NV3550 transmission whining noise

[SammyAE86]

Im looking for help to diagnose a noise from the transmission.
Its a 2003 wrangler 4.0L 5speed manual.
The noise is subtle on lower gear, so its getting louder on 3rd and 4th gear, loudest on 5th.
If i release the accelerator, the noise disappear, its louder when i try to maintain steady speed on the highway at around 90 km/h.
I lifted the truck on 4 stands to isolate the sounds, and its a 100% from the transmission, so no diff, not the engine, not the t-case.
I replaced the release bearing and transmission oil 2 yrs ago. i looked inside the tranny and there were no sign of damage.
The sound was present prior to the release bearing replacement, I replaced it cause it was split in 2, I thought it was the origin of the noise.
Im thinking of input shaft bearing, but i dont want to remove and reinstall the transmission just to try it .
It got around 180 000 km (so i guess 110 000 miles).

 

[macleanflood]

My AX-15 had the same issue. I dropped it and swapped it out with a rebuilt transmission from Gearworks in Bend, OR. Two hour drive to drop off mine and pick up the rebuilt one... allegedly with Timken and USA sourced parts...guys in the shop passed my quiz question tests.

Got the rebuilt one home. Plopped it in. No 1st and no 4th gear. Pulled it. Drove it to Bend. They swore it was fine. Drove home. Put it back in. No 1st and no 4th.

Had a scheduled trip to Montana...down two gears... expecting the transmission to blow up at any moment...and the rear end grenaded.

TJ's been at Gearworks for a month. They said they'd swap out the transmission after rebuilding my original...which is appealing to me. But they've lost all my patience and I'm driving out there on Friday and picking it up whether they are done or not.

Good luck. Not many decent shops out there and parts for everything are hard to get or/and are absolutely shit quality and die shortly after installation.

-Mac

 

[TJuser]

I'm having the exact same issue with mine. Is there any ideas what would be causing the noise(i.e bad gears, bad bearing etc)?

 

[macleanflood]

I'd start with either checking the fluid level or draining and refilling.

Everything else is speculation. If you really want to know you need to pull it and crack open the case.

-Mac

 

[TJuser]

I'd start with either checking the fluid level or draining and refilling.

Everything else is speculation. If you really want to know you need to pull it and crack open the case.

-Mac

I changed the fluid to the royal purple and that seemed to help it a little bit...ideally I'd like to try redline but at the end of the day, I guess id need to take it apart to really see

 

[hear]

My AX-15 had the same issue. I dropped it and swapped it out with a rebuilt transmission from Gearworks in Bend, OR. Two hour drive to drop off mine and pick up the rebuilt one... allegedly with Timken and USA sourced parts...guys in the shop passed my quiz question tests.

Got the rebuilt one home. Plopped it in. No 1st and no 4th gear. Pulled it. Drove it to Bend. They swore it was fine. Drove home. Put it back in. No 1st and no 4th.

Had a scheduled trip to Montana...down two gears... expecting the transmission to blow up at any moment...and the rear end grenaded.

TJ's been at Gearworks for a month. They said they'd swap out the transmission after rebuilding my original...which is appealing to me. But they've lost all my patience and I'm driving out there on Friday and picking it up whether they are done or not.

Good luck. Not many decent shops out there and parts for everything are hard to get or/and are absolutely shit quality and die shortly after installation.

-Mac

You feeling ok? You posted about jeep problems but didn't bring up how your wife plowed your TJ with her JK.

 

[macleanflood]

You feeling ok? You posted about jeep problems but didn't bring up how your wife plowed your TJ with her JK.

She didn't break my transmission!

She is the destroyer of clutches!

And arguably a better wheeler than me. Just not on the highway.

-Mac

 

[hear]

She didn't break my transmission!

as far as you know.

 

[TJuser]

Update on this... Check the rear diff...I know the original post is old but it seems to be the issue with mine...I changed my diff fluid the other day and found scary large chunks in the oil. Haven't pulled the cover off yet, but I removed my rear DS to rebuild the double cardan and the whine is pretty much completely gone.