Weird wine/I don't know

2791 Views 28 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Donald Wilson6787, 1 mo ago

Donald Wilson6787

Discussion Starter · 2 mo ago (Edited)

Alright new to me powerstoke. 99 f250 7.3, runs and drives great but today I was out driving and it started intermittently making a very strange sound that I cannot quite describe. It is like a whining noise with a very small hint of grinding. Turns off and on when I hit bumps. Interestingly enough if I lock my front hubs in it will not make the sound. Any ideas fellers, video is attached and I apologize for the bad quality it is the best I could do.

Can hear it in the beginning of the video then it suddenly stops and starts up again toward the end of the video.

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NoRalPh

· #2 · 2 mo ago

No Vid in your post but,,,

This is a pretty common issue and a pretty simple, cheap, fix (locking the hub is the best indication of what's gone bad).

Ya don't want to drive it too long making that noise as the Needle Bearings are "chattering" on the Stub Axle and can do damage to it over time (starts to get a lot more expensive to repair) For now, there's no harm driving with the hub Locked.

Take it apart and change the Needle Brgs -> Welcome to guzzle's 4x4 Needle Bearing Maintenance Web Page

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Donald Wilson6787

Discussion Starter · #3 · 2 mo ago

NoRalPh said:
No Vid in your post but,,,

This is a pretty common issue and a pretty simple, cheap, fix (locking the hub is the best indication of what's gone bad).

Ya don't want to drive it too long making that noise as the Needle Bearings are "chattering" on the Stub Axle and can do damage to it over time (starts to get a lot more expensive to repair) For now, there's no harm driving with the hub Locked.

Take it apart and change the Needle Brgs -> Welcome to guzzle's 4x4 Needle Bearing Maintenance Web Page

Good afternoon. I forgot to add the link so here it is.

NoRalPh

· #4 · 2 mo ago

OOOhhh, I don't know now,,, that doesn't sound like what I'm thinking of from the needle brgs (most often described as sounding like you're running over "Rumble Strips"). I'm not sure How a noise like that would be connected to the Hubs though.

From what I hear, and of course it isn't like being there, that makes me think of very Dry bearings in something like the Accessory pulleys. Maybe take the serpentine belt off and see it it goes away, although it doesn't do it when you're not Moving? ~ is that right?

If it's only when driving, could it be related to Turning? That is, if you're turning Left let's say, does it get Louder or Softer? Do some Figure 8's maybe.

That's a pretty Loud noise!

Donald Wilson6787

Discussion Starter · #5 · 2 mo ago

Yes it is only when i am driving, It will start and idle and run all day with no issues but the second I take off driving without the Hubs locked in. It doesn't change in tone or pitch hardly at all while driving around under 30 miles per hour and it is completely random with no degree of consistency when it does start making the noise. I do not loose engine power or transmission power, brakes and power steering still run perfectly fine when the noise is happening. I am flabbergasted at what it could be. I am new to the diesel world so this is all new to me.

Roachwe

· #6 · 2 mo ago

I would inspect the toque converter bolts haven’t backed out.

Heavy_GD

· #7 · 2 mo ago

Donald Wilson6787 said:
intermittently making a very strange sound that

Turns off and on when I hit bumps

if I lock my front hubs in it will not make the sound.

I think you've narrowed it down

Donald Wilson6787

Discussion Starter · #8 · 2 mo ago

Roachwe said:
I would inspect the toque converter bolts haven’t backed out.

Ok there is a inspection shield on the flywheel housing I'll look for anything obvious, but if it was a flywheel bolt would it not be constant? I feel that if it was torque converter bolts when I am setting still and hold the brake and rev the engine in gear to simulate load it would make the same sound?

I am not disagreeing just brain storming. Thank you!

Roachwe

· #9 · 2 mo ago

My 7.3 almost sounded like a box of marbles rolling around. I was able to narrow it down to torque converter area. Put in gear and sound would come and go sometimes until the torque converter would lock. Pull transmission and I could hear the rattle in converter once removed. I just put a cheap part store converter in. No more noise.

Hydro

· #10 · 2 mo ago

So, ...remove the hub cover on each wheel and look in ...bet you find the problem
that sound is a "dry" bearing

You already have the problem located at the hubs
since locking them makes the sound stop

This is not a torque converter problem

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Heavy_GD

· #11 · 2 mo ago

Hydro said:
So, ...remove the hub cover on each wheel and look in ...bet you find the problem
that sound is a "dry" bearing

You already have the problem located at the hubs
since locking them makes the sound stop

This is not a torque converter problem

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Donald Wilson6787

Discussion Starter · #12 · 2 mo ago

Hydro said:
So, ...remove the hub cover on each wheel and look in ...bet you find the problem
that sound is a "dry" bearing

You already have the problem located at the hubs
since locking them makes the sound stop

This is not a torque converter problem

Thank you

Heavy_GD said:
I think you've narrowed it down

Thanks

NoRalPh

· #13 · 2 mo ago

So,,, was that IT? If so, those are the Loudest Needle Brg I've ever Heard!

I have to assume, if it were, that your Stub Axle is severely scored...

Donald Wilson6787

Discussion Starter · #14 · 2 mo ago

NoRalPh said:
So,,, was that IT? If so, those are the Loudest Needle Brg I've ever Heard!

I have to assume, if it were, that your Stub Axle is severely scored...

Not sure i havn't had time to look at it yet I am nervous it's not the hubs but I don't know. I'll let y'all know when I tear into it.

Hydro

· #15 · 2 mo ago (Edited)

Maybe they look something like this one
GrandPa said "burned up with grease"

@ZMANN do you still have that pic of a rusty hub ?

Wheel Tire Automotive tire Motor vehicle Vehicle brake

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Donald Wilson6787

Discussion Starter · #16 · 2 mo ago

Hydro said:
Maybe they look something like this one
GrandPa said "burned up with grease"

@ZMANN do you still have that pic of a rusty hub ?

View attachment 792603

Yeah I started to jack it up last evening and got it up on three of the four jack stands so I can get the tires off the ground and put it in gear and simulate load and test the four-wheel drive and everything else but one of my jack stands self-destructed not even under the front of the truck it was under the back of it The damn roll pin fell out of the locking mechanism and I could not get one back in so now I got to buy another jack stand before I can jack it up and and really start tearing in stuff and look at it and thanks for your help guys I'll when I figure something out I'll let you guys know, much appreciated. Y'all really are making this young feller see how awesome the powerstroke community is for the 7 threes thank you guys for everything when I figure something out I'll let you all know

NoRalPh

· #17 · 2 mo ago

You're kinda overcomplicating this though...

Go to the side that locking the Hub quiets and take it apart to see what it looks like in there (refer to the link in post #2).

Reactions: 1

Donald Wilson6787

Discussion Starter · #18 · 2 mo ago

NoRalPh said:
You're kinda overcomplicating this though...

Go to the side that locking the Hub quiets and take it apart to see what it looks like in there (refer to the link in post #2).

Yeah I am good at overthinking things 😂, I pulled the locker, rotor and caliper and the axle shaft has at least an 1/16th inch of slop in it so I know that bearing is bad at a minimum.

Donald Wilson6787

Discussion Starter · #19 · 2 mo ago

upon removing the hub assembly the wheel bearing seems fine, the needle bearing on the hub seems a little tough to spin so i may replace it, But the snap ring and retaining washer were completely missing on the axle shaft and the vacuum seal was completely destroyed. So my question is how much flex should the axle shaft have where the vacuum seal presses onto the end of the axle shaft when everything is installed.

NoRalPh

· #20 · 2 mo ago

So first,,, for the $10 that those needle brgs cost, I would certainly replace them! (I mean, they're Right There...)

Next, there is a surprisingly amount of movement at the U-Joint there and that's actually the way it's designed. When in 4WD and you turn the wheel full-over, you'll feel that jerky see-saw of the U-Joint reaching the limit of it's deflection. When this is going on, the Long axle is swimming around at the end of the axle tube (that's why the dust seal there always looks wallered-out) to be able to allow you to turn that far (the difference between simple U-Joints and CV-Joints).

As for the Vacuum Seal (and wait until you price on of Those!), if you don't have Vacuum Hubs, they don't much matter.

In that link above, you'll all the missing parts you'll need to replace and the precise way & order they should be put installed. Some Hack worked on your truck at some point, I have no idea what the consequences of running it without them will be, you might want to consider replacing the front bearings and just be done with it. If you Do have Vacuum hubs and are going to have to replace the vacuum seal then I would recommend doing the U-Joint at the same time (be very sure that the stub axle isn't scored where the needles ride because now would be the time to replace it too if it were). Once you have to go behind that expensive seal, you don't want to have to go back again for as long as possible...

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