Rumble Strip Noise Transmission Drive Train Shudder

[pdxh2o]

I still haven't taken the advice of the owner at Silver Star rebuilders about his recommended cure for RSN (from my previous post on the 2006 trans slipping thread):

RSN cure: two 4oz cans of Mopar P/N 04318060AB limited slip differential additive. Will not overfill the trans, prevents excessive clutch wear in the TC, extends trans life.

Update on my mystery metal in the trans pan of my '05 2500 is so far so good after another 1K mi...but I do intend to try the above "cure & prevention" when I get a chance and have the dipstick kit on hand to replace the cap...unless it's replaceable ? Why would I not want a dipstick ? Do they leak dirt and dust into the sacred fluids ?

 

[BarracodE]

I have the exact same symptoms under heavier loads and uphills and such. 187K and I have no idea when the tranny fluid was changed. It also has the rumble strip noise at some stop signs but I can live with that one. I have a convenient Freightliner Stealership about 5 minutes from my residence open 24 hours too! They only wanted $650 for tranny fluid & filter change. I politely said no thanks and tried to purchase just the ATF but at $20/qt I felt like calling 911 for attempted assault!

Thank you so much for the detailed writeup. I think I'll take a stab at this myself.

Chuck

 

[chads]

Chuck I pm'd ya.
I go to a local shell oil distributor for the Shell 134 atf. $6-7/qt by the case.
Chad

 

[boxcar]

.
.... After having an after-market transmission brace installed on Lizzie shortly after purchase, her RSN rumbling was not nearly as bad afterwards though it was still noticable, especially before she warms up to operating temps. Having good faith in the NAG1 tranny as well as driving easily, have come to up- & down-shift the transmission emanually, during acceleration easing her into the next gears at 13, 25, 35 & 45 mph, subsequently easing (commonly whilst ever-so-lightly on the fuel pedal) downshifting @ 5 mph less each gear- 40, 30, 20 & 8. ~presto~ Problem resolved & has been for over 2 years now. No unfavorable symptoms/problems noticed whatsoever thus far.

.

 

[BarracodE]

I have the exact same symptoms under heavier loads and uphills and such. 187K and I have no idea when the tranny fluid was changed. It also has the rumble strip noise at some stop signs but I can live with that one. I have a convenient Freightliner Stealership about 5 minutes from my residence open 24 hours too! They only wanted $650 for tranny fluid & filter change. I politely said no thanks and tried to purchase just the ATF but at $20/qt I felt like calling 911 for attempted assault!

Thank you so much for the detailed writeup. I think I'll take a stab at this myself.

Chuck

Here's a quick update. I changed the tranny fluid and filter based on this awesome writeup (https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2557) I found a tranny package on ebay for $130 which had the fluid, filter, gasket, even a new copper washer. It took 2 hours flat in my driveway and it now drives down the highway like a limo. Thank you!

 

[bakejosh]

I've a disturbing noise in my '02 FL 2500 High & Long, 407,000 miles. It started today and is a loud knocking that sounds like it's coming from under the cab more or less where the bulkhead door is. It is very loud and sounds like someone banging on the floorboards with a hammer. It occurs when accelerating up to ~30-40 mph, but is the worst when slowing down or coasting.

Is this the RSN I keep reading about, or something else?

I know there's a ton of info about these issues; but as a relatively new sprinter owner, I got a bit confused trying to sift through it all.

Thanks.

J

 

[jmoller99]

RSN is not that. It sounds like the u-joints or the carrier bearing has failed on your drive train - unfortunately, on the Sprinter, you can't just swap out u-joints unless you have an aftermarket drive shaft (on the Stock drive shaft, you have to replace the whole thing).

I had a seized u-joint in my Jeep Cherokee that sounds a lot like your description.

 

[sassmatt72]

well my new to me 06 (140" 2500 2.7L 292k) bank repo. no records, drives nice, but RSN (note: the tech I spoke with noted in the service community they call it clutch pac shutter)
it was severe (like someone running along side the van pounding on the side!) happened on trailing throttle and on acceleration up-shifting, and durring coasting to a stop (I noted that the engine braking seemed very strong at the same time).

Used the #55 orifice trick, OH MY! what a glorious change. it drives like a mercedes now.

no shutter, or rumble, smooth up and down shifting, and even deceleration thur the gears.
no more coasting in neutral to avoid the rsn, or tapping past the rsn point (I don't like this method it means driving the engine not the road conditions)

that and the overflowing dirty air filters, she's a happy beast.
thanks all, M

 

[bakejosh]

I searched for the "#55 orifice trick" but found nothing... what is it?

 

[sassmatt72]

dr A, rsn cure

 

[220629]

I searched for the "#55 orifice trick" but found nothing... what is it?

Search for DARF.

Doctor A Rumble strip noise Fix.

Doktor A sells the complete kit. He also recommends checking with him to see if you really need it before forging ahead. It is not for the NCV3 models. vic

This is a canned response.

Doktor A is Andy Bittenbinder. An excellent mechanic/designer who specializes in Sprinters (and Porsches, and Saabs, and… ). He is generously willing to share his vast knowledge to those in need.

A most important phone number to keep handy.
I have it saved to my cell phone and written in grease pencil under my hood.

"Call my Sprinter Hot Line 412-366-6165. Doktor A".

Have a pad of paper handy when you call him.

Be certain to leave your phone number with area code each and every time you leave him a voice message.
He lives in Pittsburgh PA area. That

We have left Pittsburgh behind and are finally fully settled in our new digs just west of Greenville, South Carolina. That's south of Asheville, NC and just off I-85 midway between Atlanta and Charlotte.

The Sprinter Hot Line phone number is now 864-623-9110.

North Carolina is also the Eastern Time Zone so show some courtesy as to timing your calls.

 

[plumber1]

I REFUSE TO PAY BIG MONEY TO DEALERS AND THE LIKE FOR PARTS, TOOLS AND FLUIDS THAT CAN BE HAD ELSEWHERE FOR REASONABLE PRICES! READ HERE! In april Of 2013 I bought my first Sprinter even after doing some research on maintenance issues, fuel mileage and the like. I traveled 10 hours from home to buy my 2004 3500 long WB high roof with shelves, inverter, lights, tool boxes and the like to use on a daily basis for my plumbing/ contractor business. I got to the exit that is 1.5 miles exactly from my home with no issues and getting 23mpg empty and doing 65-72 mph on the interstate coming home. I did notice a slight RSN at around 20-28 mph when slightly on the throttle. When the light turned green to take off from the exit ramp I nearly had a heart attack as the transmission seemed as if it was going out as it made the rpms surge and loose of drive like the clutches were slipping. The next day I drove it into town and the same result from the trans. I searched and searched for info on the right fluid to use as I would try to service the trans my self and see what the result was. My 04 called for 236.10 fluid to start with. I found that Valvoline max life Synthetic Trans meets MB 236.10. I am a 3rd generation valvoline user and I believe in their products. I drained the Torque converter, and pan, changed the fluid, and filter and gasket on the pan. I added 16.3 pints = 8 quarts of new valvoline Max life synthetic trans fluid. I DID NOT BUY OR USE AN EXPENSIVE DIPSTICK, however if you have a leak or need to check the level it would be nice to have one. I then test drove my sprinter for about 30 minutes. The result was the same as it is now 6 months later. My transmission shifts great, no shudder, and very rarely do I get a subtle RSN! I have put 18,000 fairly rough miles on this sprinter since I bought it and all is well. I keep her loaded to the gills with tools and material I use to do my job It handles all I ask it to with 19 MPG average. Shell 134 trans fluid (MB236.14) fluid is available from your local shell oil distributor for around $5/ quart if you must have the newest fluid and may be a must for anything newer 2005. A friend of mine who rebuilds transmissions for a living ( who i consulted before I used max life and not to his approval) claims there are 2 different rebuild kits for the NAG1- Sprinter/ crossfire, and then a kit for all others. Don't pay that high dealer markup for trans fluid. I work hard for my money and I am sure you do to. Let someone else be suckered into keeping the dealers rich. Shell manufactures all MB, Chrysler, and Sprinter/ Crossfire trans fluid sold in the USA FYI.

 

[lindenengineering]

Plumber 1
I get what you are stating!

I see that you are a self employed contractor/ plumber by your post.
It prompts me to ask a question by being so bold:-
Do you mark up the materials and subby work you provide to your customers?
May I ask by how much in %ages?

I too have been "stung" by construction material suppliers who have tried to stick it too me on pricing, (roof trusses and lumber come to mind) It seems gauging its prevalent in the industry you operate in especially when you are a small contractor; perhaps much more than the MV business I have been involved in for many decades.

Equally I have had to buy certain tools to do plumbing/HVAC when I built the house I live in. Some of those I considered grossly expensive at the time compared with MV tools but considered it worth the money to get the job done right.

I guess its the cost of doing anything whether its fixing your work van or me putting my Viessman Horicel right.
Dennis
Self Employed Mechanic and 9 bay shop owner/Employer.

 

[Billet]

oh, another dumb question.
Where do you check the tranny fluid. I know, I know….. look in the manual

 

[lindenengineering]

oh, another dumb question.
Where do you check the tranny fluid. I know, I know….. look in the manual

No Billet you need a dipstick
These days its a special tool available from the dealer system, on fleabay sometimes and Assemacher tools in Boulder amongst other places like Transtar who are a nationwide tranny re-builders' parts & tool source.
Dennis

 

[pinzgauer]

No Billet you need a dipstick
These days its a special tool available from the dealer system, on fleabay sometimes and Assemacher tools in Boulder amongst other places like Transtar who are a nationwide tranny re-builders' parts & tool source.
Dennis

Sprinters now instead of pinzgauers, Dennis? ☺

 

[lindenengineering]

Sprinters now instead of pinzgauers, Dennis? ☺

No still repairing Pinzgauers (I have four in the shop at the moment) but they are disappearing fast especially since 2008 as the new financial normal takes hold and and severely "restricts big boys toys" even some of the perceived wealthy have given them up!
I saw that coming in 2002!

As you may know we have always repaired MB products including the Unimog, but that sector has suffered even worse!
Landrover has been the bedrock of shop revenues for more than a decade but even that is changing as many cannot afford to buy one or even service/repair it for that matter.
I heard one of my mechanics to state "Look there are no food stamps when it comes to fixing cars"!
Prompted when a young lady customer complained about the price of a basic service to make it run properly! (Outpouring by a single mom, unemployed on welfare etc etc.)

Sprinters are a growing shop revenue and have been for about 6 years now and it begs me to self question why I didn't do it earlier! Especially since we work on other diesel platforms including that bloody awful Ford 6 litre Powerstroke in an E350! One week of working on that junk will have you loving a Sprinter no matter what the problem! (like taking the Ford body off to get the engine out!)

They (Sprinters) are so easy to work on and if you do the repair right wthout (cutting corners mostly on costs) the outcome is very satisfying.
Cheers and Happy New Year
Dennis

 

[220629]

Another possible symptom of beyond its useful life fluid.

Thanks goes to Ininkus and Bikerjoe for the follow-up.

Resurrecting a very old thread, but I wanted to provide an update for anyone that stumbles upon this while searching "Drone Noise or Exhaust Noise" like I was.

I had a drone noise, exactly as described in these messages, would come and go mostly at highway speeds. Would go away if I let off the accelerator pedal, or go away if I downshifted and put my foot into it more.

I was 90% certain it was exhaust related. Either a bad joint or a rust spot, etc. I was wrong. Brought the van in for oil change and had the transmission service done as well: Problem solved. The drone noise is completely gone.

FWIW; I have experienced RSN, and this drone noise is not that. Much more constant and something I could turn on and off by adjusting how I drove on the highway.

Cheers.

My '04 2500 140" wb sprinter had this drone noise. It went away when I had the transmission serviced at 65K miles. New fluids, dropped the pan for inspection, etc. The noise came back at 92,000 and I put up with it for a while, but I just had the tranny serviced again at 94K, and VIOLA! The noise is gone again.

I really think Mercedes is a bit ambitious with their "no service for 80,000 miles" claim. Take the tranny in, have it serviced. New fluid, drop the pan, clean the filters etc. I'll bet you a Barvarian filled chocolate covered doughnut that it solves the problem.

A reminder that when trying to correct symptoms Doktor A recommends draining both the Torque Converter and the pan to more completely renew the fluid. His experience is that just a pan drain won't necessarily correct fluid related symptoms.

vic

 

[Neil2]

And given my exposure to his posts I be lighten a stick of incense as well!

Search for DARF.

Doctor A Rumble strip noise Fix.

Doktor A sells the complete kit. He also recommends checking with him to see if you really need it before forging ahead. It is not for the NCV3 models. vic

This is a canned response.

Doktor A is Andy Bittenbinder. An excellent mechanic/designer who specializes in Sprinters (and Porsches, and Saabs, and… ). He is generously willing to share his vast knowledge to those in need.

A most important phone number to keep handy.
I have it saved to my cell phone and written in grease pencil under my hood.

We have left Pittsburgh behind and are finally fully settled in our new digs just west of Greenville, South Carolina. That's south of Asheville, NC and just off I-85 midway between Atlanta and Charlotte.

The Sprinter Hot Line phone number is now 864-623-9110.

"Call my Sprinter Hot Line 412-366-6165. Doktor A".

Have a pad of paper handy when you call him.

Be certain to leave your phone number with area code each and every time you leave him a voice message.
He lives in Pittsburgh PA area. That North Carolina is also the Eastern Time Zone so show some courtesy as to timing your calls.

 

[220629]

Neil2,
As a personal rule I don't edit other member's posts, but sometimes I break my own rule.

I updated your post with Doktor A's contact information.

We have left Pittsburgh behind and are finally fully settled in our new digs just west of Greenville, South Carolina. That's south of Asheville, NC and just off I-85 midway between Atlanta and Charlotte.

The Sprinter Hot Line phone number is now 864-623-9110.

vic