Got my car running after sitting for 14 plus years several months ago and has sat since due to lack of funds. When you take off from a start it sounds like belts squealing but it is not, it is coming from the converter area. I removed the converter dust cover and it is not the flywheel hitting anything, starter bellhousing, etc. It is clearly coming from the transmission. What do you all think it could be? Bad converter, pump, both? As the saying goes, "it worked well before it was parked"... hahaha, Short of pulling the trans out and rebuilding it are there any other thoughts or things to check? I am about to pull the pan and see how it all looks in the pan and at least change the old fluid, but wanted some opinions on it since auto transmissions are not my strong point. It has a 2200 stall converter, and a shift ki,t in an old rebuild (1980's haha). Again, it has sat for a loooooong time with nothing running through it. The converter only has about 3000 miles on it, and it still seems to shift fine into all gears and does not make any noise until it is under load. Sorry for the long read... Rob
A bad output shaft housing bushing (that's the bushing the driveshaft's yoke rides on, just inside of the rear seal) can make a "squishing" or "squealing" sound under power. Something easy to check without tearing the trans apart. Sorry, I don't know if that helps if the sound is really coming from the front. Makes me wonder if the pump bushing being worn could do the same thing, though. Devon
It will make the noise if you start to power break it without spinning the tires, so I do not think the output bushing is suspect at this point. I drained the fluid and it is slightly metallic but no clutch disc chunks or anything unreasonable, yet. Thanks for responding though! sometimes it takes forever to get responses out of people..
Glad to help. You're right; if the noise is happening with the car motionless, then that rules out the output shaft bushing. After thinking about it some more, I'm thinking the pump bushing is probably not the cause either. Devon
Mine did the same... for me I replaced Trans fluid filter by recommendation of my dad (a mechanic who had built many TH400s). Problem solved. I recommend you try the same.
Thanks guys, I am going to change the filter and fluid first and see if it makes a difference. If that does not cure it, I'm going to pull the trans. Hoping it is as simple as just a filter, it almost seems like a cavitation issue like it is starving for fluid. And there are no pinched cooler lines. I'll keep you up to date.
If you do pull the trans, replace all the soft parts; low miles, the hard parts may be fine. Clutch pack piston rubber seals will fail with age, don't wait till the trans is ruined. A burned out clutch pack will fill the whole trans with black poison. good luck, Bruce Roe
