Howling Noise, Gets Louder w/Speed *NOT BEARINGS*

[CDW6212R]

I thought you changed all four tires, if it's just two, then I'd suspect the tires are too much of a different diameter. The front drive shaft can have a CV going out, but the boot not torn. If the tires are identical then, the noise would be minimal(mainly in sharp slow turns). As the tires are more different front/back, the stress on the CV is greater.

If the tires are possibly different front to back, but equal left to right, for a short test, swap one from each end(like both rights). That would make the front/rear pair the same again, the truck sees the pairs at each end, as one rotating pinion shaft. A rear LS wouldn't like a big difference, but for a little test, that's no big deal.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

I got a whole set, of 16" wheels, converted it from 15", to clarify, the rear pair are different than the front pair though, they're matching pairs though with equal wear, and measured around with a flexible tape, they actually match, perfectly. Back when I got this truck it had four mismatched tires, all four were different, that caused weird issues, including bad binding when making left hand turns, no idea how long it'd been run that way, years probably, when I put tires on it the first time though, that went away, although the AWD has always seemed odd on this truck, different than normal.

 

[CDW6212R]

Good good. Then the noise shouldn't be the AWD or CV, but if you haven't done it recently, change the AWD fluid again. I've been doing mine often because it was black when I got the truck, now it has much less material in the fluid each time I do it.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

This truck was also exceptionally greasy underneath when I got it, which I considered good in the aspect of no rust there, and it eventually cleaned up under there. I'm going to change the AWD fluid again since it's been a minute, plus I want to see how things are doing, it's not enough fluid to worry about really, vs knowing what's up if anything.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

Fun fact, it stopped randomly today, ahh how nice peace and quiet is, for about a mile, now driving down the road, it goes "Grummmp", every 3 seconds at 45, and speeds up as you go faster, and at a super slow speed it's "Adugga adugga adugga", assuming I'm making any sense. Anyhow I stopped, got out, looked under the front, and at the front driveshaft, nothing stood out, so back in, drove down the road. Got home, happen so I had to make a hard left, slowed down, went to make said left only to get greeted with "BANG...BANG...BANG", only with the wheels at a full lock, to the left. It's not tires rubbing, I'm thinking the driver's side CV is failing, but in the interest of complete threads I want input.

 

[CDW6212R]

Get another close look at it, jack it up and see if anything looks odd. If it all looks fine, Pull the front wheels and see how the axles feel. I think I'd lift just the left front off the ground, then the wheel, so the right is held still, and see how the left axle feels. It does sound like something is loose or breaking.

If the front parts still seem okay, I'd pull the front drive shaft, and test drive it(without WOT). Doing that, I'd be trying to duplicate the sounds, or see if they go away.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

So, I'm certain almost of two things, one it WAS on the driver's side, and two it's gone silent all by itself, as well as the tire howling?

 

[CDW6212R]

Keep looking, watch and listen for another change. What does the TC fluid look like, that doesn't get changed often enough of course. I'm about to do mine again, for my work I think twice a year might be about right.

I had the Ford shop manager tell me to do it once a year back in 2004. They were already getting people coming in with mismatched tires for AWD Explorers, he told me to watch the color each year. My 98 Mountaineer has been flawless, the AWD anyway, I hope it remains a great spare.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

I am, at the mileage I wonder some if it's the AWD case getting tired and having tired spells, the fluid continues to look good, so I'll likely run it until it destructs, then either 4WD swap or replace the case.

 

[CDW6212R]

I'm going to have to rebuild one, and get another AWD possibly, open it up and see what's going to take to rebuild. I hope I can swap mine around, do a BW4406, build the AWD, stick that in my Mercury, build that AWD, and put that in my 99 with 302/4R. I like them for smooth operation and long life with proper tires and fluid changes.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

I'd like to rebuild one myself, junked V8s are common here, except in 99-01s, and I know where at least one that's blown is.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

So, this got interesting, was backing out a parking place, and heard the worst bang you've ever heard, followed by two more just like it, then, for ten miles or so, was the worst kind of racket, all sorts of noises, rattles, clicks, bangs and various forms of self destruction. In interest of not paying $200 to have it towed, or borrowing a trailer or really dealing with it period, I drove it slowly home. Well about a mile out, all the noises stopped except for a "wooh wooh wooh" that's very faint, and only audible at super slow speeds, since then, it's been great, no problems right? Well right, except I now have the 2WD V8. Cause of noise? Transfer case.

*Edit* Haven't decided what I'm going to do here yet, any choice involves rebuilding the case, replacing the case with an identical unit, or when V8 Eddie is done soon, doing a dedicated 4WD swap.

 

[CDW6212R]

Ouch, you got the good and bad news at once finally. I hope you can deal with the AWD easily.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

What I'm curious about in all this is, what in the failing made such a awful noise? The shafts and all are tight so I'm assuming the coupling just bound up and the noise was front diff and it's just worn to where it won't "grab" anymore.

 

[CDW6212R]

It's probably inside the TC if nothing forward of it seems abnormal.

 

[gmbroy]

at first guess i was say the noise was the chain in the TC . saying bye bye . good luck & keep us informed .

 

[Mbrooks420]

I’d second that most of the noise was probably from a broken chain rattling around in there and getting broken up. Luckily it didn’t bind up and break the case.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

The plan is to just grab a case out the junkyard since they're almost free here and I know where a 166K mile case is on a clean 97, and swap it, the driveshafts and all look identical to mine, same bolts and all, or at least I hope so, I already have the driveshafts from this truck for my 2001 I'm swapping, then tear this one apart to see what all is going on in there.

 

[CDW6212R]

The only difference is supposed to be the VSS sensor built into the 96/97 versions. I hope it's simple and rebuildable with normal tools. Let's see some pictures of the blown TC too, when you get a chance.

 

[gmbroy]

Id like to aď a second on the pics of the busted up TC .