Transmission swapped: noise still the same

[manesfesto]

I am seriously at a loss here. What I thought was noises coming from my automatic transmission, are clearly not.

Backstory. I have a 2001 SAS 4runner with an auto transmission. I was getting whining noises coming from what I thought was the transmission. They had slowly but surely gotten worse over time. So, I dropped the pan and found TONS of metal shavings in the pan. I flushed it and then took it to a transmission shop a week or so later. They drove the vehicle and said the transmission was probably going to grenade. He said it was possible it was the O/D gear and or the torque converter. I took that to heart and sourced a used A340F transmission.

I swapped in the lightly used one this past weekend and finally was able to take it out for a spin. THE NOISES DIDNT CHANGE ONE BIT

I am at a loss completely. The noise sounds very similar to tire whine. High pitched whine that ONLY happens when on the throttle. It doesn't rise or fall in pitch, stays the same once I get about about 10-15mph. I can literally bleep the throttle and hear it blip with the rpm ranges. I haven't been able to get a good video of the whine. It also happens on deceleration. So if I exit the highway and come up to a red light I can hear the whine falling along with my rpms, until right before I get to a stop it kinda whines then rattles slightly then goes away.

I am thinking it could be a bearing of some sorts. I am just very unsure where and how to get to figuring out the source of this noise. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[amalik]

You have a whining noise and didn't try to look at greasing up the driveshafts or investigate potential areas first? I've never heard of someone being so aggressive in terms of going out and just swapping out a tranny. But, don't feel too bad, it seems your old tranny was bad from metal shavings or whatever anyway.

 

[manesfesto]

You have a whining noise and didn't try to look at greasing up the driveshafts or investigate potential areas first? I've never heard of someone being so aggressive in terms of going out and just swapping out a tranny. But, don't feel too bad, it seems your old tranny was bad from metal shavings or whatever anyway.

I spent endless hours checking and double checking all of my rotating parts. I m not a complete idiot. I pulled the transmission pan and it looked like a grenade had gone off, so naturally you fix the problem you find.

Im thankful you chimed in to offer nothing helpful. appreciate it.

 

[kball]

Wow, that sucks. Only happens on throttle, I would think it must be the front or rear diff? I think I'd check the fluid in them next. IF you have any money left maybe this would help.

https://www.amazon.com/STEELMAN-97202-Wireless-ChassisEAR-Diagnostic/dp/B00123J79O

 

[manesfesto]

Wow, that sucks. Only happens on throttle, I would think it must be the front or rear diff? I think I'd check the fluid in them next. IF you have any money left maybe this would help.

https://www.amazon.com/STEELMAN-97202-Wireless-ChassisEAR-Diagnostic/dp/B00123J79O

I am going to go back and re grease the crap out of anything driveline with a bearing or slip in it. Top off all my diffs until they can't take anymore and go from there.

 

[alumarine]

Maybe remove your rear driveshaft, drive it in 4wd and see if the noise goes away.

 

[wcjeep]

I spent endless hours checking and double checking all of my rotating parts. I m not a complete idiot. I pulled the transmission pan and it looked like a grenade had gone off, so naturally you fix the problem you find.

Im thankful you chimed in to offer nothing helpful. appreciate it.

Flir infrared heat camera or heat infrared gun is very useful. Anything creating noise is probably creating heat. The infrared heat gun can be found on sale for $25. Flir attachment for smartphones not so cheap.


Buy some cheap FRS radios for kids. Tape or zip tie it to always transmit. Then start attaching to various areas of the under carriage. Keep moving to zero in on the sound. Use cheap FRS Incase it's damaged during testing.

 

[amalik]

I spent endless hours checking and double checking all of my rotating parts. I m not a complete idiot. I pulled the transmission pan and it looked like a grenade had gone off, so naturally you fix the problem you find.

Im thankful you chimed in to offer nothing helpful. appreciate it.

I mentioned the word driveshaft

btw, obviously you are no idiot. It's not like swapping a tranny is an oil change.

 

[mmendelscfi]

I agree with Kball. I would check the differentials. Probably starting with the rear.

I have the same whine. Only when on throttle.

I did have to replace my rear diff cover with the one from Barnes 4WD. And just picked up a parts car to do a 3rd member swap.

 

[St Runner]

If you had metal in your transmission then that transmission was toast. Had to go sooner or later. Its very possible that you had another problem and the whine was from something else. That it led you to replace the transmission is a good thing. Did you put a new transfer case in? As suggested, removing the rear driveshaft and driving it as well as the front might lead you in the right direction

 

[amalik]

Actually, I do have something useful to say.

I had a wicked whine noise after I got my bearings in the rear differential replaced (Had a bad pinion bearing once and it kept blowing out the seal, thus fluid kept going everywhere no matter how many new seals I had put in).

The 'backlash' on the pinion bearing was not adjusted properly and it whined real loud. After adjusted, no whine.

Point is -- the issue is probably the bearings in your rear diff.

 

[manesfesto]

Yeah I am going to pull driveshafts tomorrow and see if I can isolate it to front or rear. I am airing on the side of it being a pinion bearing.


My concern as I think about the pinion bearing is this though, wouldn't it be making noise constantly, not just under load? Isn't the bearing spinning at all times while moving. I guess I am just trying t wrap my head around it.

Helping my buddy put tons under his jeep right now so I do have access to tooling to replace and set backlash and such. not gonna be fun. :wow2:

 

[Dropzone]

At 20,000 miles or so on my 97 Tacoma 5 speed 2.7 I thought the throw out bearing was going out. Took it in to Toyota to have them check it out (warranty) They had the truck for 6 weeks, 3 loaner cars and rebuilt the transmission 2x's. Got it back and still had the same noise.

Anyway:
How many miles on the trans you swapped in?
Who set up your front axle? If a used D/S drop D44 look at the pinion. But sounds like you are on that track

 

[manesfesto]

At 20,000 miles or so on my 97 Tacoma 5 speed 2.7 I thought the throw out bearing was going out. Took it in to Toyota to have them check it out (warranty) They had the truck for 6 weeks, 3 loaner cars and rebuilt the transmission 2x's. Got it back and still had the same noise.

Anyway:
How many miles on the trans you swapped in?
Who set up your front axle? If a used D/S drop D44 look at the pinion. But sounds like you are on that track

Trans has just over 100k on it. Came out of a stock vehicle. Feels perfect. Fluid and pan was clean.

Previous owner has the entire thing built. It was totally taken down and has all chromo inners and yukon joints and such. I am going to dig into my axles tomorrow and see if I can't find the culprit.

Thanks everyone for your insight. cheers

 

[mckennar]

I didn't see it above, but did you change your torque converter out? Assuming yes.

 

[manesfesto]

I didn't see it above, but did you change your torque converter out? Assuming yes.

Yeah, the new trans came with one.

 

[Doc2012]

Did you use YOUR t-case or a "new" t-case?


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[manesfesto]

Did you use YOUR t-case or a "new" t-case?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

New transmission was complete with transfer case. I didn't re use anything but a few bolts.

 

[mckennar]

I'm following this with interest because I too have the same noise you're hearing. On throttle it hums, off throttle it sounds like bearing noise. Starts around 15 - 20 mph, rises and falls with RPM. Example, if I'm decelerating on the highway and I hit the O/D cancel button, along with the engine RPM, the pitch of the sound increases.

I've replaced the transfer case and rear end (and tires) and it sounds exactly the same.

No shavings in the trans pan though. Shifts smooth as butter.

 

[manesfesto]

I'm following this with interest because I too have the same noise you're hearing. On throttle it hums, off throttle it sounds like bearing noise. Starts around 15 - 20 mph, rises and falls with RPM. Example, if I'm decelerating on the highway and I hit the O/D cancel button, along with the engine RPM, the pitch of the sound increases.

I've replaced the transfer case and rear end (and tires) and it sounds exactly the same.

No shavings in the trans pan though. Shifts smooth as butter.

I have been driving it around town to try and hear the noise better myself. Few things.

1. It happens at ANY speed. When I really listen I can hear it as soon as i take off in any gear at any speed.

2. It rises and falls with my RPM but ONLY on throttle.

3. I can be on the throttle super super lightly and almost make it go away.

I am mostly convinced its a pinion bearing going back, in what I assume is the rear toyota axle. The front D44 was completely rebuild from the housing up with everything less than 20k ago. I assume these 5.29 gears prob put some strain on the rear pinion bearing and its just slowly wearing down. I am going to pull driveshafts this weekend and isolate it to either the front or rear.