Is this present at all times, or generally just when the truck has recently been started and during the initial few accelerations?

Can you get a clip of the "whirring"?

At face value, without other things being noticed, I wouldn't just right to the TC, but potentially a bearing or u-joint or diff.

 

Is this present at all times, or generally just when the truck has recently been started and during the initial few accelerations?

Can you get a clip of the "whirring"?

At face value, without other things being noticed, I wouldn't just right to the TC, but potentially a bearing or u-joint or diff.

It's not consistent all the time. If I am cruising, it is nowhere to be heard, but under acceleration it is definitely noticeable. I've tried to get a clip of it before, but it is almost too faint to hear. I'll try to grab a video of it when I get my lunch break. And bearings and u-joints have been ruled out by the local shop.

Talking to a local transmission shop, they seem to be pretty stumped on what the noise could be as well. They are of the same mindset that torque converter problems are usually chirping and bucking.

The other thing that I haven't really considered is maybe a cam sensor for the VVT? That is something that, cosidering how VVT functions, would correlate with the noise.

 

Literally tons of people have experienced this with that transmission...It's likely the converter but could also be among the following:

1. Front planet/sun gear/ring gear starting to break up - if it fails completely you lose all forward and reverse movement
1B. Rear planetary carrier / ring gear(s) or sun gear(s) failure

2. One of the hubs (1-2-3-4, 3-5-R or 4-5-6) - the 4-5-6 hub is the most vulnerable in the transmission and common practice is to replace it with a Sonnax billet hub (36 or 45 lugs on the hub)-45 lugged versions allow for Powerglide frictions to be used)

3. Torque converter - the TCC is a pos and likes to fail early and often; bearing failure or stator one-way clutch failure is also somewhat common

The above assumes its actually coming from the transmission/TC and not the driveline (u-joints, pinion bearing, diff (pinion and ring gear worn on the drive side) or engine somewhere (pulley, belt, etc)...I'd not think the ring/pinion gears and/or bearings in the diff are worn out at only 103k - it'd be further down on my list of suspects.

 

great info

 

do update us with what the transmission shop says.

the reason i asked about if its only present on a fresh start is because the trucks do have an intial whine through the first two shifts. Kind of like how older cars with clutch fans would stay engaged for the first few shifts

 

It is a different noise than the traditional GM first gear whine. That's actually the first thing I checked just to make sure I wasn't fretting over nothing. The soonest the transmission shop can look at it is next week, so it'll be a minute until I can update unless I can figure out what the noise is before then.

 

All bearing and u-joint related problems have been ruled out by a local shop. It doesn't sound too much like it'd be an accessory drive problem considering the noise falls at mid to high rpm and is nonexistent when driving normally or cruising.

Also talked to a local transmission shop, and they are a bit perplexed as well considering the conditions the noise occurs under.

The one thing that comes to mind that would be rpm and acceleration dependent is maybe a VVT solenoid? based on the conditions that cause the noise and how VVT works, it seems plausible, but I am not a professional mechanic. I am bringing it to another mechanic I know to get him to give it a once over to see if he can pinpoint it.

Yes, please keep the thread posted...is the noise coming from the engine bay or does it sound like it's coming from underneath you?

Keep this in mind also - when you accelerate you load up the hubs and planetary carriers whereas when you coast, the load comes off. The gear train (front and rear) has a designed-in amount of longitudional travel that allows it move back/forth a little bit as its loaded up then relieved while you go on and off the gas pedal...

 

The location of the noise doesn't sound quite from underneath me but doesn't sound like front of the motor either. What makes it more confusing is that the noise does not occur if you are parked and rev it. Tested that to see if it was accessory drive. Kinda lends its hands to my VVT solenoid theory if VVT only occurs when the vehicle is in drive and moving.

Your second point also brings up another theory. I am trying to find a shop that has the time to change motor mounts. Having all that mass freely moving would test the tolerances a bit, so it could be that as well.

 

The location of the noise doesn't sound quite from underneath me but doesn't sound like front of the motor either. What makes it more confusing is that the noise does not occur if you are parked and rev it. Tested that to see if it was accessory drive. Kinda lends its hands to my VVT solenoid theory if VVT only occurs when the vehicle is in drive and moving.

Your second point also brings up another theory. I am trying to find a shop that has the time to change motor mounts. Having all that mass freely moving would test the tolerances a bit, so it could be that as well.

Unfortunately, I have never heard what VVT whine sounds like so can't comment...If it's only present under load (i.e. not parked or coasting while driving) then it's got to be either transmission, driveline (which sounds like you've already ruled out but prob worth having your mechanic check again to be sure while he has the vehicle) or something in the engine that's only working when under load (or where there's a state change from idle/coasting to acceleration while in gear).

Check you rear transmission mount also, assuming you haven't already and replace it if it's worn out (excessively worn rear trans mounts can actually damage the rear planet over time due to excessive vibrations on those units). Both motor and trans mounts can cause a variety of noises though bad motor mounts will also cause a sharp vibration/bumping or 'shoving' sensation when accelerating from a stop so you'd likely would have felt that if your motor mounts are bad.

Have you looked at the motor mounts and confirmed they are worn?

Do you have a mechanics stethoscope?

If so, perhaps you can poke around the engine and transmission while it's idling to see if you hear anything unusual through the scope that isn't audible with the naked ear.

 

Unfortunately, I have never heard what VVT whine sounds like so can't comment...If it's only present under load (i.e. not parked or coasting while driving) then it's got to be either transmission, driveline (which sounds like you've already ruled out but prob worth having your mechanic check again to be sure while he has the vehicle) or something in the engine that's only working when under load (or where there's a state change from idle/coasting to acceleration while in gear).

Check you rear transmission mount also, assuming you haven't already and replace it if it's worn out (excessively worn rear trans mounts can actually damage the rear planet over time due to excessive vibrations on those units). Both motor and trans mounts can cause a variety of noises though bad motor mounts will also cause a sharp vibration/bumping or 'shoving' sensation when accelerating from a stop so you'd likely would have felt that if your motor mounts are bad.

Have you looked at the motor mounts and confirmed they are worn?

Do you have a mechanics stethoscope?

If so, perhaps you can poke around the engine and transmission while it's idling to see if you hear anything unusual through the scope that isn't audible with the naked ear.

I've been aware that the motor mounts and the trans mount were on their way out since I had the shop check them around 80,000 miles. Started having that bump sensation about 3,000 miles ago. They are past due, and I should've done them last month, but life has been doing what it does best in making that difficult.

I do not have a mechanic's stethoscope, but I think one of my buddies does. I might have to ask if I can borrow it.

 

im surprised the mounts are gone on a 17 with 100k. stranger things have happened but still, haha

 

I blame the Louisiana roads beating the crap out of everything for wearing stuff prematurely. The excessive heat doesn't help either. Had to change shocks around 90,000 because they were absolutely shot

 

I've been aware that the motor mounts and the trans mount were on their way out since I had the shop check them around 80,000 miles. Started having that bump sensation about 3,000 miles ago. They are past due, and I should've done them last month, but life has been doing what it does best in making that difficult.

I do not have a mechanic's stethoscope, but I think one of my buddies does. I might have to ask if I can borrow it.

Rgr that - yea get them changed for sure...could be them causing the noise you're hearing indirectly...if nothing else, you address a potential problem area before major problems are caused...

Same here in Vegas - heat kills so many things prematurely...everything from tires to batteries...Suspension wears faster here too due to all the off-roading we do...

 

If you have bad motor that are for sure bad, you cant do and diagnostic work until those are fixed

 

Hey guys. Wanted to give an update just in case someone was curious about the noise problem. I went ahead and changed the torque converter to a remanufactured billet-faced one and had them install the improved thermostat so that the transmission doesn't sit at 200 deg all the time. The difference in overall performance before and after is STAGGERING. Not only is the noise no longer a problem, my truck shifts and delivers power like it is brand new! I can't believe how much performance has been restored and how much I must've just gotten used to the degradation of performance over a long period of time. It may have cost a decent chunk of change to get everything replaced, but I do not regret spending a single penny of it.

 

So changing the torque converter solved the whirring noise problem? Currently experiencing the same issue on my 17 Silverado.

 

Thanks for posting the update.

 

I have the same issue on my 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2008 lt. It sounds like the noise is coming from right behind my pedals. When I accelerate

 

So I have a 2018 sierra 1500 5.3 6l80 4x4. Truck has 150,xxx miles and I’m currently experiencing a noise that sounds like a Walmart shopping cart wheel when accelerating. I had just had my 6l80 replaced, new calipers, new wheel bearing assembly, new front coilovers ,and I still have that whistling/chirping sound from somewhere on the front end. I was told to check my exhaust for leaks and my intake(closed box). I am however missing one screw from the closed box intake but honestly haven’t had a lot of time to really check it either. I’m curious to know if you’ve solved the problem. I might be experiencing the same thing

 

How much did the install cost

 

Was the whirring noise after it shifted? And then consistent when accelerating?

 

Finally solved the issue. My coolant reservoir had a crack in the bottom of the tank . So that sound I kept hearing was pressure escaping the tank everytime I would press the throttle