Spec.B 06 (5EAT) Grinding problem - help apprechiated.

[Xelipher]

Good morning/afternoon everyone! I've been a lurker for a while now, however I have come across a problem I need help with.

 

I am having an on going issue with my Liberty (I'm from down under and that's what we call 'em here) where it will make a grinding type noise most noticble when in the car.

 

I've been told by mutliple mechanics that it's my suspension. I'm no mechanic, however I damn well sure my suspension isn't grinding when the car is stationary. This post is likely going to be all around the place but I'll try pin point everything.

 

My car use to make a grinding type noise like this -

(It's best to listen on a phone or something without much bass, as the recording picks up my exhaust)

 

lately it's been like this (also I discovered today, now that it's worse than it's ever been before, when it's making this noise and I lightly wobble the car left and right it will get slightly more intese when swaying)-

 

Someone at work told me I should also show a video of me revving it to 4-5k then letting of throttle -

 

It was only ever in the mornings and would completely disapear and have no worries after that. The past 1-2 months however, it's been doing it ALL THE WAY down the street, down the freeway ramp and 20 minutes in whilst I'm driving. It does it in park, reverse, nuetral (5EAT) and mostly goes away in Drive when stationary. The wierdest part to me and the other mechanics though, is that it completely dissapears after a 20-30+ minute drive then won't come back until approx 3-4 hours later when I leave it. Once I'm driving, it will happen on most turns/bumps and also when letting off the accelerator too quickly. It is most prominent in 1st gear if I leave it in "manual mode".

 

I've taken it to one of the mechanics near me to look at the flexplate (I've had an engine rebuild last year and I was told this could be the problem) and starter motor possibly not disengaging. Starter motor was fine and they said they don't think it would be the flexplate. They said they could hear the problem whilst the car was hoisted coming from the left side of the front DIFF. Additionally, they also found that the front left wheel didn't spin freely like the others. They "scoped" the inside of the dif and couldn't find any visible damage. So they suspected it was a dif bearing and recomended me to a specialist.

 

Upon taking it to a Tranny/Diff specialist, they took my car in over night so they could hear it in the morning, and annoyingly enough they couldn't hear it. They disregarded everything I told them along with the videos I gave them whilst stationary and told me it was the suspesnion. They also said if it was the diff, the noise would be consistent and would always be there.

 

I found one more specialist near me for a second opinion and was given "Atleast 4-5 grand to fix/replace bearing, but we'll have a look at it". This sounds absoultely absurd to me, after already spending 8k on an engine rebuild and the fact that I can probably(?) find a 2nd hand transmission for that price and still have enough to pay labor to swap them.

 

My main question is, before I spend more money taking it to more people to just tell me that it's suspension, is there anything I can have a look at to 100% diagnose what/where the noise is? It surely has to be doing some bad damage over time at that level of noise.

 

If any more info is required, let me know I'll do my best to give a proper response. I only have some basic mechanical theory, never taken things apart or anything.

 

Apologies this isn't formatted very well. Not my strong suit.

Any help is appreachiated. Thank you!

[Max Capacity]

I may have missed it but have you checked to make sure one or more of the exhaust heatshields is not loose, or hitting the exhaust somewhere.

 

A lot of us have removed most of those heatshields as they became loose and started to make noise.

[Xelipher]

Hi Max, I've had a couple heat shields need tightening/removing in the past. I have definatley double checked, however this is more of a metal against metal "crunch" or grind. I'd be surprised if a heatsheild could reproduce this noise. Currently warming the car up now before I head off to work, it's absolutely horrendous :/ ..

[Max Capacity]

I would also think the flex plate is cracked after hearing the videos.

 

But any shop can put the car on a lift and start the engine and use a steph-a-scope to listen.

[Xelipher]

I believe Automasters said that they had a stethoscope on the dif and think it's in there. The specialist was pretty set on it not being the diff though. I don't think Automasters has actually LOOKED or confirmed that it's NOT the flexplate though. Is there something I can do myself to have a look?

 

The problem was never there post engine rebuild, and everything I've searched about flexplates do indicate that it happens quite often after the engine/tranny are separated an it's not properly torqued back up.

 

The noise (and slight feel) of the grinding is more vigorous in reverse, and I find it weird that it mostly goes away when I put gear in drive (when stationary atleast). Not sure what exactly changes when I'm in different gears unrelated to the transmission. Also, the car starts fine and the grinding start just AS the car starts up. Wouldn't the flexplate make a noise while it's turning/starting up?

 

I forgot to mention as well, sometimes as the car turns off you can hear the grind for like half a second after everything is off. Dunno if that links to anything. Might get a mobile mechanic out tommorow just to look at the flexplate and nail down if that's the cause.

 

Thanks!

[Max Capacity]

Goes away when you put it in gear. Think about what happens when you do that. Everything becomes, under load, so there is force on things.

 

These starters are known to grind a bit after you release the Key to Run form Start. that is the bendex not releasing, a simple grease job on the Starter fix's that, there is a DYI for that.