Grinding noise when shifting gears

Albert1234 · 06-16-2004, 07:15 PM

Sometimes when I shift from park to reverse, or from reverse to drive, there is a momentary grinding noise as the gears change. It seems to only happen when the truck hasn't been driven in a while (ie. engine and transmission are cold) and when it is parked on a slight incline (when I say slight, I mean like 5 degrees).

Is anyone else having this problem? I'm hesitant to have the dealer start poking around when I can't always reproduce the problem, and when a solution may not be known.

Some additional information added later:

I do NOT hear this noise with the windows rolled up. I only noticed it as the weather got warmer and it stopped raining so could actually roll down the windows.

The noise is definitely not brake groan. It is higher in pitch and sounds like gear teeth meshing together. It only lasts a split second. It doesn't happen every time.

SUBTITAN · 06-16-2004, 08:12 PM

I'm sorry to here that. Have you checked your tranny oil level? I have not had this happen to mine. Better to take it now than when it finally will not shift at all.

Sammy Sandbag · 06-16-2004, 08:15 PM

Have you been disengaging the parking brake after shifting to D or R and also engaging it before shifting into park? This will take some of the stress off the tranny and makes your first and last shifts easier.

titansurveyor · 06-16-2004, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammy sandbag

Have you been disengaging the parking brake before shifting to D or R and also engaging it before shifting into park? This will take some of the stress off the tranny and makes your first and last shifts easier.

That's what I told the dealer when I took it in for the same thing, she said " I've never heard of anyone engageing the parking brake before putting it in to park." I said well that's how I do it so there isn't as much stress on the tranny. She said that I didn't have to do that and I was making it worse. I just about came unglued. To make a long story short, they did nothing now I am taking it to another dealer.

Sammy Sandbag · 06-16-2004, 09:21 PM

She sounds like a real bright one.

BTW, I meant to say "disengaging the parking brake after shifting to D or R" earlier, it's been fixed now.

z3axv · 06-17-2004, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammy sandbag

She sounds like a real bright one.

BTW, I meant to say "disengaging the parking brake after shifting to D or R" earlier, it's been fixed now.

What I like to do before slipping into Park is to engage the parking brake while in Neutral and let the parking brake catch. Then I slip it in park. It's been evident to me that it makes a difference because rarely if ever do I get a clunk when shifting out of Park. I've seen people on boat ramps not use their parking brake and allow the tranny to absorb the full stress when they slip into park with the boat still hitched up. Clunk Clunk when they slip it into Drive or Reverse again.

Sammy Sandbag · 06-17-2004, 07:10 AM

That exactly what I was saying to do, except you can do it while still in drive or reverse most of the time, it will still rest off of the parking brake and allow the drive line to turn that extra bit to adjust to the final resting position. The only gear that doesn't allow the movement is P.

dman · 06-18-2004, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albert1234

Sometimes when I shift from park to reverse, or from reverse to drive, there is a momentary grinding noise as the gears change. It seems to only happen when the truck hasn't been driven in a while (ie. engine and transmission are cold) and when it is parked on a slight incline (when I say slight, I mean like 5 degrees).

Is anyone else having this problem? I'm hesitant to have the dealer start poking around when I can't always reproduce the problem, and when a solution may not be known.

I'm not saying this is what you are hearing for sure or not, but when I put my Titan into gear, unless the regular, not parking brake is pushed in enough, I will hear a little groaning noise from the brakes as the truck moves ever so slightly.

Albert1234 · 06-19-2004, 03:09 PM

I checked my transmission fluid and it was fine.

I'm positive the noise is not brake groan. Sometimes, like after it rains, I'll hear brake groan a split second after I hear this noise. The brake groan is definitely lower in pitch.

I don't quite understand the comments about the parking brake. Isn't the parking brake simply a cable which pulls on the rear calipers? By stepping on the regular brake pedal, aren't I, in effect, activating the parking brake as well?

skyhammer · 06-19-2004, 04:26 PM

Putting on the parking brake first takes the stress off of the parking gear in the transmission. If you park on an incline, up or down hill you can actually break the parking gear when you go to put the transmission in gear. It all depends upon how steep the incline is. Where I live in the mountains nobody puts their transmission in park before ingaging the parking brake. If you don't believe me jusr try putting on the parking brake first, I bet your problem will be solved. Also, this subject was discussed at some length on another thread about a month ago. The titan seems to be more sensitive than some other vechicles, but I have experienced this on all of my auto transmissions.

IMADOGMAN · 06-19-2004, 05:31 PM

If you shift your transmission into Park while holding the brake pedal down, and then apply your parking brake before you take your foot off of the brakes, it has the same effect.
All you are trying to accomplish, is to keep the Park gear from holding the weight of the vehicle.
Then, before you release the Parking brake, shift into R or D.

Make sense?

SUBTITAN · 06-19-2004, 05:45 PM

Lets make sure were talking about the right noise Albert1234 also said it grinds from reverse to drive which has nothing to do with the parking brake. The noise you all are talking about doesn't sound like a grind to me but more of a thump. Albert1234 could you elaborate on the noise.

Albert1234 · 06-19-2004, 09:15 PM

The noise is definitely NOT a thump, but like gear teeth meshing together. It only lasts a split second, and is higher in pitch than ordinary brake groan.

One more thing I forgot to mention in my original post, I do NOT hear this noise with the windows rolled up. I only noticed it as the weather got warmer and it stopped raining so I could actually open the windows. I'll edit my original post to include this.

SUBTITAN · 06-19-2004, 10:27 PM

If you end up taking it in, it sounds like a problem thats going to be hard to reproduce for the dealer. You might have to leave your truck over night at the service department so when they look at it they can reproduce the problem. If I were you I would personally be there to ensure they're not missing any steps, or leave explicit instructions.

BudmanHemi · 06-19-2004, 10:44 PM

The trans has what they call a line transducer. What it does is pack the clutch plates with fluid during every shift. Your trans is not getting the proper fluid, is not meshing your syncronizers. Go to dealer, and tell them your trans is sounds like is not meshing together with windows rolled down. If they dont figure it out. mention syncronizers, and computer. On the hemi the whole TCM wire pull is exactly this. This is what them guys will go through in about 50k. Shifts harder, but no fluid for smooth shifting.