OTR18WHEELER

The best way to describe it is a faint growling type sound coming from under the shifter console area, it changes pitch with the engine rpm's in gear while driving or in neutral, it almost sounds like a blower fan, but is definitly engine rpm related. I do have a power steering leak, and the fluid level was below the lower check mark on the stick. I topped off the fluid when I got home, but have not driven yet. Anyone have any Ideas of what else to check?

James Bailey

torque tube bearings going away...starts as hum, turns into whine, then growl progressing to rattle rattle bang bang......

IcemanG17

what he said x 1,000,000

SteveG

You didn't drive, but did you run the engine after topping it off? And it still growled??

danglerb

I replaced TT, new clutch, and it appears now to be input bearing on transmission for me.

OTR18WHEELER

correct, and yes. drove it today, and am definite it is not the PS

Randy V

Perhaps it's a panther?

The cologne is made with real bits of panther and 60% of the time it's guaranteed to work every time.

OTR18WHEELER

This is what I suspect, Yesterday I was listening to the underside, growling sound is emanating from the drivetrain, but difficult to pinpoint an exact location. I do not have any exhaust leaks, or Panthers under there. The A/T fluid level was just above the lower fluid level mark on the reservoir after a 10 mile drive.

Ducman82

Bearings or flex plate

dr bob

FWIW, a mechanic's stethoscope is your friend when trying to localize bearing noises. With the car safely on stands, start it, then rool underneath with the stethoscope. You should be able to find where the TT bearings are based on the sounds, and be able to hear noises from the input bearings at the gearbox end. Since you know the character of the sound you hear in the car, finding the source of that particular noise should take no more than minutes with the right listening device.

No need to go expensive or exotic on the stethoscope. Simple/cheap ones work fine for this.

OTR18WHEELER

Update...
While I had the car up on jack stands for rear brakes and fluid flush, I started the car and put it in gear to run in and test, I noticed there was no growling panthers sound., but when the car was back on the ground, the growling returned. what does this prove?

John Speake

Panthers prefer to be in the dark ?

Flex plate tension released ?

OTR18WHEELER

UPDATE (with pictures)
still in search of the elusive panthers, I finally got around to checking the flex plate for movement on the shaft splines. First I took some pics throuth the inspection hole..
[IMG][/IMG]
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seeing that it had migrated, I had to drop the lower bell housing, luckily I did not have do drop the exhaust to remove the two rear bolts.
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
So I remove the cover and, I found the Panther
[IMG][/IMG]
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[IMG][/IMG]

MjRocket

Ouch!

Dave928S

Holy moly!!!!! That was about to make a big bang and bite you in the wallet.

If there had been a nice solid clutch there it wouldn't have happened ...