Unknown noise.

[havoc1482]

I made a quick video to capture a noise that my car makes. It comes from the transmission/engine area and that is all I can tell you. I'm not sure what it is. Torque Converter? Cracked Flywheel? It only does it when the car slows and or stopped. Help me lol.

I believe this is a THM200 Transmission if that helps.

IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO HEAR ME BABBLE ON LIKE USUAL SKIP TO 2:10 IN THE VIDEO!

At the end of the video I said I was unsuccessful, but I was, I just didn't know it. At 2:10 the camera picks up on it. The rest of the video after that is just me talking and asking a few questions n stuff.

Anyways enjoy.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qji8HWJKZOg

[Jedi3]

First off lol @ you freaking out at the start of the video, 2nd im famous you mentioned my name. 3rd off your ramblings just make me lol I love your videos! 4th I love your headliner lol nice view for us lol.

[Frosty]

Dude, I love your ramblins' ROFL!!!! I am hurt you didn't mention me!!!! Just kiddin'.

Some things for you to look at and consider:

Hesitation - check your carb fuel filter, it might be getting dirty. If not, you might need to clean or re-jet the carb. Also check your timing and see if the vacuum advance is working. Plugs, plug wires, distributor cap should be checked, gaped, and cleaned. Lastly look for any vacuum leaks.

Is the Phoenix powered by a Pontiac or Chevy V8? If it is Chevy, SBC are notorious for piston slap which you can not get rid of. I knew GM engineers who worked for years on the 4.3L trying to eliminate it. Other things that you might check is to pop off your valve covers and check to see if any of your push rods or rockers are loose or need tightening. Also with the covers off, is there any sludge build up?

Tranny - when was the last time the oil and filter were changed? If you've never replaced it, then check it. Look for metal in the pan. You might be needing a rebuild if there is metal in the pan. The clutch disks could be going causing it to slip. Fresh oil and filter won't hurt. Now would also be a good time to install a synthetic ATF oil like Royal Purple to help reduce friction.

[markpetersonii]

"Ooooo A Fiero!"

It does sound like the piston slap, not so much the tranny.

Almost like the sound that my Ranger made right before the engine cut out... :/

[havoc1482]

Dude, I love your ramblins' ROFL!!!! I am hurt you didn't mention me!!!! Just kiddin'.

Some things for you to look at and consider:

Hesitation - check your carb fuel filter, it might be getting dirty. If not, you might need to clean or re-jet the carb. Also check your timing and see if the vacuum advance is working. Plugs, plug wires, distributor cap should be checked, gaped, and cleaned. Lastly look for any vacuum leaks.

Is the Phoenix powered by a Pontiac or Chevy V8? If it is Chevy, SBC are notorious for piston slap which you can not get rid of. I knew GM engineers who worked for years on the 4.3L trying to eliminate it. Other things that you might check is to pop off your valve covers and check to see if any of your push rods or rockers are loose or need tightening. Also with the covers off, is there any sludge build up?

Tranny - when was the last time the oil and filter were changed? If you've never replaced it, then check it. Look for metal in the pan. You might be needing a rebuild if there is metal in the pan. The clutch disks could be going causing it to slip. Fresh oil and filter won't hurt. Now would also be a good time to install a synthetic ATF oil like Royal Purple to help reduce friction.

Okay Funny story. After I reviewed the video. I was like "shit! I should-a said Frosty because hes gonna be the one who know this stuff"

The filter is clean and that inst the issue. It still made that noise sometimes even with a brand new one.

Covers? Valve Covers? Haven't taken them off.

Is there a special way to find vacuum leaks besides listening/looking?

It is a Chevrolet 305ci V8 99xxx Miles. Are you talking about Transmission oil and filter? Because I haven't changed that and I don't know how.

[Ringo64]

I was mentioned too!!! All the rambles were awesome

Unfortunately I have nothing else to add then to suggest Pistons and also double check the tranny oil

[havoc1482]

Okay so I looked at my transmission fluid level..... I need some lol

[Ringo64]

Let's hope that clears it up

[havoc1482]

What type of ATF do I need for a THM200?

[Jedi3]

pennzoil multi vehicle automatic transmission fluid.

To check your tranny fluid. (check the right way!)

1. car warm

2. foot on break and go thru all the gears. (several times)

3. leave car running and check the level.

car off and cold gives a faulse reading and you could blow the tranny having too much fluid in it.

.................

trannys are easy to change the fluid ect.

1. drop the pan. (lots of bolts)

2. pull off old filter

3. clean off old gasget

4. pop on new filter

5. clean pan really good

6. put on new gasget

7. bolt the pan back on.

8. fill tranny with the proper amount of fluid. (youll have to find out how much it takes. Im guessing it 10 or 12 quarts but im not sure)

9. see my directions to check levels above.

10. done

thats really it in a nutshell.

[havoc1482]

pennzoil multi vehicle automatic transmission fluid.

To check your tranny fluid. (check the right way!)

1. car warm

2. foot on break and go thru all the gears. (several times)

3. leave car running and check the level.

This is exactly what I did to check the levels.

I feel as though I should go the whole nine yards and change it because it looks like there isn't much fluid left anyways

[Frosty]

What type of ATF do I need for a THM200?

Look for Dextron II or better ATF oil. It should say on the bottle that it is for GM specifications. Ford uses Mercron I beleive. Check your owners manual for the oil recommendation, how much oil it take, what tranny filter (and gasket) it takes (your local parts shop should be able to look it up too).

As for vacuum leaks, inspect all your hoses for cracks and replace anything that is bad. Don't assume anything when you are looking at each hose, vacuum port, or cap. Look around the carb and intake too, check to see if any vacuum ports are open, if so cap it. If the car has all original hoses, then I would suggest that you replace them all.

Old hoses that are 30+ years old break down from the inside out due to three things: today's modern fuels formuation (unlead gas today is no the same from 20-40 years ago), age, and UV exposure. Replace anything that comes in contact with fuel or fuel vapors with modern fuel hose, including the vacuum lines and the fuel hose connected to the fuel tank. You can help prevent a vehicle fire this way.

As a case in point, on my Lemans, I had the small 3-4 inch rubber hose that runs between my gas tank and the hard lines. It was hard as a rock on the outside but it had cracks in it. I think I replaced it just in time.

One last suggestion, test your vacuum advance. Do this by taking the distributor cap off, and sucking on a piece of hose that is connected to it to see if the advance arm moves with vacuum. The vacuum advance maybe bad and may need to be replaced. If this is the case, then the only advance you are getting is with engine speed and the weights and springs within the distributor. That will cause some hesitation too.

One more thing about hesitation in general, check your timing. Maybe you need one or two degrees of advance timing. You need a timing gun to check that.

I hope this helps.....

[havoc1482]

Okay so I went to my local CarQuest store and picked up 2 quarts of CarQuest DEX/MERC Automatic Transmission Fluid. I put them both in an let it settle for about 5 min. Then I started the car, warmed it up to regular idle. I then proceeded to take it around town for a quick spin and I didn't hear the noise and then engine sounded smoother.

I think the low fluid levels would cause the TC to build up a little pressure and then slip cause the engine to rev for a split second. (Feel free to correct me, I'm only using my knowledge on how TCs work and logical reasoning)

I also did not hear that rattling noise at all.

This was only a first drive so I will keep you guys posted on anything new.

[Jedi3]

cool thats great news!

[Ringo64]

Hopefully that will fix your problem!

[havoc1482]

Cold morning out in the 413 today. I got up early and warmed her up. Ate some chocolate chip Eggos, then off to my 15 mile trek to school.

The whole ride felt smooth. The engine was running smoother, it kept the constant low rumble that a V8 should have. In constant stop and go traffic I didn't not hear that rattling noise at all. In fact, my transmission tunnel wasn't hot like it normally gets (I still have my carpets out so I could feel the heat if I touched it) Me thinks the transmission is staying cooler now also.

It also took off as so as I hit the pedal, no hesitation. It is amazing how a multitude of problems can be fixed with one simple solution.

Now I can finally get to what I wanted to do:

Black Carpets

Black Buckets

Black Rear Bench

Knock on wood that these problems don't return.

[Jedi3]

Yea down 2 quarts will do that!

[Ringo64]

Yea down 2 quarts will do that!

[Frosty]

Cold morning out in the 413 today. I got up early and warmed her up. Ate some chocolate chip Eggos, then off to my 15 mile trek to school.

The whole ride felt smooth. The engine was running smoother, it kept the constant low rumble that a V8 should have. In constant stop and go traffic I didn't not hear that rattling noise at all. In fact, my transmission tunnel wasn't hot like it normally gets (I still have my carpets out so I could feel the heat if I touched it) Me thinks the transmission is staying cooler now also.

It also took off as so as I hit the pedal, no hesitation. It is amazing how a multitude of problems can be fixed with one simple solution.

Now I can finally get to what I wanted to do:

Black Carpets

Black Buckets

Black Rear Bench

Knock on wood that these problems don't return.

So have we learned a lesson about constantly checking fluid levels in our classic cars???? Old cars are funny that way. They love constant TLC. Checking fluids is a must for these old gals.

The fact that you were 2 quarts down bothers me. Where did it go? Any small leaks or puddles on the driveway or garage floor? Anything on the torque converter cover, chassis or exhaust? Any leaks around the radiator cooling lines? In time, small leaks can lead to bigger leaks or being stranded if not addressed.

I have an engine leak that causes me to put 2-3 quarts of oil in my Lemans everytime I go to Charleston WV and back (about 1000 miles round trip from Michigan). It drove me crazy. No serious puddles anywhere. I ended up buying a Tracerline TP-8621 leak detection kit with a UV/black light flashlight and special dyes to detect the leak. You can get them from Summit Racing for about $60 + S&H. It can do engine, transmission, diff, power steering, coolant, or A/C leak detection. You just have to use the approriate fluid dye. Another useful diagnostic tool for your bag of tricks.

So where are you going to get your new interior seat covers and carpet? Local upholestry shop or some Nova/Ventura/Phoenix speciality store? I am lucky that both the Lemans and Trans Am are covered through Legendary Auto Interiors, Year One, OPGI, and other speciality catalogs. My upholestrer says that Legendary are the best he's ever seen. They just don't cover X-bodies in their catalog that I can tell. Too bad - I would think the Nova market would be a welcome addition for them. A pity really.

One last word of advice on the seats. Have the springs checked and replace any old broken down foam with new foam. It will be a lot more comfortable in the end.

One final word on carpet. Consider replacing the factory sound deadener or adding Hushmat / Dynamat / sound and heat material to it while the carpet is up. Now is also a good time to run good speaker wire for those speakers and sub-woofer you've also wanted. Also, a copy of the build sheet of your car should be tucketd under the back seat. It would be a valueable document to have, to see how your car was actually built. I shouldn't have to tell you to inspect the floor boards for rust do I?

[havoc1482]

So have we learned a lesson about constantly checking fluid levels in our classic cars???? Old cars are funny that way. They love constant TLC. Checking fluids is a must for these old gals.

Indeed haha

The fact that you were 2 quarts down bothers me. Where did it go? Any small leaks or puddles on the driveway or garage floor? Anything on the torque converter cover, chassis or exhaust? Any leaks around the radiator cooling lines? In time, small leaks can lead to bigger leaks or being stranded if not addressed.

There is this very small hole on what seems to be a cover below the transmission. I want to say that it is plastic with and the hole is towards the front. I'll have to look at it tomorrow. I do notice little puddles when I let her sit for a few days. Now remember, I've had this rattling issue for a long time, it is no recent development. It went away during the summer and came back when it got colder out (ie recently).

Nothing around the radiator area. My car had no radiator when I bought it. It was gobbled up by a 77 Ventura. I had a new one put in when we bought it, so the radiator hoses are brand new.

I have an engine leak that causes me to put 2-3 quarts of oil in my Lemans everytime I go to Charleston WV and back (about 1000 miles round trip from Michigan). It drove me crazy. No serious puddles anywhere. I ended up buying a Tracerline TP-8621 leak detection kit with a UV/black light flashlight and special dyes to detect the leak. You can get them from Summit Racing for about $60 + S&H. It can do engine, transmission, diff, power steering, coolant, or A/C leak detection. You just have to use the approriate fluid dye. Another useful diagnostic tool for your bag of tricks.

I'll look into that, It would definatly help my identify what causes any leaks.

So where are you going to get your new interior seat covers and carpet? Local upholstery shop or some Nova/Ventura/Phoenix specialty store? I am lucky that both the Lemans and Trans Am are covered through Legendary Auto Interiors, Year One, OPGI, and other specialty catalogs. My upholsterer says that Legendary are the best he's ever seen. They just don't cover X-bodies in their catalog that I can tell. Too bad - I would think the Nova market would be a welcome addition for them. A pity really.

One last word of advice on the seats. Have the springs checked and replace any old broken down foam with new foam. It will be a lot more comfortable in the end.

I bought the carpets from JC Whitney. The front seat issue hasn't been figured out quite yet. My buddy's buddy is giving away a pair of black buckets and I told him, do just get them because they are free haha.

The rear bench I'm getting the outside. The current stuff on it is cracked and dry. The foam and springs are surprisingly still good, just a bit of dryness on the surface of the foam. I plan to try and replace an springs that seem weak or have lost their elasticity.

One final word on carpet. Consider replacing the factory sound deadener or adding Hushmat / Dynamat / sound and heat material to it while the carpet is up. Now is also a good time to run good speaker wire for those speakers and sub-woofer you've also wanted. Also, a copy of the build sheet of your car should be tucked under the back seat. It would be a valuable document to have, to see how your car was actually built

.

There are already speaker wires running strait into the trunk that work, just no speakers. Once again, a 77 Ventura gobbled them up.

And for the sound dampener, My dad was going to get some Dynamat for our boat, and he said he might get some for the Phoenix as well.

I shouldn't have to tell you to inspect the floor boards for rust do I?

Nope

[Frosty]

There is this very small hole on what seems to be a cover below the transmission. I want to say that it is plastic with and the hole is towards the front. I'll have to look at it tomorrow. I do notice little puddles when I let her sit for a few days. Now remember, I've had this rattling issue for a long time, it is no recent development. It went away during the summer and came back when it got colder out (ie recently).

Nothing around the radiator area. My car had no radiator when I bought it. It was gobbled up by a 77 Ventura. I had a new one put in when we bought it, so the radiator hoses are brand new.

I'll look into that, It would definatly help my identify what causes any leaks. I

Check the small puddles after she sits. If it is black, it oil of some sort (engine mostly like, power steering fluid, or highly unlikely brake fluid). If it is slightly red or pink when you rub it between your finfers, it's tranny fluid. It is mostly likely that the front pump seal between the torque converter and input shaft of the tranny is leaking, This can lead to pump failure, so be on the watch for that. Or you have a tranny pan gasket leak. It is also possible for leaks from the rear output shaft but the oil would be further back in the car and probably a lot more noticeable.

When I mentioned the radiator lines, I am refering to the two hard steel/stainless steel lines that run from the passenger side of the transmission to the passenger side of the radiator to cool the transmission fluid. Not the hoses that run to and from the engine. The hard lines can leak at the tranny or at the radiator if they are not tight enough, the screws are cross threaded, etc. Since it is not the original radiator, it is possible that the lines are not as tight as they may need to be. It's just a thought at this point.

[havoc1482]

When I mentioned the radiator lines, I am refering to the two hard steel/stainless steel lines that run from the passenger side of the transmission to the passenger side of the radiator to cool the transmission fluid. Not the hoses that run to and from the engine. The hard lines can leak at the tranny or at the radiator if they are not tight enough, the screws are cross threaded, etc. Since it is not the original radiator, it is possible that the lines are not as tight as they may need to be. It's just a thought at this point.

I'm positive it isn't brake fluid. I had all of the lines replaces when they blew up ha. And since then I haven't noticed any change in the braking.

Ahh okay. I was wondering what you meant with the radiator. Okay I'll have to take a look at that. How large are these lines? I mean in diameter. Are they big? Small? Easily accessible?

My engine area is still full of that 1970s emissions stuff. So I have hoses/lines everywhere.

[Frosty]

I'm positive it isn't brake fluid. I had all of the lines replaces when they blew up ha. And since then I haven't noticed any change in the braking.

Ahh okay. I was wondering what you meant with the radiator. Okay I'll have to take a look at that. How large are these lines? I mean in diameter. Are they big? Small? Easily accessible?

My engine area is still full of that 1970s emissions stuff. So I have hoses/lines everywhere.

I suspect that would not be brake fluid. You don't have 2 quarts of brake fluid to loose before you might notice a 'slight' stopping problem. Still, the point is there is a dye for that type of fluid and brake fluid can leak for a lot reasons.

The transmission oil cooler hard metal lines are between 3/8 to 1/2 inch in diameter, not rubber. There are two lines, one from and one returning to the radiator. These are hard metal lines that physically screw into your radiator on the passenger side, about 5-12 inches below your radiator cap. You have to use open end wrenches to tighten or loosen them

In the reference picture, do you see the two screw openings between the radiator cap and the lower hose line to the engine? That is where the transmission oil cooler lines connect to the radiator. So you need to check them for leaks as well as where they attach to the transmission.

http://static.speedwaymotors.com/RS/SR/Pro..._L_15825c87.jpg

[havoc1482]

So after havnig her in the garage for about a week I found a puddle of transmission fluid that I almost killed myself on. And the same noise came back. I don't have time to deal with that now so I just brought it to the shop next door and the guy said he take a look at it, assess it, and give me options.

[Ringo64]

Crack in the trans pan?