GP79]

Well Jason I got the fluid changed, the tech doesn't believe whoever purchased the trans oil ever ended up doing the job, oil was a bit dark for only being 4-5 years old and 5k miles supposedly put on it and had some real minor shavings stuck to the plug. Picking her up in the morning, the tech said he thinks its almost non existent now, $280 fluid change hopefully bought me some more time with my girl. Thanks for the original input.

Good news, did the tech clean the filter as well?

 

[lz33w7]

I’m joking when I say this but sounds like your car is way too quiet 😀👍…with my decats, x-pipe and Tubi exhaust I can’t hear a damn thing…lol.

Kindly,
Stephen

 

[DLax69]

I’m joking when I say this but sounds like your car is way too quiet 😀👍…with my decats, x-pipe and Tubi exhaust I can’t hear a damn thing…lol.

Kindly,
Stephen

That is called "correct," not "loud"...

 

[PD Quick]

I’m joking when I say this but sounds like your car is way too quiet 😀👍…with my decats, x-pipe and Tubi exhaust I can’t hear a damn thing…lol.

Kindly,
Stephen

In particular the miss's whine-ing

 

[Greenrose]

So all seemed well, when I picked her up it was 30ish degrees out. It was the harshest it ever took off, just chalked it up to not warming it up and I never really drove in that type of weather without the garage being heated. Smoothed out for the 7-8 mile ride home. Sounds ehh not much better, but really only noticeable with the windows up and the heater off. Well took her out for a spin today before the big game, about 10 miles into the ride the "LEVEL" light popped on. Did a quick search on here and seems to be the F1 fluid not the transmission level. I've never been under the car to do any DIY stuff hence having her in for a trans fluid change. Now is it possible that there is something the tech could have done? Are either systems even close to each other as far as drains go?

@GP79 was told that there is no filter or screen on mine... which is why they only gave me the option to do a fluid change and not a filter/screen change. Anyone know if this is true, I'm beginning to loose faith in this shop, and its my only option for hours. They said they got the info from the mas dealer in Portland when they were waiting for a price quote. Any and all help is greatly appreciated. Im a full time pre med student, work two jobs and own a farm. My time is spread so thin and I just want make sure I'm taking care of this car the best I can. Thanks ya'll!

 

[DLax69]

 

[[email protected] Enzo`s Atlanta]

Ok, the gearbox whine is one issue...I would live with that based on your current status...The level light is another issue and the more important...That is two totally different systems as odd as that sounds...You'll need to get that addressed ASAP as the car isn't going very far when the fluid gets low.. It will need to be inspected for leaks etc..Jason

 

[Greenrose]

Thanks Jason, I do have a receipt from the foreign cars of charlotte that I bought it from, march 2021 they did a f1 fluid change and fill. Had the ppi done in late April, so that must have been overlooked being a small leak or something. The shop it was just in assured me they saw no leaks on anything else while diagnosing the trans whine. Sucks they’re my only option, wish I had a lift and an afternoon off.

 

[[email protected] Enzo`s Atlanta]

Ok, I know everyone wants to blame the car shop, but the car is a 2004...If a shop is responsible for every part on every car they work on then that wouldn't be much of a business...Shit just breaks...Especially on a 2004 in 2023...Just saying..Jason

 

[DLax69]

Ok, I know everyone wants to blame the car shop, but the car is a 2004...If a shop is responsible for every part on every car they work on then that wouldn't be much of a business...Shit just breaks...Especially on a 2004 in 2023...Just saying..Jason

...just agreeing that it's always nice to have a lift and an afternoon off!

 

[Greenrose]

Im more upset that the dealer I bought it from seemed to hide the issue for my ppi, and then this shop just looked over everything they said and didn’t see any signs of any leaks from any system. So either the leak is so small and unnoticeable or they didn’t due a great job looking even though I paid them too. It’s nice to have options, I feel the same way about doctors, and im going to school to be one. There’s multiple techs working at this shop so who knows if the most experienced or least experienced guy worked on it, just wish I had options is all I’m saying.

 

[GP79]

Yes 2 completely different issues and now different filters being mentioned.

the gearbox in a 4200 / Gransport has a filter on the RHS, regardless of manual or paddle shift.
Only needs cleaning and put back not replaced.

The F1 system is a completely separate hydraulic circuit, with a small reservoir and the low level will give a warning light in the dash. There is the filter there (shown in post 14) as well but on a clean hydraulic circuit is not usual maintenance to clean /disturb.