Hey guys, i just bought a 98 Dakota with a 3.9 and automatic transmission(42re). In the 5-10 mph range the transmission makes a loud growling/rubbing noise. The transmission shifts fine and does not slip, but the noise has me concerned. At highway speeds there is no noise. Any ideas?

 

Well.. to be honest.. if it sounds kinda like a gurgling.. or... I suppose growling sound coming from the floor.. (where the bell housing is) this is pretty common... I suppose.. My old ford sounded this way too..

You dont notice it highway because there is not as much pressure in the exhaust system. There was actually another thread on this very topic, guy replaced the CAT with a high flow cat (Along with O2 sensor but he had code for it) and sound went away per -him...

The sound IMO has always been just that.. some people say a heat sheild.. but its defentily exaust if its the same sound I have and what i think your hearing.. and not the trans.. as far as I know..

That is one thing on my agenda is replace the CAT.. All in all the exhaust runs right under your bell housing and y pipe on the passenger side.. why it does it IDK? Under stress, not enough flow.. too small of pipe? IDK.. doing a search here on forums and google will all turn up exaust.. with a few claiming its a heat shield.. but i do not think they quite understand the description.. sometimes these things are hard to explain..

 

How sure are you that its the tranny?

 

I lifted the truck completely off the ground and removed the cover from around the shift, that put me directly over the transmission. I then started it up and in park there was no noise, in drive there was noise when accelerating and decelerating, in low range there was not much noise. Funny thing though, i did have a 02 sensor fault a couple days ago.

 

Try taking it off and cleaning with some break cleaner see if it helps..

DO you have a good camcorder? Someone can try and record a video?

 

I made a video of the noise my transmission is making. The noise is worst in drive, there but less in second, no noise in low range. I know it has a lifter peck, not worried about that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbi1BSwwxo4

 

Have you tried the transfer case in N maybe that is where the noise is coming from, just purely a guess but it sure doesnt sound good!

 

I'll try it with the transfer case in neutral see what happens.

 

Forgot noise changes with what you have the tranny in so prob not the case ,wasnt thinking

 

Are there any drivability issues? Any slipping? Weird random shifts things of that nature?