Is this a torque converter problem *video

[Mindstream]

1999 Ford F350 DRW 4x4 Crew cab
185,000 miles
7.3 Turbo Diesel

My truck has 185,000 miles on it, and over the last 50,000 or so the noise at idle in the video has grown louder. It's at the point now, that it is really loud and makes driving the truck around any other people a pain since it makes so much noise at or below 1000 rpm. I have heard various suggestions, but the most prevalent is torque converter. The noise I am refering to is the loud intermitent grating or loud growling sound. It is worst in the mornings when the engine is cold, and comes back any time it drops below 1000 rpm, moving or not. I had another suggestion that it was the turbo scraping and echoing down the pipe, but when I put a stethascope directly on the turbo by the wheel, I can hear anything abnormal. However when I do the same to the front of the transmission, it *sounds* like that is where the noise is coming from.. by the small weep hole on that plate under there.

Also, it will never make the noise if I am giving it gas. When moving, the noise usually won't return until around 750-800rpm, and if I put one foot on the brake and one on the gas, I can prevent it from making the noise, even at a dead stop.. as long as I am giving it gas (err diesel) What do you guys think?

Vid 1
YouTube - What's causing this noise

Vid 2
YouTube - truck noise 2

[Cj Ford]

flexplate possibley cracked..noises can travel in weird ways starter drive could be bad and its bouncing out into the flexplate also.. seen this many times

[REDPOWERSMOKER]

NOT SURE GONNA GIVE YA a SO THE TECHS CAN SEE THIS

[Mindstream]

Originally Posted by Cj Ford

flexplate possibley cracked..noises can travel in weird ways starter drive could be bad and its bouncing out into the flexplate also.. seen this many times

CJ - Is there a good way to determine if this is the case.. how can I check it?

[symbols]

Absolutely TC. One of my delivery drivers had that exact same sound on his truck. I always new when he pulled into the driveway. His lasted him a couple of years while making that noise and he hauls heavy loads all over the country. He finally got a replacement TC and it fixed the problem. There is no question in my mind that is the TC.

[Mindstream]

Originally Posted by symbols

Absolutely TC. One of my delivery drivers had that exact same sound on his truck. I always new when he pulled into the driveway. His lasted him a couple of years while making that noise and he hauls heavy loads all over the country. He finally got a replacement TC and it fixed the problem. There is no question in my mind that is the TC.

That is the most certain anyone has been on this issue. I suspected that if someone heard it that had heard it before, they would definately remember.. it's loud as can be and really annoying. I'm the same way, when I pull up outside my wife's building at work, everyone knows I'm there, and it's a good sized brick office building. There was another guy on here who described something very similar, and he replaced the TC also. I have a PM to him to have him take a listen, and I am hoping he will agree with you, and I suspect he will.

So how much of a PIA is the TC swap out.. any good sources, and/or online writeups or instructions?

Thanks again! This site rocks!

[Phiber Optik]

how is the trans for driving? any noticable slipping? bad mileage?

[sea71]

Our tree trimming crew has an f550 with tthe 7.3(2000 model), and it had that exact noise for over a year. At idle, we could hear em a mile. As soon as they would touch the throttle, it would disappear. The city garage changed the converter, and the noise dissappeared. Never any drivability issues up till the end.

[DJM]

T/C swap is a pain in the Butt well it's not bad but the tranny is pretty big it all just matters if you have a trans jack or not I helped a friend do his I just paid the $100 for the install but I had the tranny & T/C blow to pieces on me.

[Dirk]

I busted a flex plate and it made that same noise.