Tranny Noise ???

[Candoo]

I'm hoping someone else may have had this problem, and will be able to pin point the cause.

Out of the blue about a month ago, I started the Jeep, and I couldn't help but notice a sort of whine / howl noise. It wasn't / isn't enough to make you put ear-plugs in, but really annoying and a cause for concern. I popped the hood but couldn't pin-point where it was coming from. It sounds like it could be the power steering pump (though steering is fine), sounds sort of like an alternator noise (ummm), but what is distinguishable is that it is a HOLLOW sound. By hollow, it sounds like it's in, like say a can. I thought of something gone, low, as in the oil pan, but it doesn't sound like a bearing. I can't pinpoint it even with a stethascope.

I had it over to a shop, who couldn't pinpoint it either, and said to have the tranny checked. I took it to a private tranny shop and had the mechanic drop the pan. The only prob he saw visuall was a bolt missing from the filter. He changed the filter and fluid, but it didn't make a difference with the hollow whine sound. The mechanic said that it could be the torque converter going, or that the tranny might need a rebuild. I really don't feel like dishing out $1200 on the tranny for a could or might be. Experimenting can cost a lot of bucks !!

Has anyone else experienced a noise like this and found the cause, short of a tranny? BTW .... the noise keeps pace with the rpms, and you can "feel" the noise simultaniously in the gas pedal.

Thanks ..... Mark

[Candoo]

To add to the above question:

I have owned the Jeep for about a year. I haven't used the 4WD or even switched it to that mode. It has only been driven on the street by me and the previous owner. The engine itself was a replacement from the wreckers, and had 121,000 km (70,000 mi) when installed. About 3500 miles have been put on the engine since installed May 2003. The Jeep itself has about 243,000 km (140,000 mi) on it now.

[thinmints]

Does it whine when you rev it up or just when you drive down the road? i had a whine similiar to yours and i was told it was the power steering pump was not sure if that was the prob cause i wasn't having a problem steering but i did replace it anyway and it stoped the noise, i would try that and you can return it if its not the problem or just slowly replace one thing at a time till it quits good luck