Famous556

iTrader: (1)

Hi everyone,

I'm having some issues and thought I would post them up here to get some thoughts. The car is a 2007 V with just under 60k miles.

First off, I have two issues with the transmisison.

The first I've had since I've owned the car. What happens is that I have to depress the clutch for 4-5 seconds before trying to select reverse. If I try to select reverse immediately after depresssing the clutch then the transmission will grind but will usually enter reverse. This happens regardless if I just started the car or if I have stopped after moving forward.

The second issue is more troubling. For about a month, I've been hearing a noise from the transmission. At first I didn't think much of it because it was quiet and didn't seem too abnormal. Now however the noise is getting louder and louder. Basically the transmission whines in all forward gears except for 4th. What I can tell you about the noise is

- it gets louder with more load
- it gets progresively higher pitched with increased speed, 5th and 6th gears are louder
- it disappears when the clutch is depressed or the transmission is put in a neutral position
- to be honest the sound isn't unlike that of a roots supercharger
- I can't replicate the noise under any other condition other than in gear and moving with the clutch engaged
- it gets louder with speed.

It's definitely not rear end whine. I do have some light whine from the diff, and this noise is independent and different from that noise, it doesn't even sound the same. This noise sounds like it's coming from the transmission tunnel near the driver or passenger footwell.

The only mods I have are a volant intake, muffler delete, and a pisnuoff shifter. I recently installed the shifter but this noise was present before that.

The car has no other symptoms. It doesnt pop out of gear, it isnt overly notchy or difficult to shift except for 3rd gear which has always been a little notchy. I've changed the fluid probably 6000 miles ago with mobil 1 ATF. I know the fluids selection is a controversial topic for t56 transmisisons but this atf meets dexron III standards. I haven't checked the fluid level but can't imagine it would be low. I drained it out through what I think it the temperaure sensor and filled it until it was weeping out of the fill hole. It took about 4 quarts. When I drained the fluid from that it was a little dark, but not burnt smelling or black. I didn't notice any metal pieces or shavings when draining that fluid but I didn't strain it either.

I've talked with my cousin who is an ASE tech and does mostly driveline work for a GM dealer. He says that since the noise isn't present in 4th gear he thinks it is likely the transmission and is probably a bearing or other issue on the third shaft besides the input and output shafts (don't remember what he called it). He said 4th locks the input and output shafts together and bypasses the other so that points to a problem there. He looked into work at his dealership and says he can get a new tranny for 3700$ his words were "GM is really proud of that transmission apparently" and he thinks I could pull the transmission myself and the dealer could get it done for $2000. He did say that I could try and talk to the Cadillac dealer in town to see if they would honor it under warranty. The warranty ran out 6/2012 but was good for 100,000 miles. He said that GM has been honoring more and more warranty stuff at his dealer lately and it's worth a shot asking at the Caddy dealer since I'm well under on mileage still.


I've seen a few other threads with similar symptoms on ls1tech in general. One guy had this noise and when he pulled his tranny it had a lot of water in it at one point and was all rusty inside. I doubt that's the case but I am planning on having to pull the tranny and send it to be rebuilt. I'm assuming the Caddy dealer isn't going to goodwill the transmission but I will ask them.


So has anybody here had a similar problem? Also what do you guys think of Tick Performance? They're a sponsor here I think and their prices seem resonable.


Thanks for staying with me I know the thread was long

MN_V

iTrader: (5)

When my car is cold I get a whirring / spinning noise coming right from the transmission location. It is only noticeable at low speeds / low rpms and it largely goes away when warmed up. Car has 103k on it. I've always thought of it as kind of a cool mechanical noise of the car.

FuzzyLog1c

iTrader: (4)

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-g...ansmisson.html

Famous556

iTrader: (1)

Yeah man I wish this was something like that. It's present all the time whether the tranny is cold or hot. Doesn't seem to be louder whether its cold or hot. I would call it a whirring noise though. It's definitely quiter at lower speeds and louder at higher ones.

MN_V

iTrader: (5)

damn, yes being there all the time I'd be thinking of a rebuild as well.

Famous556

iTrader: (1)

Haha fuzzy I would love to do that. Unfortunately thats a lot of funds. I'm thinking more along the lines of a stock/slightly beefed up rebuild.

MN_V

iTrader: (5)

For a boosted V the Z06 gearing options look awesome. Actually I think they'd be pretty nice on a stock V too although it might hurt 0-60 time slightly. I would like a bit longer gears.

C6 Z06 Unit Ratio 2.66 1.78 1.30 1.00 .75 .50 OR .80 .63 Exchange Special Price $3595

Stock V:
First: 2.97
Second: 2.07
Third: 1.43
Fourth: 1.00
Fifth: 0.84
Sixth: 0.57

itsslow98

iTrader: (18)

Your noise sounds exactly like my issue in the cobra. The input shaft/cluster gear were overheated and degraded causing the gear mesh to be off hence the whining noise. I had it in every gear just like you except for 4th where it went silent.....just like your cousin said 4th is a direct drive gear so it eliminates the input/cluster.

I replaced the input and cluster gear and it went away completely. My cause was too much power and on long hard accelerations the fluid gets pushed to the back of the trans leaving no fluid on the input/cluster gear. In your case with minimal mods it could be caused by old fluid or low fluid.

I would call Tick performance or Texas Drivetrain Performance about sending them your trans for a rebuild. You will come in at 2k or so for a really well built trans that will hold more power then it does now.

Famous556

iTrader: (1)

That's what I'm looking for. A nice fresh build thats better than stock for about 2k. I read a writeup on pulling the trans and it seems easier than the trannsmisisons I've pulled before. Nice that you can pull the trans without pulling the bellhousing - I've only dealt with autos before. If I had more patience I'd look at rebuilding the trans myself but that looks a little tedious for me.

Anybody else have any t56 builders I should be looking at? I've got an email out to Tick already describing my problem and asking about their level 1 rebuild.

Also I figured while I was there I might as well do a tick speed bleeder for the clutch hydraulics. Anything else I should be looking at while its apart? I've been considering doing a lightweight (regular weight) flywheel and a fresh clutch while its apart. Stock clutch is fine but I figured since it was already apart... Is that a bad idea at 60k miles?

Famous556

iTrader: (1)

I would like to have a bit longer 5th and 6th. My dad has a 95 trans am and it has a .50 6th gear I believe. That thing putts along at 75 turning 1750 rpm. Thats with a 3.42 rear gear. We got 30mpg in that car over a long interstate drive at 70mph.

DMM

Mobile 1 and Royal Purple have been known to cause problems in our style trans. I believe 3 qts of Red Line auto trans fluid and 1 qt of 75w90 gear oil is the preferred mix for these units. I would try that and bleed the hell out of the clutch before anything else. Bleeding the clutch and using correct fluid has a huge impact on these units in particular.

If you're going to have it rebuilt, the boys at Tick cannot be beat for what you get for their price. Keep in mind that in order to change gear ratio's, you must change every component in the trans as the 2.97 units (which we and the C5 Z06 have) are unique and are not interchangeable with any other parts.

My OE trans had the 4th gear syncro come apart and partially engage while cruising in 6th which destroyed the counter shaft (a $900+ part if it was even available) among other things. When I pulled the trans apart it was done and needed a main shaft etc just from wear alone. Here is my thread:

https://ls1tech.com/forums/cadillac-...cs-inside.html

I would first change the fluid using quality stuff like the Red Line mixture which has been used with great success by many here, and change the fluid/bleed the clutch. IF you still have problems, give Tick a call as they are your best bet for sure.

LMAO at getting a Cadillac Dealer to good will a CTS-V trans. Those guys ate so much warranty on these cars they cringe every time one pulls up.

isis

iTrader: (1)

Brand X and Brand Y are 'known' to cause problems but here try this mix of Brand Z and Brand S... Did I stumble back into the suby forums? lol

DMM

Yes, Mobile 1 is too "slippery" (as is anything newer than DEX III) to work with our syncro's causing accelerated wear and Royal Purple outright eats the syncro friction material away in short order. I have no idea what additive in the Royal Purple disintegrates the friction material, but this has been known for some time. I would rather provide legitimate advice rather than see someone waste their efforts or destroy an otherwise perfectly good component.

Here is a thread where many V1 owners can attest to the Red Line concoction: https://ls1tech.com/forums/cadillac-...sh-anyone.html

Have I adequately responded to your condescending questions and remarks?

isis

iTrader: (1)

Whatever the Internet tells you. Good job.

81LS1Camaro

iTrader: (1)

I would either go with Tick or Liberty gear for the rebuild. You wouldnt need to spend $2000 on it probably, because for that much you can get everything but faceplating done. Mine was $2700 to do from Liberty but I had everything micro polished, cryo treated, billet keys, Viper output shaft, and faceplated. Good luck with your problems btw.

Famous556

iTrader: (1)

Yes you're right I could get everything done including micro polish and cryofreeze for 2000 or less typically. However in talking with tick and my cousin, both of their preliminary diagnoses are what itsslow98 suggested above when talking about his Cobra. Overheated or otherwise abnormally worn input/cluster. Tick is saying they won't know for sure until they can tear it down obviously - but they say that's usually the cause of the sound I'm getting. New hard parts like that aren't included in a typical rebuild and tick is estimating 900$ on top of the regular rebuild costs if those parts are faulty. But again won't know until it's sent off and torn down.

It's funny because tick and itsslow98 both suggested that old tired fluid or long high power would cause this type of failure. I replaced what I presume was the original fluid at 52k or so and it was a little dark but looked good overall. Before draining at that time I could touch the fluid through the fill hole with my pinky. And it was only a few mm below the edge of the hole, not low by any means. Also I'm near stock power with only an intake and muffler delete over stock. I doubt I have more than 5whp over a stock car if that. Just more sound basically. Also I haven't done any top speed runs, extended power applications like power stands or anything like that. The closest I've come to beating on the car was an autocross type event at a local airstrip. It was a 4/10 mile straightaway down one of the runways and a cone course on the return trip. Hit about 110-115 before turning around for the cone course on the way back. Harder on the car than a highway road trip yes but not something I would think would cause this type of damage. Reading on here and cf I always assumed the rear end would shell out 5x over before I had any problems with the tranny haha.

Anyways, I also rechecked the fluid level and it's at the level of the fill hole. Clutch hydraulics were just bled and replaced with motul dot4 in the last month. I have to drain the fluid obviously before sending the tranny off so I'll strain and collect all of it to see if there's anything suspicious in there. I'm going to be pulling it probably this week so stay tuned.

Any thoughts on the clutch at 60k? Speed bleeder is a given since I've already bled the clutch hydraulics twice due to slow/sticky pedal return.

81LS1Camaro

iTrader: (1)

Are you asking if you should replace a 60k mile clutch while in there? I would just so I wouldnt have to do it again, but clutches never seem to last that long for me.