Gearbox rattle? Newbie

[vracclaim2]

Hey all, First up i'll start by saying nice site. Im impressed. I'm not a newbie to cars or commodores by any means just this site. Anyways on to the problem. I have just bought a VR acclaim S2. The car is bog stock and in gc. Now when I bought it it had a slight rattle which I mistakenly thought was a F**ked cat converter. After jumping under the car I found it was coming from the Gearbox. I took it to my mech who said it was the Torque converter or Flex plate which is what I thought it had to be.
Anyway 5 hours later and a new TC and everybolt and the FP checked it still makes the same frekin noise. Its just sounds like a loose rattle and is def coming from in side that inspection plate. Anyone had the same similar prob? Oh and I just replaced the HB but the noise was there B4 and After that so that has nothing to do with it. Thanks all.

 

[hako]

It's not the starter motor pinion fouling with the ring gear....or a rattle from somewhere else which "appears" to be coming from the inspection plate (noise does travel!). Does it do it in park or rev/drive and what is the HB?(excuse my ignorance). Good Luck.

 

[vracclaim2]

Sorry, the HB is the Harmonic Balancer, just couldn't be bothered writing it the first time. It makes the noise in all gears. But takes about 1 - 2mins after its cold to start. Also makes the noise while driving. As for the starter option i'll check it out. As for noise travelling, we got a stethascope thingy and it was def coming from where the torque converter area is. It goes back to my mechs tomorrow and to an auto place as well, so Ill keep you all updated. I also think it might be where the tail shaft joins into the box? Its def something spining and rattling. :bang:

 

[hako]

I've been caught with using a stethoscope before as they locate where the noise is "being made heard" as distinct as from where it is "being made". Think of a violin - the bow slides across the strings well away from where the sound comes from.....but I must admit it is usually the best tool. I should have clicked that HB was Harmonic Balancer but thats at the front of the engine and not where the rattle is coming from. My bet is that it is something to do with the exhaust and maybe the cat as you first thought. Good Luck.

 

[vracclaim2]

:bang: Damn I hate cars. Had the car inspected by an Auto place and was told it sounds like crank shaft play or the balance shaft is f**ked. Yippie! so over this car already. But hey thats why I sold my supra, to get a nice reliable car that never brakes. But the news got better when I decided to pay holden 50 bucks for a inspection. I told them it wasn't the TC or FP. After 20 mins the guy came out and said "you have a rattle in the engine". Will take them 6 hrs @ $97.5 p/hr to find what it is. I was happy, went home got pissed and went and watched mundine get the S**T punched out of him. (last sentence was sarcasim)

 

[hako]

Before you spend the $$$$, do a search on the balance shaft because I've read that despite making a bad rattle they are not terminal. Maybe you can live with the noise if that is so. Good Luck,

 

[vracclaim2]

Thought about it for a bit. The rattle is def coming from the bottom, back of the engine. The balance shaft is closer to the top, isnt it? also the chain is at the front, isnt it? So yeah Ive called in a favour my mech owes me and hes going to drop the sub frame and go throught the bottome and check things out. Ill keep yall posted.

 

[eh2o]

how did this end up??????? did u fix the problem

 

[vracclaim2]

Nope, Still rattles its brains out. Tried a bit of thicker oil 25w 60 and some sticky stuff but made no differance. Its driving me insane. Is there anyway to pull the balance shaft out without pulling the engine? Also I heard you can just get a different timing chain that skips the balance shaft all together? Anyone done this or know if it can be done! I heard something about a double row timing chain? What model is the chain from? Thanks guys