I'm the proud new owner of a 95 Tracker (well actually an Asuna Sunrunner) and it's making a howl on acceleration. The noise increases in pitch with the speed of the vehicle but only when the gas pedal is depressed. The noise goes away when I take my foot off the gas (or put in the clutch, take it out of gear etc.)
It's 2 door 4x4 1.6l 16 valve 5 speed manual. This noise is made in 2WD, haven't done much checking with 4WD yet.
My first plan is to replace the gear oil in the tranny, transfer case and both drive axles. I figure it can't hurt and I have no idea how old that oil is. Is there anything else I should be trying?
does it make noise at idle or reving in neutral.
how about in gear , clutch engaged and reving a little.
does it only do it moving down road and at no other time?
does it do it cruizing at 50mph or as you say accelertion.
all modes , does and doesnt , is important to diagnosis.
the most important question can you cause the noise in your driveway, wheels on the ground.?
if yes, the forget the rest and we will proceed.
at first blush it sounds like your air cleaner fell off.
but then you mention what you or the car was doing when you put the clutch in or out of gear ( parked , driving 50 ,etc)
Update: I have drained and replaced the gear oil in the rear diff and the transfer case, didn't seem to help. Although both were leaking out the drain plugs and the oil may have been a little low in the tranfer case and a little high in the rear diff.
I can't make the noise except when in gear, moving with the gas pedal pressed. I don't need to be accelerating, holding speed is enough to make the noise, as long as I'm putting power to the wheels, when I take my foot off the gas, the noise goes away. It also goes away when I put the clutch in, even if I rev the engine. As for making the noise in the driveway, I can't tell because it would be at too low a pitch for me to hear, it only gets loud enough to be heard over 20mph or so aqnd my driveway just isn't that long. But, no, to answer your question, I can't make the noise without the car moving.
Tried in 4wd, with and without the front hubs locked. It makes the same noise in the same conditions.
It's sounds approximately the same frequency as tire noise except I don't have big knobby tires and goes away when I take my foot off the gas.
Air cleaner is attached although it's very dirty and I haven't been able to buy one yet (Wal-Mart doesn't stock it and everywhere else was closed for the long weekend, I live in a small town)
could be the transmission (but it is the wrong freq. sound for that)
could be transfer case chain , whipping.
could be u-joints on the rear half behind trans case or at rear axle. Did you crawl under car and wiggle all the u-joints, if they are loose they are bad. easy as pie to do.
could be rear axle.. ( even a broken brake spring)
could be....
U-joints make noise under load (mostly until that get really bad)
the best way to fix ANY drive line noise , is a lift.
1- raise car on lift ( $20 at most service stations [tune shops])
2- person 1 in car runs car thru all gears and 2wd and 4wd
3- while other person listens. ( youd be amazed at the sillythings you find).
I have done this OFF ROAD with a jack and a friend and 2 large wheel chocks , lift one whole side and test buy driving in idle.
this works because the differnentials on this goofy cars put all the torque to the loose wheel. ( why many like posi-traction LSD, or xxx)
the tires on the off ground ,will spin. the down side is on chocks.
never let person 2 get any closer to the wheels then 2 feet.
no loose clothing.
no dogs, no pets. no bystanders.
conduct in an open field or any remote and secure place !!!
treat car like loaded gun, point it only in a safe direction.
if paranoid ,chain car to tree.
the $20 sounds cheaper by the minute and guessing is expensive.
PS:
dont for get to be in 4wd so both wheels spin on one side.
guessing department:
PS2: if you suspect front wheel bearings, try lifting them and checking for 3 things.
1 : side to side loosness, (none is allowed by hand)
2: rotate, if you hear anything they are bad, but the brake pads need to be retracted.
3. measure rotational torque with a fish scale at 6-8 lbs, ( more bad, less bad) , pads or rotors OFF ! Put scale to hub (tire off) at 12 oclock
pull scale to rear and take reading.
easy to do. in the book,
Mine used to do the same thing. A friend told me to take my front axle on the side that the noise comes from. Pull it out from the wheel bearing side about 3 inches and throw some grease in there. The seal that sits on the axle was used and it was getting dry in there. I didn't even bother with changing the seal and it has now been around 8 months noise free. If it ever start again ill just put more grease. lol just make sure u dont put to much
this person 95 may have the unitized bearings that are ungreaseable.
if the are , then throwing grease at them is folly.
here is what you do.
1- if you have noise , you have damage. (in bearings)
2- If you have damage , you need to inspect them.
pull the hubs (4wd locking or automatic,etc) ,
then pull the hubs. ( may or may not need spec. tool)
clean and inspect the bearings, if they are bad , then you will have to replace them ( your life and mine depend on good bearings)
pack them solid on the rear side (impossible to do by "thowing grease at a wheel)
then pack the front level to the outside washer on the hub nut. the lightly grease the lock hubs,
never pack the lockers as this will guarantee forcing grease past all the seals as the grease expands when hot. ( the words right out of FSM)
for new cones and unitized bearings you need a press.
mine took 6 tons of pressure to pop out.
( my press has a guage,smile).
good day.
I have now changed the gear oil in everything and it's still noisy. While I was under there I did check the u-joints and they are all good.
The guy at Napa suggested an oil additive (Lucas heavy duty oil stabilizer). What's the general opinion on these? Should I put some in the transfer case and rear diff and see if it makes a difference?
I was also talking to the guys at Napa about rebuilding the diff and they tell me that not only do you need special tools, it's a real pain and best left to professionals, and "if you get it set up wrong, it will howl". Is it possible that the diff is out of allignment? Is it possible to fix it? Or should I just do what they suggested and swap the rear axle with a good one?
in a parts store ,the are always willing to guess at parts and guess wrong, they make money no matter what you buy. ( day in an day out they do it) ask your self , how can they possible know what is wrong.?
neither do I.
question, how long has car Howled. 1 day , 1 year or ?
did it get worse each day for did it start all at once.?
IMHO:
first, find out what is wrong and then fix that.
I recommend you have the car RACKed and tested.
as up on a hydralic lift and run tested.
Pay for diagnosis and you will be money ahead.
your car can have a very simple problem.
imagine paying $500 and being back at square one.
if you want a quick and easy fix, just pay some one to do a diagnosis and no repair. Cheap and wont have to do the risky tests yourself.
standing next to spinning mud tires is not exactly safe, with
stethoscopy in ears.
it is done like ,the story of removing the thorn from tigers paw.
very carefully and slowly, keeping proper distances.
a rotating drive shaft can haul you in and roll you up like a rag doll.
ask farmers about PTO horrors.
but just lifting and listening say 3 foot away , one can determine
what end of car is noisy and if it is left or right.
information worth lots of money , to a guesser.
thats my help.
I had a friend with a POS new ford explorer. all the kings horses and dealers could not find why the SUV shook like a mad dog at 55mph.
They had to buy it back as a limon. (after new everything! )
Last ford he will ever own. ( Imagine they could not fix their own POS)
I have one last hint , drive line noise can TELEGRAPH.
that means a problem way over there , sends the noise to some other place. It is a sad fact , that is why a stethoscope is so important.
hope I have helped you and not confused you.
keep in mind that loose mounts , can make driveline part go into harmonic oscillations. Mounts can be very tricky customers.
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Drive Train Noise
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