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04-28-2018, 05:27 PM
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Ford Tough
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Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 274
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Quick Help Needed....What's gone wrong??
Hey everyone, it's your girl, Harbor_Handed, back again for more sage advice. :-)
I am driving across the country in my 2003 with 150K miles on it. Crazy, some would say...
I also have my Dad who has Alzheimer's with me, and my cat, so I really don't want anything to go wrong and strand us on the side of the road. I am moving back out west from Florida. We have covered 2000+ miles so far, and the truck is getting amazing mileage, like 29 mpg. Everything's been going great. Until this morning.
We started up early this morning and there was a high-pitched whine that I can hear when the vehicle starts going over about 15 mph. I don't know if it's coming from under the hood or under the vehicle. It's really alarmed me all day, but I detect zero change in performance. In fact the truck is getting the best mileage today than it has on previous days.
As the day wore on and I got off the freeway to get gas and whatnot, the high pitched sound is just awful at slower speeds, like loud and screechy. At around 50-60 mph it's more quiet and easy to ignore because it's drowned out by the normal roar of the engine, but around 35-45 it's really loud.
I also notice that when I come to a stop, I hear something deep in the vehicle grinding down to a halt. That's a new noise too, and I think these two noises are related.
My best guess is some part of the transmission? Again, no change at all in performance: engine feels the same, my automatic transmission shifts the same, AMAZING gas mileage.
What do you think? I REALLY am freaking out about this, it doesn't sound like the same vehicle anymore! It sounds horrible with the high pitched whirring or screeching. I am going to be driving over 600 miles tomorrow. Would really like some educated guesses on what this could be.
Thanks ever so much!!
__________________
2003 Mazda B2300
2.3 L DOHC
4 Cylinder, Automatic Transmission
168,000 miles on Odometer as of Mar 2020
25 mpg on mixed hwy/city driving
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04-29-2018, 05:37 AM
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Ford Ranger Driver
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,086
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Re: Quick Help Needed....What's gone wrong??
I would check the level of gear oil in the differential. The noise could also be a wheel bearing going out. Wheel bearings will whine, and may grind. You'd have to get one wheel off the ground so you could turn it and see if there is any roughness or play.
The rear wheels also have axle bearings, but they are sealed, and need no extra lube or maintenance. They are pressed onto the drive axles. At least I think so.
Definitely check transmission fluid level. If you can, you could look/feel the tailhousing of the transmission to see if the driveshaft is wobbly, or it is hot/discolored from heat, or even leaking.
I take it the noise is vehicle velocity related, and goes away when you come to a stop, and if not, put that in a reply.
tom
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04-29-2018, 06:53 AM
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Ford Tough
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Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 274
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Re: Quick Help Needed....What's gone wrong??
Quote:
Originally Posted by tomw0
I would check the level of gear oil in the differential. The noise could also be a wheel bearing going out. Wheel bearings will whine, and may grind. You'd have to get one wheel off the ground so you could turn it and see if there is any roughness or play.
The rear wheels also have axle bearings, but they are sealed, and need no extra lube or maintenance. They are pressed onto the drive axles. At least I think so.
Definitely check transmission fluid level. If you can, you could look/feel the tailhousing of the transmission to see if the driveshaft is wobbly, or it is hot/discolored from heat, or even leaking.
I take it the noise is vehicle velocity related, and goes away when you come to a stop, and if not, put that in a reply.
tom
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Thank you so much for the ideas, Tom!
It certainly could be a wheel: from my driver seat position, it sounds like it's coming from fairly close to me down there.
And yes, it is velocity related, I don't hear anything strange when the car is idling.
Forgot to mention that yesterday I did pull over to level ground with the truck fully hot, and with the car running I checked transmission fluid - the level looked fine.
There is a mechanic in a town across the border in Utah about 60 miles away that has a great reputation for honesty and for their work, so I'm going to drive us the 60 miles over the state line to that town today and get a motel, and then bring the truck in to them first thing Monday morning when they open. Hopefully they'll be able to diagnose it and repair it quickly. I will share your ideas with them when I talk to them about it.
I might crawl under there this morning before heading out and look at the things you suggested. Thanks again.
EDIT: Forgot to also mention, I have the bed of my truck loaded with heavy boxes: probably 1500 to 2000 lbs of stuff in the back, in addition to my camper shell resting on it. I'm sure that weight has contributed to this issue. Maybe that gives weight - pardon the pun - to the idea that it's a wheel bearing issue, because the bearing just couldn't support all the extra lbs...
__________________
2003 Mazda B2300
2.3 L DOHC
4 Cylinder, Automatic Transmission
168,000 miles on Odometer as of Mar 2020
25 mpg on mixed hwy/city driving
Last edited by Harbor_Handed; 04-29-2018 at 07:09 AM.
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04-29-2018, 08:45 AM
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2006 FX4
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Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 389
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Re: Quick Help Needed....What's gone wrong??
It sounds more like a worn brake shoe or pad squealer check your brakes.
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barneycat11 2006 FX4
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04-29-2018, 12:21 PM
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Like the Forums
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Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 44
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Re: Quick Help Needed....What's gone wrong??
by the way the rear wheel bearings in the 8.8 diff are not sealed they are open and the axle is the inner race.
check those by the heat in the hubs also feel front hubs to see if one of those is hot
roscoe
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roscoe 0202
hi newb here truck 94 b4000 mazda aka ranger
truck is stock just runaround
have project bronco II
i'm 74 and retired
roscoe
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04-29-2018, 02:09 PM
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Ford Tough
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Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 274
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Re: Quick Help Needed....What's gone wrong??
Thank you for the replies!
OK, I managed to drive the 60 miles to the town in Utah that has the good mechanic. Daddy, Kitty and I are now at a motel waiting for tomorrow morning to take the truck in to the good mechanic here.
The truck sounded horrible the whole 60 mile drive and it was very nervewracking driving it in this condition. I now really think the noise may be coming from some part of the wheel assembly.
I should mention I had new Hankook tires put on a month ago, and also new front brake rotors and brake pads (if i remember correctly) and on the rear brakes they put on new drums I think. The "grinding to a halt" sound when coming to a stop is, I believe, the same source as the high pitched whirring heard at higher speeds, it just sounds lower and deeper when at very low speeds & stopping and sounds higher with increased speed.
Barneycat11, this noise is different than brake squeal and it doesn't just happen when braking. It sounds like a quieter version of a circular saw - like metal on metal type of thing. I really hope they can diagnose and fix it tomorrow quickly...
__________________
2003 Mazda B2300
2.3 L DOHC
4 Cylinder, Automatic Transmission
168,000 miles on Odometer as of Mar 2020
25 mpg on mixed hwy/city driving
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04-29-2018, 06:40 PM
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Habenae Est Dominatus
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,893
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Re: Quick Help Needed....What's gone wrong??
I'm gonna put my money on a wheel bearing also. The heat from the metal on metal will transfer to the wheel(s) so if you drive it a few miles you should feel that heat radiating from the wheel itself.
I had a similar if not the same issue on a 92 Honda Civic hatch once, it was the reason why I swapped out both knuckles from the larger engine'd version as it had far larger bearings as well as rotors to start with.
Hope you get it fixed for safe travels..
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04-29-2018, 11:20 PM
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troll extraordinaire
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 635
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Re: Quick Help Needed....What's gone wrong??
I'm gonna say it's a brake pad worn down to the metal backing. The squeal can really happen at any speed it prefers, and when you hit the brakes it can sound like a grinding sound. Plus it's super easy to verify if that's really your problem.
Just remove the wheel and you'll be able to see how much material is left on the front brake pads. If you're not sure, have someone else more qualified have a look. Be sure to inspect both sides of the front brakes, and both inner and outer brake pads.
GB
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2001 Edge Regular cab, auto 4.0L 4x4 4.10LS 8.8
1987 standard cab w/92 5.0/T5Z 31 spline 8.8 w/Torsen
1989 Regular cab longbed, manual 2.9 4x4 - Parts BroncoII's x 3
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04-30-2018, 08:02 AM
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Ford Ranger Driver
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,086
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Re: Quick Help Needed....What's gone wrong??
Try turning from side to side gently while in motion. If a front wheel bearing, they'd generally change tone or the noise even disappear when put into a 'side load'.
You could also hold your hand near the hub, not necessarily touch, on both sides, of all wheels to compare. If one is hotter than the rest, it is more suspect.
Sealed bearings are used on rear axles of lower capacity, and open, lubed by the gear oil in the differential, on higher capacity as a rule. Didn't think the Ranger qualified for the open bearings, but it is indeed 'my thoughts.'
tom
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04-30-2018, 04:00 PM
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Ford Tough
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Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 274
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Re: Quick Help Needed....What's gone wrong??
Thanks again for the replies, everyone.
Soooooo...There was a damaged pinion bearing, slightly damaged rear wheel bearing, and he also said the truck is really lacking power due to a clogged catalytic converter or muffler. He drove the truck up to 4000 RPMs - which I NEVER do because I drive like a granny at 2500 RPM tops - and when he did that we smelled this awful smell, it really freaked me out.
He found out it wasn't the catalytic converter, but was the muffler so he removed the muffler, ordered a new one, and we return in the morning for them to install it. It does have more power now without that old muffler but is super loud without any muffler, so we look forward to getting the new muffler on tomorrow first thing.
The godawful noise from the damaged bearing is now gone.
Grand total: $700. Better than I expected, I thought it would be around 1K or so.
__________________
2003 Mazda B2300
2.3 L DOHC
4 Cylinder, Automatic Transmission
168,000 miles on Odometer as of Mar 2020
25 mpg on mixed hwy/city driving
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05-01-2018, 05:49 AM
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Ford Ranger Driver
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,086
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Re: Quick Help Needed....What's gone wrong??
You might have gotten out the door for the pinion and wheel bearing with less cost by replacing the whole rear axle. Many times you can get the whole assembly for less time and effort. Having it fixed must add peace of mind.
The muffler replacement should add even more economy, perhaps, with less back pressure you'll develop the power needed at lower throttle???
tom
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05-01-2018, 08:57 AM
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<<< Husky the High Dog!
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 7,181
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Re: Quick Help Needed....What's gone wrong??
1500-2000 lbs, that's quite a load! and glad you got it all fixed up!
whenever you get where you're going, could you post up what your mileage is after getting the new muffler? if you breach 30, that would be cool lol
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