Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Help! Driveline noise, I am out of ideas!

[KBalzuweit]

I have a noise that is kind of a wallowing. Empty its not that bad, but towing its bad. Its only there when your in the throttle at lets say 59 mph and up, atleast thats when i can really hear it. I have replaced the trans, went back and on Friday replaced the clutch, pressure plate, throwout, and pilot bearing. Rear end is full and had nothing on the magnetic drain plug, trans is full. U joints seem good. Any ideas??? TIA

 

[aarlucas]

Could be an axle bearing going bad. Or should I say one of the rear wheel bearings! Could also be the pinion bearing or the ring and pinion gears. I'm thinking it is more than likely in the rearend area and the sound is transmitting forward which makes you think it is in the transmission area.

 

[McCRam]

aarlucas is on the right track I think. My guess is the pinion bearing. Although I've heard the carrier bearings are the weak link in the D80

 

[JJ Jackson]

It might be the driveline carrier bushing. You have a 2 piece driveline, right?

 

[KBalzuweit]

How can I tell if its the pinion bearing? I pulled the drain plug and there was nothing stuck to the magnet. I just can not afford another big repair and no fix? Plus I am supposed to be in Oregon by Wed. and it 2200 miles from here. Karl

 

[aarlucas]

Unfortunatly, the only way to tell for sure if it is the pinion bearing, or any other bearing for that matter is to pull it and look at it. If it were my truck and I had to drive it 2200 miles and it is acting the way your describing, I would drive it. Odds are that the noise will get worse as you rack up the miles, especially towing. Unless it gets really bad it probably won't do any damage to anything. However, others may disagree.

 

[KBalzuweit]

Pulled the cover and did not see anything "bad". So I am going to roll on to Oregon. Still need to find it though. Thanks to all, Karl

 

[jabird]

what about TBS 03-03-96? Did you look at that?

 

[KBalzuweit]

Well ran the wheels of it this week. 4400 miles in 4 days. Noise is the same, but truck performed well and got me there and back. Going to run it to western WY and back on Monday. See what happens.

 

[RWhites]

Hey Karl, Just a crazy idea. Buy a couple of the cheap ch14 walkie talkies and tape one to your diff with foam to to cover it to kill the wind noise. Tape the mike button down and see if you can localize the sound. Kind of like using a screwdriver as a stethoscope. Make sure that the case of the walkie is hard up against the axle housing. Better than running next to the truck at 60!

Good Luck, Rich

 

[Cowboy Medic]

This sounds identical to what was going on with me. Turned out to be the carrier bering. I had even pulled it out once and was going to replace it and when I had it out it sure seemed good so I put it back in. took it to a shop that did driveline balancing and asked them to check it out and they swapped it out and voila everything works great.