Ticking Noise Coming From Transmission Driving Me Crazy

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DodgeDart1971

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I had my lemon-y Dodge Dart's transmission worked on a couple months after I bought it - it stopped working at 3am on a highway one Saturday night. The guys "fixed" it but I noticed as it revved it ticked too - an irritating metallic noise, like something not lubrictaed or loose. It broke down maybe a month after that. In a panic, I took it elsewhere. Apparently the first guys had done a terrible job. Second "fix". It's been running for a year plus but the ticking is louder than ever. When the engine is cold I can't hear anything. But when it warms up, it flares up. Any diagnoses? I checked trans fluid and all appears well. Also the car feels very heavy when accelerating and doesn't change gears very gracefully. I should add it's an automatic, I think a 727 though not sure. The year is 1971. Needless to say it's got me pulling my hair out. Is there an appropriate emoji? #-o And after 2 very expensive rebuildings I'm not enthusiastic about spending more money on it. But at the same time don't want to keep pushing a faulty transmission.

Thanks!
 
any chance the flex plate bolt heads are hittinh the inspection cover?i know you said it does it when warmed up,but
 
Just a thought but if its not the flex plate hitting the dust shield, maybe, just maybe the parking pall isn't completely retracted and is hitting the wheel inside the case extension. Might be the speedometer gear pinion, too. Good luck!
 
I just recently had a similar experience with a transmission noise. When does it make the noise?
Does it do it in park, or any other gear? Does it ever go away?
The problem that I had turned out to be a bad torque converter. Something let go inside. But it only made the noise in park.
Try to diagnose the problem a little more if you can. Does it do it in the driveway or only on the road?
Any info that you can give will be a big help.

Ted
 
DusTed74 said:
I just recently had a similar experience with a transmission noise. When does it make the noise?
Does it do it in park, or any other gear? Does it ever go away?
The problem that I had turned out to be a bad torque converter. Something let go inside. But it only made the noise in park.
Try to diagnose the problem a little more if you can. Does it do it in the driveway or only on the road?
Any info that you can give will be a big help.

Ted
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Hello Ted! Thanks for taking an interest. I drove it around for a couple of hours yesterday and listened closely. As I said, when I first start it up, the engine sounds great. Then usually after 10 minutes or so as I rev I start to here the whirring/ticking noise. Which I'd describe as rotational, like a rhythmic round and round. It gets louder as the engine revs higher then lessens when the gears shift up. I.e. the noise is at its worse just before switching into 2nd or 3rd. So it must be linked to the transmission? When it idles in Park I hear *nothing*. It disappears when I'm at a standstill too.

Hope that helps! :)
 
It could be a bad universal joint by your description.

Do you feel any vibration at all?
 
^^^ what he said !!! That's where I would start. Sounds like driveshaft related.
 
DodgeDart1971 said:
Hello Ted! Thanks for taking an interest. I drove it around for a couple of hours yesterday and listened closely. As I said, when I first start it up, the engine sounds great. Then usually after 10 minutes or so as I rev I start to here the whirring/ticking noise. Which I'd describe as rotational, like a rhythmic round and round. It gets louder as the engine revs higher then lessens when the gears shift up. I.e. the noise is at its worse just before switching into 2nd or 3rd. So it must be linked to the transmission? When it idles in Park I hear *nothing*. It disappears when I'm at a standstill too.

Hope that helps! :)
Click to expand...

This description sounds EXACTLY like converter swell.

Doesn't do it cold
Gets worse as it warms
Gets worse with load
Goes away with less or no load.

Converter swells with heat and load then touches the dust cover or starter.

Has the cover been pressed against by hand while the car is at temp and running?
If this is what it is, it'll get more obvious when the cover is pushed against.

It's either that or a cracked/loose flywheel.
 
I'm confused, isn't the converter still spinning with the engine when stopped?

She says it quits when she stops.
 
Bad Sport said:
It could be a bad universal joint by your description.

Do you feel any vibration at all?
Click to expand...

Hey Bruce! I mean, the whole thing is vibrating so it's hard to tell. But it does sound/feel a bit vibrational. Like a loose chain of some sort. Is a universal joint difficult/expensive to replace? Thanks!
 
Not difficult or expensive. But you or your mechanic need to determine if that is in fact the issue.

IF, it's a bad front U joint, I would have that checked toot sweet. You don't want that coming loose and dropping the driveshaft at 60 mph, in can make for an interesting event.
 
TrailBeast - that'd be great if so. Simpler to fix than the flywheel right? The car's at the shop right now being re-aligned (they made it worse) but once I have it back I'll see if it is the converter. Hope so!
 
Converter will be an expense, the trans needs to come out. If the car is at the shop, ask them to check the U joints while it's there. It's a quick and simple task.
 
DodgeDart1971 said:
Hello Ted! Thanks for taking an interest. I drove it around for a couple of hours yesterday and listened closely. As I said, when I first start it up, the engine sounds great. Then usually after 10 minutes or so as I rev I start to here the whirring/ticking noise. Which I'd describe as rotational, like a rhythmic round and round. It gets louder as the engine revs higher then lessens when the gears shift up. I.e. the noise is at its worse just before switching into 2nd or 3rd. So it must be linked to the transmission? When it idles in Park I hear *nothing*. It disappears when I'm at a standstill too.

Hope that helps! :)
Click to expand...

Ok my thinking is totally different on this. From what you're saying it sounds like maybe it's something in the valve train. Is it at all possible that the noise that you're hearing is coming from the engine and not the transmission?
Do you have an oil pressure gauge in the car? If so what does it read when it's at running temp?
Is your car a big block -small block or 6 cyl?

Ted
 
DusTed74 said:
Ok my thinking is totally different on this. From what you're saying it sounds like maybe it's something in the valve train. Is it at all possible that the noise that you're hearing is coming from the engine and not the transmission?
Do you have an oil pressure gauge in the car? If so what does it read when it's at running temp?
Is your car a big block -small block or 6 cyl?

Ted
Click to expand...

Hey! Don't have a oil pressure gauge. It's a 318, 4 barrel. Is that big block? The reason I think it's trans related is because I didn't hear it (if my memory serves me correctly) before I had the trans rebuilt. Ugh dear. I wish I knew my way around machines.
 
Had a converter just out of the blue do this. It broke off half of the pump drive section of the snout. It didn't really tear up anything but made that awful noise until I replaced the converter.
 
DodgeDart1971 said:
Hey! Don't have a oil pressure gauge. It's a 318, 4 barrel. Is that big block? The reason I think it's trans related is because I didn't hear it (if my memory serves me correctly) before I had the trans rebuilt. Ugh dear. I wish I knew my way around machines.
Click to expand...

Ok first your 318 is a Small Block style engine.
Actually I was hoping that you were going to say that it was a slant six. I was thinking that it could have been something as simple as the valves being out of adjustment.

Ok then it's time to move on. I'm thinking that I have to agree with Trail beast. He's pretty good when it comes to drive line issues.

Ted
 
Well, since the transmission has been out and in twice, I would certainly look at the dust shield first. It's possible the converter bolts are hitting it. It's a simple and no cost check.

For some reason I thought this was a /6.
 
Since you are real close to member Krazykuda I think you should take it to him, Karl will be able to help you out I'm sure and you will learn a lot....shoot him a PM....it's usually easier to diagnose this in person than trying to explain it over the interweb....
 
The reason I don't think it's a ujoint is that it wouldn't change between cold and warmed up.

Could be a ujoint also though.
 
I am with Trailbeast that it is the converter. Maybe broken fins bouncing around in side. You said car feels heavy taking off thats why I think its a converter problem.
 
Thanks everyone! The knowledge here is amazing. I'll find out tomorrow or the day after whether it's the converter!
 
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