so why does it sound like i'm constantly in reverse?

[timmybgood]

so i've noticed that when i'm not on the gas enough for my N1 to drown out any sound, my transmission sounds like i'm going in reverse. you know that whiirrrrrr sound reverse makes? that one. its a 95 SE 5sp 113K miles, i'm thinkin change tranny fluid

[misnomer]

Are you sure you aren't in reverse?

But yeah, change tranny fluid :P

[MrMigs]

Try starting your car. Keep it in neutral. If the car makes the sound when you're not stepping on your clutch but goes away when you DO step on it, it's most likely your throw-out bearing.

If it sounds like it's coming from the rear, it's probably your differential whining. You'll notice it much more if you have subframe spacers.

[timmybgood]

it doesn't make the sound when i'm in neutral, only when in gear, when either accelerating slowly, or decellerating, the rest of the time i can't hear it. it sounds like its coming from right under me in the tranny

[LanceS13]

You said it doesn't do it in neutral...what if you rev it up in neutral?

[timmybgood]

nope, only when in gear

[F3600]

i have the same problem but only when im in 3rd all my others gears are okay.. maybe its the synchro?

[timmybgood]

if it was the syncro then it'd have trouble getting into 3rd gear, if it went in at all.:doh:

[Bill Roberts]

I was in hope that someone would nail this one...but I have a bit of experience with 5 and 6 speeds so I will take a stab. Prepare for this to be long...their are some key points. many of them.

All transmissions make noise, some more than others. To test this theory, take your shift knob off and have your riding partner place a plastic cup (empty) against the shifter, preferably the small bottom of the cup against the top of the shifter while riding down the road, in different gears at different speeds, deaccelerations and accelerations and steady state. Your reaction will be "holy Sh!t" that's loud...!!!!!


All trannys' whine under this test. Some more than others.


Now, this is what causes abnormal noise:

1. Bearing wear. This allows the shafts to have "end play" in them which will cause the gears to mesh at a slightly different offset causing whine.

2. Synchro wear. This will allow the gear to gear meshing to have some offset that causes whine and new wear.

3. Scored gear surfaces. Your 1-5 are bevel gears designed to be quiet. Your reverse involves strait cut gearing which is noisy. If the beleveled surfaces have some scratches, some gouges or anything except a mirrored finish, you will get chatter and whine. Perfect meshing is a must. Main shaft bearing wear will throw most off the assembly out of alighnment.

4. Low fluid level. Check to make sure the level is proper and the fluid is clean. Synchro plates are made of brass and are designed to shave off and wear. Their are thousands of brass shavings in your fluid. Extra metal in the fluid as in brass should not be a real problem (it has been reported this brass can actually polish the gear surfaces some) The moral of this story, brass is harder than fluid...Hence WEAR. Change the fluid.

5. Bad transmission mount. This will cause all that noise (for the cup experiment) to be transferred to the chassis. Frame spacers also transmit some noise. Look for a metal on metal contact at the mount and the tranny shock damper. Anything that causes a part of the drive train to solidly connect to the frame will transmit extra noise.

6. Something came loose and ground through the tranny damaging all the gear surfaces. A part of a bearing can do this.


My gut feeling is you have some bearings that are worn, causing the gears to be miss alighned. If you can find someone that has done a swap and does not need their KA tranny, you can get one at a good price...otherwise, change the fluid, put in the specified amount of gear oil and if you want to try one of the "super" or "slick" type additives, now is the time.


Whew...Sorry so long dude..

[zero.counter]

Originally posted by timmybgood
so i've noticed that when i'm not on the gas enough for my N1 to drown out any sound, my transmission sounds like i'm going in reverse. you know that whiirrrrrr sound reverse makes? that one. its a 95 SE 5sp 113K miles, i'm thinkin change tranny fluid
Until I read the 5spd bit, I was going to suggest depressing the O/D Button. I would suggest changing out the fluid as well. If it is brown and burnt, you may have some probs on hand. Drain and re-fill, add 1/4 of a trans-magic bottle to the refill to fix gummy or sticky gears and promote smoother gear changes. Be sure not to over flow on the tranny, keep it at the ideal top off. I sound like a friggin commercial.:bash:

[F3600]

thx Bill for this long reply :) it helps me to understand what is going on in a tranny when a problems arise!

[timmybgood]

yea bill thanks dude, that was very knowledgible post, as are all of yours. i'm gonna change the fluid and add one of those additives and see what happens. i'm not too concerned about it though, not enough to buy a new tranny. cuz it still shifts fine, and my SR will come with a tranny:D , so only have to live with the whine a few more months.

[s0ldats]

Originally posted by timmybgood
yea bill thanks dude, that was very knowledgible post, as are all of yours. i'm gonna change the fluid and add one of those additives and see what happens. i'm not too concerned about it though, not enough to buy a new tranny. cuz it still shifts fine, and my SR will come with a tranny:D , so only have to live with the whine a few more months.

are your forward gears straight cut? ;);)

[Bill Roberts]

No...His forward gears are all bevels.