Beam me..down? Scottie. Weird noise '04 v6

Have a strange noise on 1st gear acceleration. Very pronounced on the 1st drive of the day.

Sounds like star trek teleportation, but starts higher pitched and has a wind down sound, instead of the stereotypical climb in pitch.

I back out of parking space, turn the wheels, switch to (D)rive, and press the gas pedal. Boom, teleport.

This has always happened since I bought the truck (240k mi.) Now has 267k. Aircabinman style timingbelt waterpump kit was installed, so those parts are new.

Power steering pump is grumpy but I can hear that over this sound. This sounds like it's coming through the dash almost or against the firewall.

Steering rack is hissing but this isn't it either. Transmission fluid is clean and bright red.

If my phone can get the sound in the morning, I'll upload it.

Just make the beam me up sound, and descend it. That's the sound.

Any guesses? Do all autos make this sound?
Happens in the winter at 0 degrees F and in the summer at 80.

 

So the pitch goes DOWN as you accelerate?!

Does it only happen in first?

Does the pitch seem to change more with engine RPM, wheel speed, or transmission (i.e. pitch changes with shifting).

You can get one of those sets of microphones to help diagnose where a sound is coming from. The cheap ones are just a single microphone and you just set it around in various places and see where the sound gets loudest. The nicer (and more useful) ones have several microphones so you you record a bunch of sounds simultaneously.

Maybe something like this:

$101 Steelman ChassisEAR Automotive Diagnostics Multichannel Electronic Stethoscope Tool, 6 Noise-Finder Microphone Clamps with Leads, Over-Ear Headphones

https://www.amazon.com/STEELMAN-06600-ChassisEAR-Electronic-Squeak/dp/B000IHIAES?th=1

 

Yes only 1st gear. It starts and ends right before the shift.

But also yes, rpms affect it. I can draw it out with a lighter accel. Or speed it up with a heavier one. Just normal accel it has a pronounced eewwweeeeewwwssshhhh sound. Maybe a slight low to high then decel sound but ever so slightly. Your ear mainly catches it as the "given in her all she's got cap'n" point.

 

I went to the store for something and tried to capture it but the truck was still warm from an hour and a half ago. I work in the a.m. so I'll try again.

Oh and because

 

I'm no transmission expert, but that sounds like you have a problem with your first gear. 5speed, correct?

I'm sure others will chime in, but you might be headed down the drop the pan and look for shavings route...

 

Auto good sir

 

I may have something similar occurring. Same situation. Back out of garage, turn the wheels as I'm backing out onto the street. Put it in D, turn the wheels to straighten the truck to go forward and sure enough it makes the noise. Only lasts a few seconds for me. I've owned the pickup since 12/2021, 2004 3.4. I have been describing it as a "hydraulic" or "robotic" sound. Sort of like a piston closing or opening something. I also thought it may be related to steering or maybe closing of the vent for out/inside air (I'm just trying to think of anything it could be). Possibly coming from passenger side of engine or cabin. I don't even know how the hell to describe it LOL. I tried explaining it to my mechanic with no luck. Thought of posting on here regarding it, but didn't know where to begin. Thanks for posting this!

Just a thought... I need to try backing straight out without turning the wheels and then put it in D without turning the wheels to see if it still makes the noise.

 

this is normal

 

I have the same noise in my '04 automatic. Only when the engine is cold, only when I first start to slowly roll forward (never in reverse). I don't know anything about auto transmissions but for whatever reason I think it's the torque converter.

Sounds like the sound effect in the original Star Wars movie when the pull the lever for the Death Star laser. 0:05: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U4EDtZvfCg

 

Yeah! Like that!

Also like #1 and #2 I found here. Mine starts off just a little higher pitched.

 

As someone with an auto, I can tell you I've never felt like describing any noise that comes from my truck (of which there are many, lol) like this.


@Harryhood87 it sounds like the noise has pretty much stayed the same in the last ~30k miles since you've had it, so that's a "good" sign in that at least it's not progressively getting worse and self destructing.

Since the noise goes away after it warms up, it's probably not a big deal, but if it'll put you at ease, I'd find a trusted transmission shop, preferably someone who does Toyotas in town and take it to them. Have them keep it overnight and do a test drive. Be specific with how to reproduce the sound, and hopefully they can reproduce it. The piece of mind of them telling you it's "normal" (or not) IMO would be well worth the couple hundred bucks for a diag fee.