mike82usf

My T-5 has began to make a whinning/hissing noise and I have no idea what it could be. The noise is present in all gears including reverse and also when the clutch is pressed.

Does anyone know what this could be?

Precision Trans

Mike:

Is the noise present with the vehicle stopped, clutch disengaged, or only with the vehicle moving? If the noise is there with the vehicle stopped, and trans in gear, the noise is not from the trans but rather from the clutch, most likely the release bearing. A few more details would be invaluable.

Don.

mike82usf

Thanks for responding. The noise is there when the car is stopped with it in or out of gear. It seems the noise is always present.

RB83L69

If the noise is present with the car stopped and the clutch depressed and the trans in any gear, then it CANNOT be the transmission; since under those conditions, everything in the trans is sitting absolutely motionless.

If the noise is absent under those conditions, but present when sitting still with the trans out of gear (in neutral) and the clutch engaged (foot off the pedal), then it could be the transmission or the throwout bearing.

If the noise is present as described above, and it goes away or gets louder or otherwise changes in any way when the clutch pedal is depressed SLIGHTLY, then it's the throwout bearing.

If the noise goes away after a few seconds when the clutch is disengaged (fully depressed) while the car is sitting still, or when the clutch is disengaged and the trans is shifted into a gear while sitting still, then it's most likely coming from inside the trans.

If the noise turns out to be the transmission by the above tests, then do a road test. Drive the car while observing the noise carefully. If the noise is present while driving in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, & 5th, but is absent in 4th, then it's the countergear bearings in the transmission, and the trans needs to be rebuilt soon, but is probably not yet on its deathbed. If it's present in all gears including 4th, stop driving the car IMMEDIATELY before you cost yourself any more money. It's probably full of metal shavings, and every gear and bearing in it is damaged.

Next, if you have a vibration as if the engine is unbalanced: drive down the road in 4th gear at around 55 mph. Equalize the gas pedal position to the load on the engine, i.e. adjust your foot on the gas such that the engine is neither trying to speed up the car nor is dragging on it, such that the engine speed does not change when the clutch is fully depressed while driving down the road. Depress the clutch to the floor while it is like this. If the vibration changes (if it goes away, or gets worse, or changes in any way whatsoever) then you need a pilot bearing; because the clutch disc is floating around un-centered in there, because the pliot on teh trans clutch gear is free to wander around inside the worn-out bearing or bushing in the back of the crank. This will cause complete transmission melt-down, and will lead to the condition in the first road test if it hasn't already.

Precision Trans

Yeah, what RB said.

Don.

mike82usf

It seems to be your first explanation. no matter what is done the noise is present. What could it be?

RB83L69

So, with the car sitting perfectly still, idling, in a forward gear, it makes the noise?

If so, it isn't the transmission. It's something else.

That means it's either the throwout bearing, or your inspection cover rattling or rubbing, or something like that.

Put the car up on ramps or stands in the front and on stands in the back WITH THE WHEELS OFF THE GROUND!!! so that there's no possible way the car can accidentally roll, and have somebody sit in the car with the parking brake on holding the wheels still, the engine running, the trans in gear, and the clutch pushed in; and get up under it and see if you can hear where it's coming from. Stick a piece of heater hose in your ear (I LOVE telling people to do that!!!!) and use it like a stethoscope to pinpoint the source.