Yesterday on my way home from work, I heard a very strange howling noise. I am unsure as to where it's coming from, but I have only had this D for a year and it's been in the shop every 3 months for something, each time at least $500 in repairs.

I have checked all fluids, everything seems to be fine. The belt is brand new and doesn't wobble on track, the drive shaft has no play in it, and I cannot recreate the noise when it's parked just revving it up.

When I am driving, and noise appears, it's usually right before shifting from 2nd to 3rd, or from 3rd to overdrive. If I let off the gas, it instantly stops, and it happens anywhere from 15mph to 40mph. As inconsistent as it is, im starting to lean more towards rear end, water pump, or fan-clutch, but as I said, I cannot pinpoint the location of the noise due to the exhaust and all the highway noise in Dallas.

Has anyone else experienced this type of issue, or has any idea as to what it can be?

 

when you checked the transmission fluid was the truck warmed up (drive 15 miles or so) and running in nuetral, you need to stop in each gear going p--r-n-d-2-1 back to nuetral, set the e-brake and check the fluid then w/ the engine on is that how you did it?

 

Does the noise go away after a few seconds? If so, I had a similar issue that was caused by a build up of glaze on the clutch pads in the transmission. Lubegard was added with a transmission fluid & filter change. The noise disappeared within a couple days and I haven't had any negative affects from it.

 

Sounds like a wheel bearing or a U-joint.

 

When I checked the transmission fluid, it was after driving it 60 miles back home from work, but I did not move it through each gear, I only stuck it in neutral with the emergency brake on.

It may very well be the clutch pads, I'll see if I can have it looked at. And Hydra, would the noise come from a U-Joint if the drivehsaft had no play while the truck was off? Last time I had a carrier-bearing go out on my Trans Am, it was a knocking noise and the driveshaft would move up and down, would it howl like that?

 

have you had your front end alignment checked?....mine is out of alignment and it sounds like that if i turn the wheel a certain way...just a thought..

 

Well it doesn't seem to be wheel related, I was finally able to see that it may in fact be a u-joint. When it shifts from first to second gear while idling, a loud "thud" occurs. In my experience this is a bad u-joint.

I'm going to put the rear-end on jackstands in the driveway this weekend and see if I can recreate the howling noise while having it in drive, and have my Dad keep a close ear on it.

I'll post back when I find anything conclusive, I'm just hoping this won't be too bad *crosses-fingers*

 

Be careful, that can be VERY dangerous! In addition, you may not get the same results since the friction of tire/road is removed from the equation.

 

Hmm yeah be careful with that one. Make sure you got some damn good jack stands!