I dont like new noises..

[Ian Turgeon]

Ok, I've got a new noise and wondering if anyone can name that tune.

Keep in mind, truck runs great, drives great, shifts great.

The noise is a sort of grinding clunk

I can think of three situations it makes this noise.

1: tight radius turns at a parking speed (not always)

2: switching into reverse (not always)

3: switching off the motor, right as the engine stops rotating ( just started.. seems every time now)


This has been happening for about 600 miles, with #2 and #3 only starting in the last week. It sounds like a trans problem, but the thing absolutely drives fine and the fluid looks perfect (and its new).

my suspect list (some dont make sense in all cases):

TC bolts
engine mounts
fan clutch?
front driveshaft
loose exhaust
front diff
xfer case
trans internals
motor internals

IF this is an easy one please speak up, Im headed out to the garage and see i f I cant diagnose it...

 

[jimmyz79]

More for your list

Flywheel bolts
Harmonic balancer

 

[Sy229]

Symptom #3 would seem to rule out the stationary driveline components.

I don't have any experience with it, but could it be a crankshaft bearing?

 

[ed hess]

since you now hear it when shutting the motor off ... go out, pop the belt off. spin everyting by hand and find out what it is.

ed

 

[SeattleSy#1255]

I had #1 and #2 but no number three that I can remember or heard.

was output shaft

 

[Ian Turgeon]

since you now hear it when shutting the motor off ... go out, pop the belt off. spin everyting by hand and find out what it is.

ed

I'll try that. Although I have no experience between the valve covers and oil pan, so I'm not too sure I could identify anything if I did hear it (besides the oo-that-not-good-sounds).

I have a list of things I planned on working on already so I mostly started working on that stuff tonight, along with giving everything a visual. I'm considering changing the oil not to see if theres anything on the magnetic drain plug.

I did find an extra bolt sitting on the passanger side exhaut manifold heat shield which could theoretically make some noise. The front diff is leaking a bit, got some oil build up around it, trans crossmember and the transfer case.

I'll check the TC bolts (we did the tc about 2000k miles or so ago) May have to do the shade-tree-mechanic wrench stethiscope too.

Heres hoping its something simple, looks like I'll be driving the crx to work...

 

[myclone]

More for your list

Flywheel bolts
Harmonic balancer

Yeah, check both of those as well as anything that is attached to them like TC bolt(s) rubbing the block, flex plate to crank bolt(s) rubbing or the harmonic damper has poss came apart causing the outer ring to slip backwards rubbing the timing cover.

Do what Ed said too but go one step further and fire the engine up after taking off the serp belt. It wont hurt anything since youre only going to be running the engine for a few seconds or minutes. If the noise is still there with the belt off then youve just ruled out the water pump, PS pump, AC comp, and alt.

 

[Ian Turgeon]

With the harmonic ballancer, I take it I'm just looking to see if its hitting the timing cover? My SYTY ASE Certification hasn't covered some of this stuff yet.. I. guess its time.

 

[myclone]

With the harmonic ballancer, I take it I'm just looking to see if its hitting the timing cover? My SYTY ASE Certification hasn't covered some of this stuff yet.. I. guess its time.

Keep in mind Ive never seen it occur on a 87-up engine but Ive seen the outer ring come loose and move back against the timing cover on older small blocks (seen it twice to be exact).

What youre looking for is the outter ring that the timing marks are on to have moved rearward against the timing chain cover which can make a "grinding" type noise as the engine spins. BW, it might take jacking the truck up and looking from underneath since there isnt a lot of room to see it from up top on later engines with the serp belt set up.

The damper being the issue is prolly not the case but I wouldnt rule it out without looking either since it doesnt involve a lot of work to make sure its ok.

 

[Ian Turgeon]

She's in the garage with her feet in the air, so it shouldnt be a problem to check out. I don't know if I'll get any time on the garage floor today, but should be able to get back under her tomorrow at the latest. -my wife should be jeleous.

 

[Ian Turgeon]

Spent some time back under the truck tonight. The balancer looks normal, so I think thats been ruled out.

Thanks to the Gilbert shaft, removing the tc inspection cover was easy. All three tc/flexplate bolts were not tight. So I removed each, added locktite and re-installed as tight as I could get them.

So, I'm pretty sure that was causing noise, but I wont find out for sure if its the solution till I get the truck back together.

My turbo oil return line looks pretty good, that thing is kinda bitch to install. The fitting is about the hardest thing to get to, and I need to pick up some wrenches to get the job finished. (as usualy $70 mod needs $80 in new tools)

 

[Ian Turgeon]

I got the truck back together and went for a test drive. Its happy now! I'm so glad to know this awefull noise was a couple of loos bolts.

I needed a wrench I didnt have to finish the turbo oil drain line, so I picked up a long-nosed adjustable wrench, worked better then anything esle I coulda fit in there surprisingly..

another $50 in tools at sears today... arg. However I did get a set of thier wratcheting wrenches on clearance. 7pc set for 34 bucks, the 8 piece sitting next to em were 79 bucks.

So, tons of money spent on the oil drain line, but fortunately none needed to fix the abismal sound the truck was making.

 

[Ian Turgeon]

I would try to fix that spelling but I dont want the tread to dissapear with all the problems weve been having. Figures I'd misspell loose.