swamp_fox

1st off this is on a 99 4wd 4runner 145k miles. The 1st noise is a loud squeaky noise coming from the rear end that I'm pretty sure is a dry u-joint.

The 2nd noise is the main problem. It is a faint noise that sounds like it's coming from the tranny area. It almost sounds like valves rattling but the best I can tell is that it's not coming from the motor. It only does it when I push the gas, when I let off it stops. I checked the tranny fluid and the coolant, no milkshake. They were both clean and clear and at the levels they should be. I can make it get louder if I hammer on it, but I'm also not sure if some of that noise isn't coming from the rear end. It isn't loud enough for me to hear it at 70+ mph. Tranny still operating like normal, it's a little hard shifting in the morning when it's cold but it always has been for as long as I've had it. No slipping, no hesitation, or any problems getting up to speed. I turned the OD off this morning to see if that would make a difference but I couldn't tell any. It was a little hesitant downshifting at high rpms but I didn't have it pinned either.

The wife has a 250 mile trip on Monday and I'd like for it to make it back under its own power. The first thing I'm going to do is grease all the fittings on the front and rear driveshafts to see if that helps....if not, what next? I had the tranny flushed at around 115k miles, before that I don't know what type of service was done.

Any ideas or help would be great for a newbie!

justin_4runner

if u can drive it or put if on jack stands and video the noise, its hard to say what it is with out having the sound going, also when u have the rear on stands u can run it and listen more to see if u can pin point more of a location of where it is coming from. once u get the video post it and we will be more of a help with the noise.

swamp_fox

I don't think a video would even pick up the noise that I'm worried about. Just drove home 15 miles and it didn't make either noise. The faint wierd noise bothers me much more than the loud squeak.

Truck is cooling off now, fixing to go outside and see if there is any play in the joints or if there are any leaks coming from anywhere.

swampfox

If it is a auto trans it might be a cracked flex plate or a loose bolt between the flex plate and torque converter. You can pull the rig aginst a tree and have someone put it in gear with the brakes on, this will put a load on the plate that should cause the noise to happen.
By the way good screen name.

swamp_fox

Very cool screen name.....It bothers me because I just recently moved to Birmingham and bought a condo so all of my tools and the rest of my stuff had to stay back at my dads. I guess I should have bought a house with a garage. Yall keep the ideas coming, I'm heading out to lay up under my hot truck in 100 degree weather.

swamp_fox

Well me going out and looking up under it didn't accomplish ˟˟˟˟. Both drive shafts were very very tight, only a very slight bit of movement in the front one next to the t-case. Could a u-joint be causing the squealing or would it more likely be a bearing inside the diff. It is definatly something that is rotating, you can tell by the way it sounds.