Noise Conditions; Clicking, Popping Or Grinding Noises; Vibration Conditions; Road Test - Ford Transit 2002 Owner's Manual

Therefore, make sure that none of the following conditions are the cause of the noise
before proceeding with a driveline teardown and diagnosis.
In certain conditions, the pitch of the exhaust may sound very much like gear noise. At
other times, it can be mistaken for a wheel bearing rumble.
Tires, especially snow tires, can have a high pitched tread whine or roar, similar to gear
noise. Radial tires may have this characteristic. Also, any non-standard tire with an
unusual tread construction may emit a roar or whine noise.
Trim panels can also cause whistling or whining noise.
Clunk may be a metallic noise heard when the automatic transaxle is engaged in
"R" (REVERSE) or "D" (DRIVE) or it may occur when the throttle is applied or released. It
is caused by backlash somewhere in the driveline.
Bearing rumble sounds like marbles being tumbled. This condition is usually caused by a
damaged wheel bearing.

Noise Conditions

Gear noise is typically a howling or whining due to gear damage or incorrect bearing
preload. It can occur at various speeds and driving conditions, or it can be continuous.
Chuckle is a particular rattling noise that sounds like a stick against the spokes of a
spinning bicycle wheel. It occurs while decelerating from 64 km/h (40 mph) and can
usually be heard all the way to a stop. The frequency varies with vehicle speed.
Knock is very similar to chuckle, though it may be louder and occurs on acceleration or
deceleration. The teardown will disclose what has to be corrected.
Clicking, popping or grinding noises may be caused by the following:
worn, damaged or incorrectly installed wheel bearing, suspension or brake component.
Check and rule out tires, exhaust and trim items before disassembling the transmission to
diagnose and correct gear noise.
The noises described under Road Test usually have specific causes that can be diagnosed
by observation as the unit is disassembled. The initial clues are the type of noise heard on
the road test and driving conditions.

Vibration Conditions

Vibration at highway speeds may be caused by the following:
out-of-balance front or rear wheels.
out-of-round tires.
Shudder or vibration during acceleration may be caused by the following:
damaged powertrain/drivetrain mounts.
excessively high constant velocity (CV) joint operating angles caused by incorrect ride
height. Check ride height, verify correct spring rate and check items under inoperative
conditions.

Road Test

A gear-driven unit will produce a certain amount of noise. Some noise is acceptable and
may be audible at certain speeds or under various driving conditions, as on a newly paved
asphalt road. The slight noise is in no way detrimental and must be considered normal.
The road test and customer interview (if available) provide information needed to identify
the condition and give direction to the correct starting point for diagnosis.
1. 1. Make notes throughout the diagnosis routine. Make sure to write down even the
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