Howl is back

[Perrysburg_Dodgeboy]

Now that it's getting colder I have noticed that my low speed howl has come back. My truck is a 2004 2500 SLT/QC/LWB/AUTO. I'm at 31000+ miles and would like to get this taken care of before I run out of warranty. There is a TSB out for a howl but it is for the SWB truck and DC has said that they don’t have anything for the LWB trucks. Anyone else having the same thing with their LWB truck, or is it really just me? I also have a shift problem to post and will put it in the engine/transmission post.

Thanks for any help with this.

Don

 

[swexlin]

Now that it's getting colder I have noticed that my low speed howl has come back

Yep, me too, the "hoot owl" is back on my truck as well. I noticed as soon as the cold weather appeared.

 

[CSchultz]

darn howl

shortly after recieving my 05 quad short bed srw I noticed a howl upon deceleration between 45-30mph. My initial thought was that it came from the front end. Later at the dealership after pressing the issue with "deaf mechanics" I got to the main diesel mechanic who thought the noise was from the front somewhere(earlier test drives with different mechanics had them thinking rear end - possable gear or drive train harmonic problems)Even though the noise is somewhat quiot it is still annoying and makes me worry . I don't think dodge will do anything unless the howl worsens or progresses to something like an out an out mechanical breakage ect. At least I have it documented!Can this be front drivetrain noise such as 4wd hub lock or transfer case or even driveshaft noise?does this problem sound familiar to anyone?

 

[jimnance]

My '03 had a rear end "howl". At first I thought it was normal. After all, compared to my '99 with 4" exhaust and no muffler the '03 was really quiet. However, at 35,990 miles I took it to the dealer and asked them to check the noise. Got a call back a few hours later. Ring and pinion needed to be replaced. Taken care of at no cost and the truck was so quiet I couldn't believe.



I seem to recall some time back a thread or threads about some of the early AA axles having the ring and pinion set up incorrectly at the factory and was a problem on some trucks.

 

[Perrysburg_Dodgeboy]

I’m having a low speed howl 15/35 mph with it really loud at 25 mph. The problem is my Dealer has changed the fluid as directed by DC but it has not gone away. I only get it in cold weather any it goes away after it get up to temp. DC says they do not have “any drive train issues on the LWB 2WD trucks. ” Want to bet DC! Anyway they gave me a 10 year/100,000. 0 mile warranty on the drive train as the Dealer has heard the howl and has told DC that they can not isolate it. Thanks for all the replies.

Don

 

[DLettau]

Howl/whine/scream in cond weather: Hanger bearing Driveline

'04 3/4 ton 4 door 4wd 6 speed long box.

I've been wondering when this would come up, or was I the only one with this problem? The first winter, below freezing, around 18K miles, the howl would hang in there for about a mile or so, and then go away. Low speed, around 15 to 35, with various harmonics. The dealer spent 3 weeks with it, and couldn't find anything. I bought a cheap stethoscope and put the truck rear up on jack stands, had the wife in the cab while I crawled around underside to see what was howling. Quiet transmission, and rear-end. The hanger bearing on the driveline was screaming, had to be dry/stiff grease. It was a major fight to convince the dealer to replace the bearing, they had never heard of this and Dodge denied any record of failures. When they finally replaced the bearing, they also wrecked the transmission seal, and I had oil all over the bottom of the truck when I got home. They did fix it, and the noise was gone! In fact it was a little quieter than it ever was, even new. I guess the bearing was dinged, or flawed from day one.

Now it's the second winter, around 30K miles, and it's doing it again! I've been wondering weather to go back to the dealer, or to a real driveline shop (big trucks) and get a real hanger bearing, not some Mexican piece of junk (can I say that?).

Back in '76 I had a similar problem with a Honda civic, the Japanese apparently never thought about their grease and what would happen with a North American winter. The rear wheels wouldn't turn for the first 2 miles at -20 degrees.

David

 

[scotty1]

I have the noise too. Do any of you have an auto trans? Reason I ask is I only see reference to 6 spds in some posts and sigs but no mention of the trans the others have in their sigs.

Yesterday it was very loud in my truck and when I put the clutch in... it got quieter but did not disappear. I wonder if its the trans and the transfer case as the noise is right there. It does not sound like its coming from the back fo the truck on mine.



Scotty



on edit, I read the thread again [helps LOL] and saw that auto and 4x2's are affected too.

 

[Cattletrkr]

Yep, mine's back... I think. Got rid of it by slightly overfilling the rear diff last spring. Last change I went to factory level. Not sure if I like that "fix" or not.

 

[GSchneuer]

On my 03 3500 HD with the 48RE I had the howl whine at 35mph + on the decel side. At 21,910 a dealer whom I did buy my truck from changed the ring and pinion and the noise is gone for good I hope. Oo.

 

[Truckie]

My brother and I both have 05 Dodges and have the same problem, with the howl.

I have 4,900 on my truck, which is 05 LWB 4X4 2500 with 48 RE, my brothers truck is a 05 3500 LWB 4X4 48 RE, and 4,000 miles on it.

His is a lot worse than mine. Mine will do it slightly when it is cold out, his will do it real loud and almost constant till it warms up.

 

[rbattelle]

Just to be sure - are you guys sure you're not hearing the fan?



-Ryan

 

[HoofinSoot]

Add me to the list. '04. 5. I've got the same "hoot owl". Cold weather ..... similar MPH as everyone else. I could swear it's in the cold trans ... . but the mid-ship bearing just may be the culprit.

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

My 04 had the "hooter". I use to carry a dictamachine to record it for warranty purposes.



After they changed 2 u-js on the rear drive shaft it went away.



Some folks also shimmed the center carrier down up to 1/2" for various gremlins.