98 Eddie Bauer zinging sound while I'm driving

[rogueexplorer1]

I swapped the TC module out a little while back as the TC was stuck in 4WD Hi & that cured the issue of steering binding, but now, while I drive in AUTO or 2WD, I get an electric motor zinging sound that runs up & back down. It doesn't change anything as far as speed goes or any other drivability situation. It almost sounds like the TC electric motor is running by itself but doesn't engage & shuts itself off. Thoughts?

 

[410Fortune]

The transfer case Motor shifts and then stops it doesn’t “run” it should only change positions when you turn the knob

I suggest you check your front driveshaft and front end
Get both front tires in the air and spin them… any noise?
Does the noise go with the speed of the engine or the speed of the tires?
Does the noise change when you put it in 4wd?
Does the noise change when you go from straight to turning slightly side to side?

 

[rogueexplorer1]

The transfer case Motor shifts and then stops it doesn’t “run” it should only change positions when you turn the knob

I suggest you check your front driveshaft and front end
Get both front tires in the air and spin them… any noise?
Does the noise go with the speed of the engine or the speed of the tires?
Does the noise change when you put it in 4wd?
Does the noise change when you go from straight to turning slightly side to side?

This is not something that is coming from the driveline, especially in regards to not being consistent with engine rpm, tire speed or driveshaft speed. This is a completely different sound & speed from that. I’ll be driving & all of a sudden I’ll hear this sound like something is revving up. It’s like an electric motor sound, that’s why I call it a zinging sound. It starts from 0 rpm’s, raises to a high rpm then lowers back down & stops. It does it randomly & I can’t figure out how to recreate it. And it’s not the blower motor for the AC or heater, or at least I don’t think it is. It’s a completely different sound than that.

What other electric motors are in there? AC/heater & TC motor. Are there any emissions stuff that runs off electric motors?

 

[410Fortune]

Could be the blend door motor
Which is behind the glove box and activates when you go from hot to cold on the temp dial

Could be the small
Blower fan for the rear ac/ heater located in the back of your center console

Could be rear wiper motor attempting to wipe or rear hatch washer trying to wash

Could be sunroof motor
Or could be the pump for the air ride suspension
The air ride pump I believe is located in the rear of the truck the switch to turn it on and off is the cargo area drivers side behind the access panel

My money is on the blower fan for rear hvac or the air suspension pump

Those are basically all the “motors” in your truck

 

[rogueexplorer1]

Could be the blend door motor
Which is behind the glove box and activates when you go from hot to cold on the temp dial

Could be the small
Blower fan for the rear ac/ heater located in the back of your center console

Could be rear wiper motor attempting to wipe or rear hatch washer trying to wash

Could be sunroof motor
Or could be the pump for the air ride suspension
The air ride pump I believe is located in the rear of the truck the switch to turn it on and off is the cargo area drivers side behind the access panel

My money is on the blower fan for rear hvac or the air suspension pump

Those are basically all the “motors” in your truck

Damn, didn’t know about all those other motors. I’ll check those. Seems like that rear hvac motor or the suspension pump may be the ones. It sounds like the noise comes from a more forward position than way back in cargo area. No sunroof so not that. My rear wiper, washer & defroster doesn’t work & I’ve never toggled that switch on the dash.

The last owner swapped a used motor into it & there are several electrical issues that follow; tach is intermittent; i replaced the wire for the drivers window control buttons as that was weak, rear windows are still weak so maybe that needs a new wire too. Who know what other connections didn’t match up when they did that swap. Thanks for the ideas!

 

[rogueexplorer1]

Just did it twice driving. It seems to happen more when the car is cold, but this time it happened after running it to temp, stopping for a half hour & driving it again. It’s up in the engine bay drivers side. And after replacing the shifter bolt that fell out yesterday, my interior light doesn’t work & the cruise control isn’t working either. Pretty weird.

 

[Big Ed 1]

Just did it twice driving. It seems to happen more when the car is cold, but this time it happened after running it to temp, stopping for a half hour & driving it again. It’s up in the engine bay drivers side. And after replacing the shifter bolt that fell out yesterday, my interior light doesn’t work & the cruise control isn’t working either. Pretty weird.

Are you sure it is not the alternator whining?

 

[rogueexplorer1]

Are you sure it is not the alternator whining?

 

[rogueexplorer1]

Are you sure it is not the alternator whining?

Yes, definitely not the alternator. I've never heard an alternator run up in rpms faster than the engine & then come back down.

Are you taking about a belt whining?

 

[rogueexplorer1]

the sound is happening quite often now & I think it's the starter motor activating while I drive. Obviously it can't engage with a fast spinning flywheel & that's where the zinging sound comes from; bendix gear scraping against the flywheel while both spin. Sounds like this could be a faulty ignition switch that's sending a random signal to the solenoid or I have a pretty good rear main seal leak that I've been putting off cause dropping the tranny & TC is a little too much right now, since this is my daily. This car has had electrical issues ever since I bought it; tach only works randomly; interior lights come & go. Whoever put the used motor in this car probably did shoddy wiring connection work. And now cruise control up & quit.

 

[410Fortune]

98 Eddie Bauer uses a starter relay in the power junction box under the hood

The starter relay is activated by the ignition switch and is grounded by the pcm when it sees a proper security key (pats)

The only way your starter will engage while driving is if the relay is bad or something activates it

I would start the truck, then pull the starter relay and drive it
See if the noise is gone
That way you know it’s the starter or not

Relay r6 in the pjb as shown here

1998 Ford Explorer fuse box diagram - StartMyCar

www.startmycar.com

 

[rogueexplorer1]

98 Eddie Bauer uses a starter relay in the power junction box under the hood

The starter relay is activated by the ignition switch and is grounded by the pcm when it sees a proper security key (pats)

The only way your starter will engage while driving is if the relay is bad or something activates it

I would start the truck, then pull the starter relay and drive it
See if the noise is gone
That way you know it’s the starter or not

Relay r6 in the pjb as shown here

1998 Ford Explorer fuse box diagram - StartMyCar

www.startmycar.com

Thats a great idea, 410!! I was thinking about that relay too! I'll pull that relay tomorrow after I start the car. I'll keep you posted afterwards.

 

[rogueexplorer1]

98 Eddie Bauer uses a starter relay in the power junction box under the hood

The starter relay is activated by the ignition switch and is grounded by the pcm when it sees a proper security key (pats)

The only way your starter will engage while driving is if the relay is bad or something activates it

I would start the truck, then pull the starter relay and drive it
See if the noise is gone
That way you know it’s the starter or not

Relay r6 in the pjb as shown here

1998 Ford Explorer fuse box diagram - StartMyCar

www.startmycar.com

My Owners Guide says the starter/ignition relay is in the #5 spot of the engine bay fuse box. I got a new relay & it's the square 5 post relay & the one my guide points to if a smaller relay. I started the car, pulled the #5 relay & the car died.

But now it won't go into reverse, making the same grinding sound I hear from before, so this may be the issue.

What would cause reverse to try to activate while driving the car in drive? I'm gonna check fluid level. I replaced this trans filter & fluid about 2 years ago, only driving it a little bit since then. I'd say about 2500, maybe 3000 miles.

Could this be a Trans Control Module or possibly a reverse solenoid?

 

[rogueexplorer1]

I'm also thinking that this could be a cable adjustment issues as 1 of the bolts fell out of the shift lever bracket that's next to the steeri8ng column the other day, or possibly something @ the transmission that is misaligned since that cable must have been loose for a while now. I'll check that in the morning.

 

[410Fortune]

Pulling starter relay will not cause truck to stall out
Must have pulled the wrong relay?
I use startmycar fuse box diagrams a lot and they are accurate

1998 Ford Explorer Starter relay - StartMyCar

www.startmycar.com

If your shifter is out of adjustment the truck won’t start unless it’s in park or neutral
There is no reverse solenoid it is a mechanical connection

Good idea to check your shifter cable and alignment… the alignment is checked at the dtrs (digital transmission range sensor) with the column shifter and cable in the neutral position

 

[rogueexplorer1]

Pulling starter relay will not cause truck to stall out
Must have pulled the wrong relay?
I use startmycar fuse box diagrams a lot and they are accurate

1998 Ford Explorer Starter relay - StartMyCar

www.startmycar.com

If your shifter is out of adjustment the truck won’t start unless it’s in park or neutral
There is no reverse solenoid it is a mechanical connection

Good idea to check your shifter cable and alignment… the alignment is checked at the dtrs (digital transmission range sensor) with the column shifter and cable in

I'll try that #6 relay pullout, but I think this is a transmission issue now. The car starts in Park & neutral but only grinds when trying to put it in reverse & Park doesn't stop the vehicle from rolling, making me think the park paw is not engaging as well. Gonna check the cable adjustment from under the truck & see if something is wrong there & if I see anything else that could be causing the no reverse.

If reverse is a mechanically operated shift point, what else would possibly not be letting it shift into reverse? I know low fluid might cause that but could it be something in the valve body or something like that?

 

[rogueexplorer1]

Pulled the relay out & still makes the noise. It must be the tranny making this noise because it sounds just like the noise when I try to shift into reverse.

Looks like I be pulling the tranny out of my 97 Limited parts truck.

 

[410Fortune]

Often the first thing to go in the 5r55e is the reverse gear and 1st gear

How is the fluid? Dark brown and stinks like burned fluid?
These are signs your trans is kapoot

That would explain the noise yes

 

[rogueexplorer1]

Often the first thing to go in the 5r55e is the reverse gear and 1st gear

How is the fluid? Dark brown and stinks like burned fluid?
These are signs your trans is kapoot

That would explain the noise yes

The fluid looks fine. Still has the red hue to it & doesn’t smell burnt. 1st thing I checked. It is getting to the low side of the hash marks in the dipstick so could add some.

 

[410Fortune]

Low mark is still within limits

Fluid level is checked at temp while running on flat ground with trans in park