Unusual noises from TH200 4R

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

I have a 1986 TH2004R out of a LG4 305 powered Grand Prix in my 85 Cutlass and it makes some really odd noises. It shifts fine and will even bark 2nd under the right conditions. It sounds like a chirping, squeaking noise in neutral or park that goes away when you pull on the TV cable or put it in gear. It also makes a ticking sound while driving at a steady state speed, kind of like a bad lifter. It's not a lifter though as I just upgraded the cam and lifters and put in all new rocker arms and ran the lash. It also does not tick at idle, just at speed. I have the throttle/TV cable bracket off the GP on it, and even used the right primary throttle shaft on the quadrajet carb for an 80's Chevy, so the geometry is right. ( I currently have an Edelbrock on it, but it did this with the Q-Jet too). The trans has about 20k miles on it since I ghad it rebuilt. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Uncletruck]

If you carefully slip the transmission in to neutral and rev up the engine while driving at highway speed, do you hear the same ticking sound occur, or is it only while the transmission is in drive?

-Mark-

 

[pontiacgp]

If you hear the ticking sound in every gear I'd be looking at the torque converter.....and if you had the transmission rebuilt only 20 k ago wouldn't it still be under some kind of warranty?...if it is I'd be bringing it back so they don't try to say you screwed it up by messing with it....you probably know that just having the TV not adjusted properly will kill a 200 R4

 

[Uncletruck]

That was my thought exactly- torque convertor. When they start to wear out they make a sound much like lifter noise at speed.

-Mark-

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Yeah, I was thinking about the convertor. Unfortunately, it was rebuilt 9 years ago and the car has not been driven much because it has been in pieces due to bodywork and a lack of time/money etc. I have found that the trans makes this noise in drive also ( I tested it the other night and found I was wrong) and the noise is terrible from underneath the car. I want to stop driving the damn thing now, but can't because of an odd problem with my truck that I can't figure out ( misses bad above idle, good compression, fuel pressure, spark, new cam angle and crank angle sensors, new cap and rotor, plugs, TPS checks good, all 4 injectors fire etc...). I commute 40 miles a day and the Cutlass is a real POS in it's current incomplete state ( interior is: seat, pedals, steering column and part of the dash)

Anyhow, Will a Th200c Converter from a 3.8 V6 work in a TH2004R? I wonder because they seem prevelant in junkyards and I figure the V6 would have a higher stall speed than the V8 converter would.

 

[Uncletruck]

The 200C and 200R4 look to use the same TC according to parts suppliers and they are also the same regardless of the engine used. I would opt for a new TC though if you are going to drop the trans though, new ones are only a tad over $100, and the labor to drop the transmission to put in a used TC in unknown condition wouldn't be worth it IMHO.

-Mark-

 

[elcam84]

Often a ticking sound that changes when you pull on the TV cable is pump related. A broken slide will cause the vanes to tick when they hit the break.

Most of the time it will self destruct pretty quick if it's a broken slide (pump part)

But... Since it seems like you have driven it a good bit that way it may be a ticking regulator. Part inside the pump.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

I did notice some metal in the fluid too, so maybe I will replace the pump, converter and flush the trans with new fluid a few times to see if it does the trick. The ticking is not related to the pulling of the TV cable. A wierd sound like fingernails down a chalkboard is. I put a spacer on the end of the TV cable today and it eliminated the squealing noise, or at least diminished it. The ticking still remains however. I also noticed a few loose trans to block bolts today and re-tightened them.

 

[elcam84]

I'm willing to bet that your pump was not rebuilt properly. They probably either left the old one in there or they replaced it with another 7 vane pump. The 7 vane pump causes some bad harmonics in the pressure that cause the regulator to buzz.

Not sure about your screetching sound. I'd have to hear it. But it's most likely pump related as there is nothing else moving while in park.

 

[pontiacgp]

I put a spacer on the end of the TV cable today and it eliminated the squealing noise, or at least diminished it.

I'm not sure of you know this but there is only one way to adjust that cable....release the tensioner and pull the cable all the way to the back, towards the firewall....then open the carb up to WOT and the TV is adjusted... if it's not adjusted properly it won't be long before you burn the transmission..