the last few times after start up I've heard a metallic banging/clanging sound, somewhere around the bell housing. its not real loud, just enough to notice from inside the cab. i can't pin down the location exactly, but the back of the engine or bell housing is all i can think of. it happens in neutral for sure, not sure about in gear with the clutch in. its random too, not rhythmic with the engine.

any ideas?

Al

 

Al, my welder had the same thing with his '06 dodge 3500 diesel 6 speed. It started after coming out of a long winding backroad and it came and went from time to time in gear and in neutral. Eventually we were pulling a hill when the clutch gave out and the engine revved helplessly. Turns out the mounting bolts holding the clutch to the flywheel backed out, then sheared off. The clutch was in great shape, but chrysler still charged randy about $2000 for labour and a new clutch, after being told not to touch a damn thing, just take it apart and find out what went wrong. They even tried to hide the used parts from him...shady c#%nts. But anyways thats what happened with his truck, and same thing, depending on where you were listening from it sounded like transmission, then engine because the cases echo so much. My brother in law once bolted the clutch onto the flywheel of his 1st gen toy with a 3/8" ratchet and same thing, came loose and made some funny sounds. hope this helps

 

that could be a possibility.... the clutch was changed out about 35k ago and i've found many of the things this mechanic did to the truck were pretty FUBAR'd.

Al

 

Al, after listening to your truck yesterday I still have no clue what this sound could be...
crawled around on my truck looking for something that it could be but nothing stuck out that would be like we heard.

we can pull the trans sometime if you want to check out the clutch, but think it might be something external like the t/c mount...dunno

 

thanks robb,

yeah i just can't come up with anything either. maybe it is the pressure plate bolts backing out? they could be knocking the ribs of the bell housing maybe? not sure how much room is in there around it.

hey, you are pretty good at pulling transmissions now, aren't ya?


Al

 

seems to me that if a pressure plate bolt was coming out that it would be a constant noise unless it has broken off and is just getting kicked around at the flywheel spins

pulling transmissions wasn't something I was hoping to get good at but, yep willing to help

 

Yeah that's interesting that it doesn't go in rhythm with the engine...I'm trying to think...

 

Long story short, buddy of mine's truck was making horrible sound at idle, turned out to be loose fly wheel bolts.