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I’m in Tucson, Az and after sitting parked for 2 nights, went off to do fills and empties. I noticed a quiet knocking noise while at stoplights. Stops when I put it in park though. It is not a regular knock. Kind of a few knocks and a pause, then again, repeating. I’ve checked the oil, which, hot, seems fine. I’m here without my husband, so would be at the mercy of any mechanic I checked it with. Any suggestions on what to look at myself? Or any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. I’ve driven from BC in Canada, and it’s just warming up here, so am wondering if it is temperature related. Thanks for any help!

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Have you opened the hood or crawled under the truck to try to pinpoint exact location of knock sound?

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You need "ABODY" to help you.

Try it with you behind the steering wheel see if the parking brake will hold with the transmission in gear. If it will hold get some scrap 2x4 to chock the wheels and open the hood and listen. If the parking brake does not hold fergetaboutit. Find a body

Edited by WME
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Have you had any work done on the engine/transmission recently??

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I was able to leave it in drive with the park brake on and tried to localize the sound. It seems to be coming from the middle front. It sounds more like a clunky rattle than a shakey rattle. Hard to explain. 

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The fact that you didn't have any work done makes, an over the net diagnosis hard. Guesses are, in no particular order. exhaust pipe rattle..broken hanger. Loose torque converter/flex plate.

Exhaust shield on the engine is loose. Worn A/C  compressor. Loose pullies on the front of the engine. Worn timing chain.. usually shows up when starting the engine.

With the engine OFF and COLD lay down and grab the exhaust pipe near the driver's door and shake it. 

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WME... I will do just that. My husband, who is currently many, many miles away... had also been trying to help me. He thought it might be the transmission fluid. He asked uf it smelled burnt. It stinks, but not burnt smelling. It was flushed in 2012 by pevious owner. I had the timing belt replaced Dec of 2017, under the warranty. They also replaced the water pump, idler, knock sensor, timing belt, camshaft seals, crankshaft seals... they removed the exhaust manifold and had to replace 6 exhaust manifold studs due to corrosion. The knock sensor sub harness was very brittle and they had to wrap the wire with electrical tape as it was bit an easy part to replace. It was successfully installed this way, but... possibly hasn’t lasted?? The valves were also adjusted.  Since then, I made a trip from BC down the Oregon coast and across BC and back. Now, after driving from BC to Tucson, it’s making these rattly noises. Figures its when my hubby isn’t on hand to figure it out😥

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Nothing loose that I can see (or shake) underneath. I've got an appointment tomorrow morning to get the transmission serviced (fluid, gasket and filter). We figured it was a good idea regardless. So, if it is the tranny, maybe this will fix it, or they may see what the problem is when they are there. 

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1 hour ago, WME said:

Why bother with a screwdriver, get the real deal...https://www.harborfreight.com/mechanics-stethoscope-63691.html

Add that to the things I need that I didn't know existed list.  

14 hours ago, LittleShack said:

Nothing loose that I can see (or shake) underneath. I've got an appointment tomorrow morning to get the transmission serviced (fluid, gasket and filter). We figured it was a good idea regardless. So, if it is the tranny, maybe this will fix it, or they may see what the problem is when they are there. 

I highly doubt it's anything in the transmission.  If the transmission had something wrong with it bad enough to make loud knocking noises, it would almost certainly not be driving normally.  It's interesting that it doesn't do it in park, could be a coincidence.  Any chance it makes the noise if you give it some throttle and bring the RPMs up while in park?  

 

 

 

Edited by Odyssey 4x4
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Just out of the aamco transmission shop. The transmission is fine. They figure the noise is either the fly wheel or torque converter. They will have to remove the transmission to know which and can do that Monday morning. They are letting me stay in their patking lot, which is nice. Anything I should be looking out for with either of these prognosises?

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5 minutes ago, LittleShack said:

Just out of the aamco transmission shop. The transmission is fine. They figure the noise is either the fly wheel or torque converter. They will have to remove the transmission to know which and can do that Monday morning. They are letting me stay in their patking lot, which is nice. Anything I should be looking out for with either of these prognosises?

I would bring it to a mechanic for a second opinion.  The chances of the noise being in the transmission are small, but possible.  If it is driving normally I would highly doubt the transmission has issues.  The shop wanting to pull the torque converter/ flywheel sounds like a nice cash grab to me on something that hasn't even been properly diagnosed yet.  A transmission removal is an expensive job.  

With the vehicle running and in park with the hood opened, have you looked at all over the pulleys and belts and made sure everything is straight and has no wobble to it?  

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I don't quite understand why you would go to a transmission shop. Why wouldn't you have a regular mechanic look at it first. Even if I needed a transmission AAMCO is the last place I would go. I can't count the number of rip off stories I have heard and they especially target women. Please just drive away. Call around and find a real shop that will look at your RV. Independent shops rely on their reputation, not national advertising for business. Look shops that specialize in imports.

Linda S

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Just now, linda s said:

I don't quite understand why you would go to a transmission shop. Why wouldn't you have a regular mechanic look at it first. Even if I needed a transmission AAMCO is the last place I would go. I can't count the number of rip off stories I have heard and they especially target women. Please just drive away. Call around and find a real shop that will look at your RV. Independent shops rely on their reputation, not national advertising for business. Look shops that specialize in imports.

Linda S

I second this!  I think she went to the transmission shop for oil and filter and they probably saw some easy money and implied the noise was in the transmission.  

Also, don't go to an RV shop, they will also bend you over $$$.  This is a simple Toyota drive train, known worldwide.  Any decent mechanic will be able to find the issue.  

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just to bring all you very lovely helpful people up to date... my husband thought the same about the transmission shop. He asked if I’d mind waiting around in Tucson til he could get down here and look at it himself. Which I had no problem with. He arrived a week and a bit later and I just stayed put at the Desert Diamond Casino parking lot. Anyways, he opened the hood and right away noticed the frayed alternator belt. Then noticed a big bolt about to drop out of its hole!! Literally!!! He was able to replace the alternator belt and another belt he had to remove to get the alternator one on. Got that bolt back in and tightened a loose clamp. No more noise!!! So glad I have a handy hubby! He’s been such a great sport about helping me with this old gal.

Thankyou all who offered suggestions and ideas. 

Took it to the tranny shop for a flush, which it didn’t get cause it didn't need it.

They were very nice, but I didn’t spend a dime there, but did enjoy 2 cups of their coffee and found out where to take my dogs for baths! So, not a total waste of time😉

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5 minutes ago, LittleShack said:

Just to bring all you very lovely helpful people up to date... my husband thought the same about the transmission shop. He asked if I’d mind waiting around in Tucson til he could get down here and look at it himself. Which I had no problem with. He arrived a week and a bit later and I just stayed put at the Desert Diamond Casino parking lot. Anyways, he opened the hood and right away noticed the frayed alternator belt. Then noticed a big bolt about to drop out of its hole!! Literally!!! He was able to replace the alternator belt and another belt he had to remove to get the alternator one on. Got that bolt back in and tightened a loose clamp. No more noise!!! So glad I have a handy hubby! He’s been such a great sport about helping me with this old gal.

Thankyou all who offered suggestions and ideas. 

Took it to the tranny shop for a flush, which it didn’t get cause it didn't need it.

They were very nice, but I didn’t spend a dime there, but did enjoy 2 cups of their coffee and found out where to take my dogs for baths! So, not a total waste of time😉

Thanks for the update, glad you're good to go and didn't spend a useless $1,500.  Honestly, I am surprised you were not able to see the frayed belt!  Perhaps you should have your husband give you a quick tour of the vehicle and show you how to spot things out of the "ordinary".  You are really at the will of a lot of dishonest mechanics when you don't know anything about the mechanics of your rig, and they can smell it on you the minute you walk in!  A simple owners manual or factory service manual (FSM) can really teach you a lot about your rig.  

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On 3/2/2019 at 12:18 PM, LittleShack said:

Just out of the aamco transmission shop. The transmission is fine. They figure the noise is either the fly wheel or torque converter. They will have to remove the transmission to know which and can do that Monday morning. They are letting me stay in their parking lot, which is nice. Anything I should be looking out for with either of these prognosises?

I guess they were less than 'spot-on' with they diagnosis. :)

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You were lucky. X2 on a quick hubby led powder puff mechanic course 

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I agree with the trans shop if it ain't broke don't fix it! We have had people insist we do a flush and refill with a trans that was working fine with high miles against our warnings only to have it fail a week or so later.

 

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