2001 RAM 1500 Manual tranny grinding

[mikez111]

Hey all,

I hope someone can help me with this... I took a 2000 mile trip and about 1500 miles into it, I started hearing a grinding sound near the tranny at lower speeds. It will grind standing still at idle, with the clutch in or out, until I select a gear. Any gear. The noise will come back at about 4 or 5 miles an hour and run through 4 gears. At 5th gear, its hard to tell if its grinding or not. I does get pretty loud though. Any ideas???

Thanks in advance.
Mike

[fredjacksonsan]

Does it grind both with the clutch pushed (disengaged) or "up" and engaged, in neutral?

[mikez111]

When I push in the clutch, I can hear it wind down and the grinding noise disapears. Start moving forward and it comes back. It is very loud when down shifting. Twice as loud I would say. I think it may be the output bearing in the tranny, not in the transfer case.

[who fan]

Check to make sure the gear box has oil or fluid. Unlikely but could be dry. Could be the throwout bearing but that I think would only happen with the clutch disengaged, unless out of adjustment. Also make sure the fly wheel is tight.Anythings possible.

[fredjacksonsan]

Yeah, it does sound like a bearing in the transmission.

[mikez111]

I checked the oil and it was good. I pretty sure I will have to get a bearing kit. Better yet... Time for a new vehicle I think. I dont have much faith in a truck that only lasts 41,000 miles. I know things happen, but thats a bad omen!!!

[BleedDodge]

Did you get this truck used? Sounds like someone beat the shit out of it...

[ImpalaGirlNY]

My BF just bought a 2001 dodge ram 1500 and it had a clacking noise whenever you would accelerate or let off the gas. It was found to be the Universal Joint. Don't know if that helps or not.

[mikez111]

The truck was new off the lot in 01. It has not seen anything but paved roads but has moved a good bit of stuff. The military moves us around a good bit. I had the tranny pulled apart and the counter shaft was flaking apart at the bearing side of the shaft. To put it in perspective, one side of the shaft (where the bearings ride on the shaft) is smooth and shiney, and the other side is pitted and flaking and falling apart. There is no race on the inside. The outside has one pressed into the case. This gear has been failing for a long time. It just got bad enough to hear it. Even the bearings had "dents" in them! Thats a hard metal to put dents in!!! I would love to find some way to make Dodge own up to this defective part.

[fredjacksonsan]

That's alot of wear for 41K. Didn't you get the 7/70 powertrain warranty?

[jrmcx]

I've got a 2001 1500 S.B. with a V6 and 5 spd. manual. I'm pretty sure 1500's use NV3500 trans.. 2500 uses NV4500. Doesn't GM use NV in their trucks? I wonder if GM 1/2 ton uses NV3500. Maybe the NV3500 ain't "tough enough"?