2000 TJ 32RH Constant Whistle

[Jimmy's Jeeps]

Hi guys,
a new-to-me 2000 Jeep TJ Automatic 32RH, not long after a water pump change started whistling. Usually 30 seconds after startup, at idle, it would start and continue into the driving cycle and would last until I shut the engine off. If would happen in all gears and while driving from 750 rpm to 1600rpm, it would go away once over 1600 in "D". If I was in Park or Neutral and I couldn't get it to stop by revving no matter how high the rpm. While poking around I ruled out accessory belt/idler puller/bearings and also ruled out vacuum leaks. I did break a transmission cooler line where it connects to the front rubber hose, nad once repaired the whistling went away. But now, 3 days later, it has returned. I would need some ideas of what to do from here please.
Thanks for your help.

 

[Chris]

How did you rule out the accessory belt system? I'm asking because that seems like the most obvious answer, especially since it happened after changing the water pump.

 

[Jimmy's Jeeps]

Hi, thanks for the help. I ran it for a quick minute without the accessory belt installed. Still whistled.

 

[AndyG]

First check all vacuum lines, and then start spraying water strategically on moving parts and see when it stops /changes briefly.

Spray starter fluid around the intake and see if it idles up.

 

[Jimmy's Jeeps]

Hi, because of past posts on this and other forums, I have already kinda gone down that path. At first I wanted to eliminate abything to do with the accessory belt, so I replaced idler pulley and swapped in another used tensioner and then I ran the engine without the accessory belt - it was still there. So,it may be the harmonic balancer but none of the others. Then I played around with all the vacuum lines to no success - no pitch change in the sound. Then, I poked around the under belly and broke a trans cooler line. So, I did a quick repair and the sound went away. For 3 days, it ran quietly. But now, it has returned. Someone said @hear might need to lend a hand because this looks like auto transmission territory, but I have never spoken to the man and maybe he may not be interested or available to look into this one. So, that's where I'm at. Thanks for any help that you can offer.

 

[Jimmy's Jeeps]

Keeping in mind that it goes away in "D" (only) above 1600rpm, it still makes the sound when acc. belt is off and it went away for 3 days after trans cooler line repair.
- It can't be engine vacuum related. Vacuums don't care about the gear or trans cooler line repairs.
- If it was the harmonic balancer: it wouldn't have stopped for 3 days after the cooler line repair and it wouldn't know the difference between "D" and "N", it would just be relevant to the rpm speed.
- If it was the auto transmission pump (or something internal): It would care about the gear, the rpm and about trans fluid flow back and forth from the trans to the radiator/cooler.
But without removing the transmission, what more can I do?

 

[Jimmy's Jeeps]

This my SOS call.....@hear

 

[hear]

Well the only thing I can say with 100% certainty is that if you take it to a transmission shop they will tell you that you need a rebuild.

Whistling in general usually means pushing air across a small opening, so I'm thinking maybe you still have a cooler line problem? Or maybe something with the breather? This is the first I've heard of this with all my "vast experience" so I'm afraid I'm not much help. But if touching the cooler lines made it go away, I would be inclined to really investigate that area further. Make sure your fittings are all tight and you're not dripping anywhere.

 

[Jimmy's Jeeps]

Thank you for your input. Much appreciated. I plan on doing that later on in the week, I have to wait a bit because I need the Jeep on the road until then.
To add to the knowledge base, here are a few other observations that I've made.
Today, I drove it for about 15 minutes, and I went into a store for about 5 minutes, so it was shut down during that time. When I got back in, I was able to drive for about 5 minutes before the whistling started again. That isn't usually the case. Most times when I get it, from cold it will take about 30 seconds and then it continues until I shut the engine down.
Observation #2 - I went into a coffee shop for about 15 minutes and let it idle outside during that time. When I came back it had stopped. It stayed quiet 10 minutes during the drive home and then started again.
Bread crumbs for future...This is like mapping Antarctica in the 1600's, or something like that.

 

[Jimmy's Jeeps]

Other notes worth pointing out. When I did the water pump recently, the coolant was black like licorice juice. I put it in a bucket to see if it was oil knowing they would separate but it didn't. Its solid black water. I have never seen that before. So, I did a good flushing before adding new coolant. Also, maybe goes without saying, the cabin temps is on the cool side. Warmish air. But the engine temp is constant at just a bit below 12 o'clock on the gauge. I will clean out the heater core and I will install 195F thermostat and see where that gets me for heat and operating temperature.
Trans fluid is reddish color and has no funny smell.

 

[Jimmy's Jeeps]

Also, for the record, it isn't a whining or groaning sound. It sounds exactly like a whistling stove top kettle. Because of the pitch and the sheer volume, it sounds like its coming from everywhere at once. When it was whistling, I tried removing the oil cap, dipstick and transmission dipstick. No such luck, always there. While poking around the vacuum lines, I never got it to either stop or change tonality. Nada. The only time it changes (apart from driving over 1600 rpm) is that split second after you press decently hard on the peddle, like when the intake is sucking in a bunch of air, it will kinda change tone, like its dropping in musical tone and then come right back. During that split second it may also drop in volume a bit. Apart from the split second, the volume is always the same. Also, the transmission behaves perfectly fine, no slips, no clunks, no delays, no funny business. More bread crumbs.

 

[Jimmy's Jeeps]

Has anybody ever heard of such a thing?

 

[hear]

It's a first for me, for sure. You might actually try a forum like a-bodies only, which I often go to for transmission info. The 727 and 904 are extremely similar to our 32RH, so they might have run across it before. Truthfully, if I am the go-to transmission person for this forum, we're probably in deep trouble. There is a ton of transmission expertise on the a-body sites.

 

[Jimmy's Jeeps]

It's a first for me, for sure. You might actually try a forum like a-bodies only, which I often go to for transmission info. The 727 and 904 are extremely similar to our 32RH, so they might have run across it before. Truthfully, if I am the go-to transmission person for this forum, we're probably in deep trouble. There is a ton of transmission expertise on the a-body sites.

Jerry Bransford seems to think that it is vacuum related. His point was that the vacuum pressure is high at idle and when rolling with compression (foot off accelerator) and lowest when driving. Maybe. Just I can't find the ground zero of this whistling sound. It is loud and piercing, it sounds like its coming from everywhere at once. I sprayed the vacuum points and wiggled the lines, wiggled the manifolds, poked around and got no change and no clues as far as vacuum leaks. I noticed a bit of coolant leak around the thermostat housing and a few drops around the the top and bottom of radiator. I can't say that the heat has ever been hot, engine temp has always been just shy of 12 o'clock. Lately, when I drive for 10 minutes, shut it down for 5-10 minutes and fire it up and drive I can get maybe 5 minutes without whistling before it comes back. So, I don't know if that can be called a hint of any sort.

 

[loboracer]

I have the same problem. After smoke testing it i found a decent leak at the throttle body. It is where the butterfly shaft goes through on the front side. It gets wore out and air gets sucked in right past the shaft.

 

[RHD-06-TJ-4.0]

My 06 TJ 4.0 just started doing this and sounds exactly like your description (teapot). It only stops for a fraction of a moment when I get on the gas while driving, but not while getting on the gas at a stand still. I have not driven it enough to see if it stops for few min after the coffee shop like yours, although I could use a good coffee. This is a new jeep to me and right before purchase it got a new water pump. My heat is warmish also. It was blowing all out the defrost and would not switch to vent or floor. Found the vac line disconnected and plugged it in and it sorta works now, but not great. At idle if I unplug the same line it idles up. The PVC valve was disconnected and capped off. When I plugged it back in the #1 would misfire and it would throw oil pressure codes. Plug it off and it runs fine only a little rough when warmed up and idles a tiny bit high, as well as guzzles the gas. I'm scratching my head here, thinking there are more vacuum leaks and perhaps some throttle body sensor issues.