Unknown noise.

[[ChaosweaveR]]

Damn that sucks.

Might have cracked a line, do you have an external trans cooler? Or is it built into the radiator?

[Frosty]

That's possible, but unlikely in my opinion.

Cars of that era were built with the trans cooler as part of the radiator, unless an aftermarket trans cooler was added. My guesses are in order of likeliness:

1. leaking front transmission pump or pump seal (the car is over 30 years old)

2. loose transmission pan bolts

3. old/ruined transmission oil pan gasket

4. leaking out the yoke / tail

5. leaking transmission lines (at radiator or tranny)

6. broken/loose tranny dipstick (where it goes into the tranny)

7. cracked tranny case or pan

If it is the front pump then you are looking at having to remove the transmission for at least a new seal. It might be worth having the tranny inspected. It might be time/opportunity for a rebuild. Granted, a rebuild ain't cheap. It might also be time to put a shift kit in it too.

Who knows.......besides "The Shadow"?

[[ChaosweaveR]]

Yeah, it is old.

The pan, I couldn't see being the issue unless there was a big crack in the pan. A bad gasket/lose pan bolts would just be a slow leak, and not cause a big puddle like that. I'm underneath leaky cars all the time with bad oil pan and trans pan gaskets, and they never leave large puddles like Mike is talking about.

Me thinks it's a line, or the pump seal is bad for sure.

[Frosty]

True, but he did say that it sat for a week too.

[notallthere]

I beat my head against a wall about my truck's transmission leaking and it was the speedo cable seal in it.

[havoc1482]

The puddle was on a piece of cardboard. The puddle was about 6in diameter of liquid with about 1in more of stained cardboard around it, plus it got so soaked into the cardboard that it was on the floor underneath. The area with the stain was below the pan of the transmission. My dad just told me to talk to Doug (our mechanic that the Phoenix is at now) about it. I told him no rush and he said when he gets some spare time he will put it up on the lift and do a little inspection.

And yeah she was sitting for about a week and a half with little activity. When I did put those 2 quarts in she was driving fine for a good amount of time, but as soon as she sat in the cold garage for that extended time that noise was back before I even got to the end of my driveway.

[Frosty]

Any update or diagnosis yet?

[havoc1482]

Any update or diagnosis yet?

Dropped about $500 bucks into her.

I needed a new gas tank, gas lines, and transmission gaskets.

I actually found out today, my dad texted me and I told him to pull it from my account. Although he messaged me back saying "Merry Christmas " so I don't know who is paying haha

Needed to be done though.

[Frosty]

Dropped about $500 bucks into her.

I needed a new gas tank, gas lines, and transmission gaskets.

I actually found out today, my dad texted me and I told him to pull it from my account. Although he messaged me back saying "Merry Christmas " so I don't know who is paying haha

Needed to be done though.

OK, I can see needing a new gas tank and hard lines. Replace all the rubber hose that comes in contact with fueld vapor too. This is an absolute must do. As I've explained before: rubber breaks down with time, UV exposure and use. Worst yet, the original fuel hose was formulated with the gas blends of the day when it was built. Fuel formulations have changed dramatically since then and today's fuels can help ruin your rubber hose from the inside out. Modern fuel hose is made for today's fuel formulation. Most, if not all, car show judges will not deduct points for modern hoses. It is a safety issue. Plus you can purchase modern hose with the correct GM stamped hoses from most aftermarket/OER companies, if you are worried about correct concurs level looks.

Now for the transmission gaskets, is that the source of you leak and perhaps your unknown noise (i.e. low tranny fluid)? I am still worried that the noise and perhaps the leak issue are still not totally resolved yet. We won't know that until you get these things fixed and drive it around a bit. I hope so.

[Jedi3]

I actually found out today, my dad texted me and I told him to pull it from my account. Although he messaged me back saying "Merry Christmas " so I don't know who is paying haha

Needed to be done though.

Santa is silly!

.

[havoc1482]

What the f*cking hell.... I just got the Phoenix back and the first day it was fine. Today going to school there was this clicking noise coming from the rear passenger wheel area. It sounded like something was on the tire slapping the wheel well. Then I noticed that my speedometer was jumping between 50 and 35 MPH when I knew I was going about 40 MPH. The car then stalled and that f*cking noise came back!

I'm beginning to lose hope that I'll ever get to enjoy driving this car again.

[[ChaosweaveR]]

It's the joys of owning a 40 year old car!

My car is creeping on 10 years, and it's starting to make noises it isn't supposed to make.

[Frosty]

What the f*cking hell.... I just got the Phoenix back and the first day it was fine. Today going to school there was this clicking noise coming from the rear passenger wheel area. It sounded like something was on the tire slapping the wheel well. Then I noticed that my speedometer was jumping between 50 and 35 MPH when I knew I was going about 40 MPH. The car then stalled and that f*cking noise came back!

I'm beginning to lose hope that I'll ever get to enjoy driving this car again.

Interesting....if the speedo is jumping make sure the flexshaft connections to both the speedo and tranny are totally solid. A tight but unsecured flexshaft can do that. Is the connection to the flexshaft at the tranny loose and/or leaking? It's a bitch to get your hand up into the dash to make sure it's connected - epsecially with an A/C car but you have to do it. Feel if the cable is loose. It must be pushed in all the way until you hear or feel it click in securely.

Tire slapping you say? Check your tires very closely. Perhaps you have had a steel belt separate or broken inside your tire. Makes a helluva vibration at speed if it's bad enough. Look for any possible tire distortion. If something looks wrong, take it to a tire dealer.

[havoc1482]

Taking it home after school I only noticed that transmission noise. The spedo was working just fine and I didn't hear that slapping kinda noise. My car just isn't a cold morning person.

[havoc1482]

Have fun. Don't hurt your ears with this one. I managed to capture the noise.

[killerspeed101]

was it doing this before you took it to get fixed?

[havoc1482]

yes

[killerspeed101]

torque converter maybe?

[Ringo64]

Is it worse than before you took it in?

[havoc1482]

Is it worse than before you took it in?

no

[Frosty]

Thanks for recording this, this is interesting.

It may not be the transmission. I say that since your noise was coming from the car when the car was idling in park and not in gear, so only your toque converter and front pump were running in the transmission. It might be your exhaust system. Leaky exhaust systems are noisey!

1. Do a manual inspection of your entire exhaust system from the back of the muffler forward to the exhaust manifolds. Look for small rust or pin holes, on the muffler and especially where two pipes come together. Feel the pipe with your hand where the pipe faces the body since you might not see a small hole there. If you have a single exhaust, check the Y-pipe where the two sides of the Y-pipe come together. I recommend using a bare hand. Put the car on a lift or jack stands while the car is cold. Any suspect areas tap them with a small screw driver to see if its solid.

2. Check the bolt connection between the exhaust manifold flange and down pipe. See if the flange gasket is blown or just replace it if has been on there a long while. Gaskets are cheap.

3. Finally, my last thought is a possible blown exhaust manifold gasket. It makes a helluva racket at idle and low speed and then quiets down (somewhat) the faster you go (i.e. as the motor spins faster). You can sometimes tell if you feel pressurized air with your hand near the manifold with the engine running. A small piece of tissue paper might also help.

I am willing to go out on a limb and guess it may well be the manifold gaskets. I say that since those gaskets are probably original to the car and your car is 30+ years old. The rest of the exhaust system has mostly likely been replaced a few times over the decades as the original pipes and muffler rusted out decades ago. I suspect your exhaust system is a quite a bit newer than the rest of the car.

I have had a blown exhaust manifold gasket before. Sounds almost like a lifter going bad. If you find any holes in the pipe, mufflers, or gaskets, then obviously this stuff needs to be replaced. If you need to replace the exhaust system, this might be your opportunity to get a performance muffler.

Now I know this doesn't obviously tie into the tranny fluid issue. However, you might have had a minimally leaky tranny problem anyway. You might have more than one problem with this car.

[havoc1482]

In that video the car was in Drive but I had the Parking brake in so it wouldn't move. It was in Park when the video started but just before I got out you can hear the ratcheting of the parking brake when I press it. The noise it really loud when I'm idling in gear, either Drive or Reverse.

Oh and my exhaust is 2 strait pipes. Actually now that I think of it. You know how sometimes the car just puffs smoke out when you just start a car? Like a quick *Puff* *Puff* *Puff* not like a smoke screen like when its cold. Well the noise is more prevalent on the passenger side, and the passenger side exhaust always has less of a "Puff" than the driver.

Now you have just witnessed how I solve problems, with strange logic.

[Frosty]

In that video the car was in Drive but I had the Parking brake in so it wouldn't move. It was in Park when the video started but just before I got out you can hear the ratcheting of the parking brake when I press it. The noise it really loud when I'm idling in gear, either Drive or Reverse.

Oh and my exhaust is 2 strait pipes. Actually now that I think of it. You know how sometimes the car just puffs smoke out when you just start a car? Like a quick *Puff* *Puff* *Puff* not like a smoke screen like when its cold. Well the noise is more prevalent on the passenger side, and the passenger side exhaust always has less of a "Puff" than the driver.

Now you have just witnessed how I solve problems, with strange logic.

Ummmm.....ah...never mind.

[havoc1482]

Ummmm.....ah...never mind.

Hey! I'm just saying because if I have an exhaust leak it could be coming out other places. Leave me alone, I feel like a retard now

......water vapor

[Frosty]

Hey! I'm just saying because if I have an exhaust leak it could be coming out other places. Leave me alone, I feel like a retard now

......water vapor

I understand. Dignity is over rated.