The rattle mystery....

sub'd. I think I have the same problem! I swear I've looked at every inch under and in the truck and can't figure it out. FYI - I'm in a '99 2.4 5 speed 5 lug.

^^^ That exactly describes what I experience too. Hoping someone can come up with a fix!

 

Possibly a rock got in between heat shield and cab maybe.

 

That's a good one, one I hope never to experience. Keep us posted!

 

One can only hope. Lol I'll let you know.

 

definatly a difficult to diagnose issue... if you can get it to make the sound while sitting an in neutral, clutch out try gently nudging the shifter towards a gear. She wont go into gear but you will load that shift rail, shift fork and syncro to see if you can eliminate the rattle. 1-2 common shift rail and fork, 3-4 a different shift rail and fork, 5 and reverse yet a third. I am wondering if the drive shaft is just echoing the harmonics because it is hollow.

the other things that I can think of is the seperator plate between the engine/trans. Are ALL of the bolts from the engine / trans installed and tight? are all of the bolts to remove the inspection cover on the bottom of the trans there and tight? Was the seperator plate bent at anytime in its life by over zealousness of the tech? and a final thought... is there a pilot bearing in the end of the crank and is it lubbed? How is the clutch fork? Is there a boot on it? was the ball pivot lubed or is it dry and rattling around. If I remember correct there is a spring that kind of retains the fork on the pivot point.

On other vehicles, mostly FWD, I have see what looks like a perfectly good motors mount be "bad" and causing vibrations... bad meaning that the rubber got hard.

 

update?

 

All right... UPDATE.

I lifted the ass end of the truck up and let it run in 4th idle speed. (I had no help to get it to the RPM while I am under it). BUT! The spider gears in the rear end sounded a bit loud which caught my attention. I did not re-create the sound I am referring to due to lack of help and I figured I just go ahead and pop the rear end out and take a look at the spider gears, bearings, and while I'm there swap out the rear bearings.

I swapped out the Rear Wheel bearings.

The rear end looks and feels solid. Bearings look good. Fluid drained was as clean as when it was changed a year ago.

Driveshaft is in good shape, Spicer double cardan joint is in good shape.

While I was under the truck with the driveshaft out, I spun the output shaft of the transfer case (flange) back and forth to see if there is any play. I heard a pretty loud clang when I rotated it left and right. It was coming from the bell housing. (Transmission in neutral). I stuck my borescope through the opening where my clutch fork goes through. I did it again and noticed the clutch was making noise.

I had recently noticed as well (a few months ago) that when I turned my truck off, the truck sounded like a diesel. You know...the loud clank/clunk when the engine comes to rest.

I said screw it and pulled my trans out (all same day) ...sigh.

Good ol LCE Pro clutch less than a Year old had a lot of play in the splines where the input shaft slides through. (center)...what a piece of crap. The sound was just like the one I've been chasing!

The springs are canted, the bent metal tabs holding them in are worn from the springs, and it's just plain loose. I don't know how much longer before it fell apart.

This is what I though would cause all the noise as it sound JUST LIKE IT! The noise primarily started when i first got the truck and put an LCE clutch in. Then, a year later when I did the engine swap, I put a brand new one in again ( same one), so I didn't think that was the issue. If the center splines where the input shaft slides in to the shaft have play I can imagine the sound resonating through....Replaced the clutch with a Carquest brand (no choice) kit and it had NO play. Put it all back together....still making the noise I'm chasing, BUT the loud clunk/clang when you turn the truck off doesn't happen anymore.

So, by trying to diagnose one problem, I found another I suppose. NEVER buying an LCE clutch again. The first one I got 2 years ago was also loose in the center, and I thought it was normal, but it gets MUCH worse as I found out. Their quality control is crap.

Bottom line: I am back to square one of diagnosis. I will lift the truck back up this week, re-create the noise, then, take the driveshaft out and put it in 4x4 and spin the fronts to see if it does it when the driveshaft is out.

As I have stated before....Transmission has been rebuilt....noise still there, new Xfer case......still there, new clutch...still there, new driveshaft....still there.

Bare with me as I continue on this fun journey. I am including pictures of the LCE clutch and a video link for the clutch issue. I will upload a video with re-creating the noise.

EDIT: Video Link for LCE Clutch issue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BJFyOOE0RE

 

More...

 

I just posted an update and Put a brand new clutch kit in and the problem persists. =/ not the clutch.

 

if anyone is around Atlanta and is willing to lend a hand in diagnosis sometime in the next few weeks let me know. I have beer

 

You might try slightly overfilling the slip joint on the driveshaft to see if it goes away temporarily?? Certainly a puzzler!!

 

That'sa hell of a day.

That's junk

To far from Phoenix.

 

Did you get a chassis ear tool?

 

Not too near Atlanta, but if you ever make it to Orlando I'd be happy to help you out. Got everything we could ever need tool wise, and space for you to crash. You'd just have to bring yourself and the truck.

Like you I can't STAND noises. Especially rattles.

 

Hmm, I'll give it a shot. There is slight play in the slip joint (if you push on the driveshaft up and down) about 1/64. When I had the driveshaft re-built, they replaced the shaft and the double cardan joint. Rear U joint as well obviously. Perhaps they didn't replace the yoke? I will let you know.

 

I did, and the dang spider gears when the rear end of the truck was up were clanking about so it concerned me a bit. That's why I stopped what I was doing and tore the rear end apart. Figured if that was an issue, it would be the first thing I should check. Come to figure out that one of the wheel bearings was on its' way out and the wheel had more drag than the other. This, due to the lack of actual load since the wheels are in the air, made the spider gears sound louder than they are.

So, I decided to swap out the rear bearings, seals, and check out the rear end. I checked the play, and it was to spec. I will be rebuilding the front and rear diffs in the near future anyway since I need to upgrade to the 4:10 gears so I can actually use 5th

Next step is to start the process again, and use the chassis ear while I drive. Then, Take the driveshaft out, put it in 4x4, and repeat the process to see if it still does it.

 

I appreciate the offer! Just wish it wasn't 6 hours away! You should just come up for Yotamafia In June at Stone Mountain!

 

Ooh? Details? I just might work depending.

 

June 9th! https://yotamafia.com/

 

Thanks for bringing this to my attention, I'm going to register and hopefully I'll see you out there!

Also I noticed you have a 3rz 4 cylinder, my buddy had a 2rz 4cyl that had a mean rattle independent of gear but related to rpm to a degree though not directly dependent.

He was having a heckova time finding it, I've gotten pretty good at hunting down noises, again they drive me insane and it took me a little digging but it ended up being a missing nut on his stock exhaust manifold heat shield, it wasn't initially obvious as it was under and up in to get to.

Was a right bugger. I don't remember exactly where off the top of my head as it's been a year or two since I found and fixed it, but when I see him this morning I'll poke my head under his hood again and see if I can't remember and snap a pic to pin point it for you.

I don't suppose you have a video or audio recording of your trouble noise?