Noise w/ 6 speed in neutral?

[snowracer69]

Got an email from a guy that I know from another board with this question:



"What do you know about the 03 HO 6spd manuals making NOISE in neutral until you engage the clutch... noise goes away! It's driving me NUTS! Every thing about the truck I like except the fact that I bought it to be QUIET and it ain't QUIET in neutral with the clutch out!"



Told him I don't know much about the 03's, so I'd ask you fella's... . what should he be looking at?



Thanks for any help.



Later, Josh

 

[Casey Balvert]

Most of the six speeds have some noise in them when idling. It was probably there in previous years but because of the quiet engine, it is now noticeable. Check the lube level and if the noise is not excessive I would not worry about it.



Casey

 

[DPKetchum]

Over the years have noticed lots of manual trans make noise out of gear clutch out. Everthing in trans main shafts etc is turning its just not in gear. More so on trans with BIG internal parts. Puch clutch in and wait a second noise goes away as trans stops turning.

 

[Grey Wolf]

Most Diesel's will do this due to their rough running... . try the same thing in a gasser you probably won't hear the gears rattling around!

 

[The Frankster]

I agree with most everyone on this subject... "EXCEPT" for the fact that some of them "DO" it and others "DON'T. "



Frankster (Mine is "REALLY" loud... )

 

[snowracer69]

Frankster,



Glad to see ya joined up. Well, you've read everything that I got on the subject for ya. Good luck, and welcome to the TDR... . you're gonna love it here.



BTW, you see the thread about fueling boxes out for the 03's? Think you better get one and shut some of those duraslug guys up over at snowest.



Josh

 

[MattSt]

Mine was doing it also. Plus not wanting to shift into 3rd gear easily. Now that I have almost 1500 miles on it I can't hear it anymore.



Since 500 miles I have been pretty hard on the truck. Must have just needed a good beating.

 

[DHess]

Matt,



Mine has not shifted smoothly since day 1. Shifting into 3rd is the worst - feels and sound like synchro isn't there. I had to have the front seal in the transmission replaced this week so they cracked the case and looked inside. Said everything looked fine. Guess I'll just drive it and complain every so often - lots of warrenty miles left. Also, three weeks after I got the rig I took it in and had them top off (fill until it runs out the fill hole) the trans, transfer case, and both differentials - yes I checked them before hand. They put a quart in the trans and a quart in each differential. According to the work order, they put the same lube in each box - and th emanual doesn't list that lube for any of the boxes. Time will tell .....



Dave

 

[MattSt]

Dave, I noticed you are in Colorado. I can say that on mine it did it more when it was cold. We had a few 55-65 degree days 2 weeks ago and it was easy to shift. Today it was -6 when I left! Back to not shifting. Took me 3 tries to get it into 5th today. I let the motor warm up but the trans can't really get warm idling.



I'm not sure if this trans is the same one that was in the older trucks. But my brothers 01 did it to him since new and at 8000 miles the dealer took it apart and fixed something. They really didn't say what but I do know they had to send some part off to the big rig shop to have items pressed on and off because their press would not handle it.

 

[hbowers]

trans.noise in neutral w/clutch out also

I too have got a knocking, rattling noise in neutral w/ clutch

out. as loud if not louder than engine noise. my truck is an

03 3500 drw 4x4 HO 6 spd. I love the quietness of the Cummins.

noise in transmission stops when clutch is depressed, and when I

take the shift lever and put a little pressure toward any gear

w/clutch out noise stops. my dealer same as told me it's the

nature of the brute. but I just can't buy that, or they would

all do it. dealer also told me they got a TSB on it and Chrysler

said it's called gear roll off or something. and nothing can be

done. oh boy! Harold B.

 

[Deezul1]

hbowers

You describe my experience exactly except mine is a 97 and I just had the trans rebuilt with a new mainshaft and ALL new bearings. When I took it back to the trans shop they told me it was worn shift forks and that was why it went away when moving the lever towards a gear with your foot off the clutch. Boy either you 03 guys have really cheesy shift forks or that guy was blowing smoke up my shorts, any bets on which? Good thing it has a year guarntee.

 

[DPKetchum]

I not a trans expert but when moving shifter and putting pressure on it it is putting pressure on the gears such as to engauge and is slowing things up that are turning. Handled Datsun/Nissan 14 years and trucks,Z cars etc made this noise out of gear also. They also would get quiet when pushing shifter.

 

[D808]

I've owned quite a few trucks with manual transmissions. They all produced gear noise in neutral, which is normal. The bigger the transmission the louder the gear noise. Remember, the New Venture 6-speed is a big transmission. Also, the bigger the transmission, the longer it will take for it to wear in and begin shifting more smoothly.

 

[WOT]

I could be the clutch. After installing a South Bend clutch I get a rattly sorta noise from mine in neutral with the clutch out. Called them and they say it is normal because of the tighter tolerances they use on the hub of the clutch. Maybe the '03s just have better clutches to handle the extra power too... .



Mine has gotten slightly better as I get more miles on it - have about 30K on the new clutch now.

 

[The Frankster]

WOT... .



I'm trying to think about this... "TIGHTER-TOLERANCES" creating noise???

How about "LOOSER-TOLERANCES" creating noise. My guess is that this problem is the CLUTCH hub itself not having TIGHT enough tolerances with the main creating the "CLANG-CLANG-CLANG"



Once it really warms up... there's still noise... not quite as loud, but it's still there in a big way. Once things heat up... they expand>>>





TIGHTER??? I don't think so...



Frankster

 

[WOT]

Frankster,



I think (would probably need to talk to Peter @ SB) that the noise comes from the springs in the hub... not sure. I had it replaced a little while back, so maybe my memory is faulty, but I thought he said "tighter tolerances. " Either way, my clutch is working better than the original...

 

[DPKetchum]

Clutch hub springs can make noise and so can trans with big beefy gears. Raise it on a lift and listen. Ones bell housing area and one will be directly in middle of trans. I've listened to countless numbers of them over the years. Weight of trans gear oil affects noise also.

 

[South Bend Clutch]

Well, I ordered an 03 clutch to see if there were any differences to the earlier model six speeds 01 and 02. The clutch disc is exactly the same and the over all appearance of the pressure plate is the same. There is a very slight difference in the curve of the diaphragm (pressure spring) but this would not make any difference to this issue. In my opinion we need to rule out that the clutch is making the noise. However, the springs in this disc are a tad loose as they were in the earlier models. So, if the noise was always there and the quieter 03 is allowing the noise to be heard, the only way we could check it for sure is to have someone pull the clutch and send it to me so I can tighten the springs. Reinstall the same clutch and see if the noise goes away. Or, I could send someone a disk with tightened springs (if they are willing to do the work) to see if it makes a difference. I will donate the disc if someone will donate the time. Other then that I believe you need to go after the transmission. Sorry, we are not transmission people, you will need to work with one of the outstanding transmission people available to the TDR.



Sorry, I was really hoping I could pinpoint this for you.



Peter

 

[boonsur]

Peter, thanks for your input . I might be willing to be a guinea pig (I'm only a few hours away), but I won't have my truck for another month, and would like to put a couple thousand miles on to be sure it won't blow up (warranty concerns).

 

[ntenna]

Originally posted by South Bend Clutch

Well, I ordered an 03 clutch to see if there were any differences to the earlier model six speeds 01 and 02. The clutch disc is exactly the same and the over all appearance of the pressure plate is the same.

Sorry, I was really hoping I could pinpoint this for you.



Peter

I'm scratching my head, Peter. Somewhere here or in the TDR the PR was that the '03 clutch was a larger diameter? Anyone remember where this was written?