Noise when moving... transfer case? - Page 2

slowbubblecar · 01-23-2006

wheel bearings?

s1ngletracker · 01-23-2006

ah, good point... but i'm pretty sure i know wheel bearing noise when i hear it. but thanks for the idea.

**JET** · 01-24-2006

The only other possibility besides the T-case I can think of is the carrier bearing on the driveshaft (which is a big possibility). If it is the T-case, just buy a new one. They can usually be had for ~$100.

s1ngletracker · 01-24-2006

update.... so i realized the noise goes away in 2nd, 4th when i just pull back a little harder on the shifter... and after re-checking shift cable adjustment, it can only be the tranny. I was really scared that maybe it was low on fluid or something. Drained the fluid today, it had plenty, didnt look the best. I took the end cover off to see if the input shaft nut was loose (this was a rebuilt tranny, so i was suspicious). it wasn't loose. put it back together and tomorrow i'll refill it. Hoping new fluid will solve the problem.

I think i've elimiated the transfer case as being the culprit, unless someone still thinks otherwise, but that sure wouldnt explain why the noise goes away when I jiggle with the shifter.

s1ngletracker · 01-25-2006

ok... another update. I drained and refilled the tranny with GM semi synthetic synchromesh.

Went for a test drive. Same noise, same volume.

Any other hints? Again, when i pull back on the shifter the noise almost completely goes away. Based on that I dont think it could be wheel bearings or transfer case. Car drives great, rolls smooth, shifts smooth.

If this is a tranny issue... any idea what would be wrong? Or am i just being paranoid, do AWD DSMS always make a lot of rolling noise?

THanks!

**JET** · 01-26-2006

It sounds like a bad bearing in the tranny, but I haven't heard of one of the bearings on the shafts going bad before. You are probably going to have to tear it down to figure out exactly what it is. It is not as difficult as it first seems.

s1ngletracker · 01-26-2006

B-E-A-utiful. Is it unsafe to drive arounda car with a bad bearing? Man, what luck I have had with dsms.

**JET** · 01-26-2006

One thing would be to make sure that the bolts that hold the cases together is tight. That will loosen up the bearing tolerances. Eventually the tranny may lock up if the bearing seizes, which will obviously be an issue. The longer it runs like that the worse it will get and it may do damage to other parts of the tranny.

s1ngletracker · 01-26-2006

well, i recently took off the end cover to check the shaft bolts, which were tight. It didnt look like the tranny case was loose or coming apart...

Wait, lets step back here. The bearings on the shaft are spinning whether or not the car is in gear right? Because if they are, then it couldnt be that.. because when the car is running, but not moving it doesnt make the noise. I can rev the engine when i'm not moving and it doesnt make the noise.

gah, this makes no sense.

tim · 01-26-2006

Does it sound like something is binding? I have riden in a few DSMs, both 1g and 2g, and it always sounds like something is binding even though everything rolls/shifts fine.

s1ngletracker · 01-26-2006

hrm, whats the sound of something binding?