Ok so in the past month I've been having a lock out issue going into 4th. Its well known ACT sometimes has high rpm lock out but usually for me its not an issue, so I was surprised it even started coming up. The clutch has definitely lived a hard life with many drag and track days, plus 30k street miles. The past couple days its been locking out on me even more. 2 weeks ago I also did a drag launch in the street to test the tune and burned the clutch good. I smelt the clutch smoke until the next day. But it seemed fine to drive around. And its not the 1st time the clutch has absorbed my mistake.



Today it totally refused me 4th gear on an on ramp entry. I adjusted the clutch pedal (I do this every so often, last time was last month) and then tried it out again. Started from 2nd, and going to 3rd was good, but going from 3rd to 4th I had some lock out but was able to get it (with force) in gear. Then I heard a bang and whining noises, etc. Coasted off the highway and on to local roads.

Now when I drive it there is no sound in neutral, with clutch in, and off throttle. There is a whining sound like a dog box that starts to become audible in 2nd, and gets louder and higher in pitch as I go through all 6 gears. Every gear works though and from what I can tell vacuum on the boost gauge is the same in cruising so I'd assume its not taking extra power to spin the trans gears. ACD lights are normal and I can cycle between the mods. No CELs or anything.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJs_6tBwS3I

So what did I break? Trans or t-case? What specifically in either one? And will it be ok to drive in the meanwhile and for how long. What I'm really worried about is I'm in a different city (Toronto) for this long weekend but come Monday I need to drive 350miles back to Montreal. The shop that would do the t-case or trans job is also in Montreal. Will it be ok to drive that far on it? Or should I tow it all the way? I'm sure its better to tow but hell which ever component it is now its junk anyways I don't care to give it an easier life before its yank out. Unless of course theres a risk I will be stranded. Anybody with insight into this please help!

 

Sounds like the dreaded t-case death whine...

 

I was searching around on threads though and apparently the t-case whine should happen on deceleration too. Mines only happens on throttle. I'm thinking its the output shaft bearing or something like that. I don't think I broke a gear because I wouldn't still be able to drive it but I just need confirmation of if its the t-case or trans. Thats why I want to know for sure what it is.

EDIT: Man I'm confused. It does sound like t case death whine but thats supposed to come in with time. Not off a shift and a bang. And I can't tell by people's vids online if they have the noise in neutral or with clutch in.

 

If you broke a gear you would be able to drive it just not in that gear. That is unless the broken pieces don't find their way between other gears. Your tcase will wine when your on the gas and will grind on decel. Higher the rpms the louder the tcase would be, the gear your in would'nt make a difference. I'd have to say a bearing a smoked clutch flywheel and probably no 4th gear syncro

 

But I can row through all the gears no problem. If I was deaf I'd think the car was fine. Doesn't drive any different. The 4th gear synchro still works and clutch engages the same and everything.


Also reading more on the death whine, I haven't seen anybody say it came after a hard shift. Usually it just came out of the blue and got worse over time. And apparently its supposed to be crazy loud? As you can tell from the vid mine is not that loud at all.

 

im thinking its the deathwhine of ur tcase. as far as the lockout id guess ur clutch is just used up after that many miles of hard use.

 

its hard to tell watching it on my phone but i had my tcase go out last year. the whibe would start at 25mph and by 60 it would b so high pitched it almost seemed like it went away.

 

Mine I'm not sure what speed it starts but in 2nd gear I can start hearing it. Its actually loudest at like highway speeds under light throttle. And that vid was on the highway so you can tell the pitch. I'm going to try and do another quick vid with a camera right now.

The clutch probably got warped from the launches I was doing on it. I have no doubt it would still have a lot of life left in it. Still grabs strong. But if its my t case the trans isn't going to be dropped anyways and I wouldn't touch it yet.

 

If you are rolling at speed then put the clutch in, what does it sound like?

 

Nothing. There is no sound if I do that. No sound if I'm on the brakes (well a bit), if its in neutral, the clutch is in, or I'm not touching the gas. Only under part throttle, and maybe under full if the exhaust noise wasn't there. But definitely louder under light throttle. I just shot a vid that I think will really help out but its gonna take a while to upload to youtube.

I wish I had time to put it up on jackstands and check which component the sound is coming from. But I can't since I'm in Toronto right now and I need to be back in Montreal before tomorrow. Going to say my prayers and keep my AAA membership handy.

 

whatever it is it doesn't sound good.. and that is loud. the drivetrain isn't normally that noisey. at first i thought you were going over those air strips on highways that are put down to make you slow down.

id say it would be the transfer case but i never personally delt with a t-case failure so im not coming from any direct experience.

 

Made it home!

Well on the drive here I got more intimate with the noise. It is actually a pulsating noise. Like when I was going up a hill in 3rd gear the car was actually rocking back and forth in sync with the noise. You may hear it on the video (uploading right now). My car is still driveable thankfully but I still don't know if its from the tcase or trans.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eLEBhPOMEU

Heres the vid. You can hear the noise is pulsating. And I can actually feel the pulsating when going up a hill. So weird.

 

bump

 

sounds like the dreaded transfer case whine, sounds like a shep rebuilds in your future, might as well take it to a shop to have it diagnosed, no doubt in my mind it is transfer case whine. I had a problem with my previous ACT clutch goin on a freeway on ramp here in cali did a loop then merged 2nd to 3rd fine, 3rd to 4th complete lockout of that gear, had to bang it in 5th to cruise home, later on found out my clutch hub and springs broke into about 20 pieces, this was when i was at 287 hp 285 tq. so if it still goes in gear ur clutch is prolly good, have your trans and tc looked at. good luck.