Manual transmission whine normal?

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I've had three cars of my own, all MTs, and all of them have had a sort of quiet whine noise from the MT, especially when engine braking at low engine speeds (2500 RPM and lower) in second gear for example. Seems like my Civic didn't have it when brand new but I can hear it a bit now. I've also noticed it in my wife's car which we've also had from new, and it only has 23k miles on it.

I'm guessing this is normal -- what causes it? Is it just what the gears do as the spin due to their shape?
 
perhaps its time to change the tranny fluid with something high quality.

redline makes some great transmission fluids.
 
It's a function of how the gears are cut. The old "rock crushers' sounded like school busses all the time, forwards or not.

There's a compromise between strength and quietness; strong is loud.
 
It's normal on decel or engine braking. Nothing wrong with it. Now, if you are cruising down the road going 50 and its whinning away, then that is ot normal.

Sometimes a "better" gear oil will reduce that a little but, but it really doesn't go away. Motorcyles do it, everything does it with real transmission.
 
My little saturn ion has made a little noise like that since it was new, it is a function of a manual trans.

I run Mobil 1 lube in my trans also..
 
My current car's manual transmission makes all kinds of noise. My old car's manual transmission ('95 Maxima) never made a sound unless something was terribly wrong.
 
They'll whine if the gears are made with old tooling. My dad worked his whole career as an engineer at Ford Transmission and Axle. This is one of the issues they had to address.

Since yours developed the noise with use, it seems that the parts are now worn in and make noise, or one of the rotating components has a defect... there are too many scenarios to list.
 
Soory to hijack buy my 1 and 4th syncros are not working HOT, with the amalie GL5. Is there a readily available (at big box auto store or wallyworld or sears) GL4 MT transaxle lube without hypoid? I assume since there is no 90 degree power direction change in a transvere mounted FWD transaxle there is no need for the heavy does sulphur ring and pinion additive in the GL5 which can cause bad synchro braking. I could use a 80w-90 or 75w-90. NO M1 LSD!! I have no quick access to Amsoil or Redline products. This is the Toyota.
 
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Reverse often whines most. Reverse gears are often straight cut, while the others are helical.
Next comes first gear, then second.[for noise]
Manual trannys/ transaxles are not silent. Gears and bearings are moving around at high speeds.
 
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Reverse often whines most. Reverse gears are often straight cut, while the others are helical.
Next comes first gear, then second.[for noise]
Manual trannys/ transaxles are not silent. Gears and bearings are moving around at high speeds.


you beat me to the straight cut thing about reverse gear.

change the fluids with something better then tell us if it fixed it
 
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
I guess there is no generally available GL-4 from valvoline or pennzoil ?!


I was able to get StaLube brand GL-4 gear oil from Napa several years ago. Last I checked I think they still carried it. Don't recall the weight but it was something pretty standard.
 
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Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Reverse often whines most. Reverse gears are often straight cut, while the others are helical.
Next comes first gear, then second.[for noise]
Manual trannys/ transaxles are not silent. Gears and bearings are moving around at high speeds.


Mine only whines in first gear when I let off the gas, every other gear is quite. Well, I guess reverse makes that reverse noise that I think all of them make.

Don't use GL5 in a manual gear box.
 
GL5 can be used in a gearbox if it is speced for GL5 obviously, i have also run it in a transmission rated for GL4.

the concern comes from the sulfur content and if you add time + extreme temps then maybe if you get lucky then your synchros might even see a little bit of wear beyond normal.

on another forum i am part of this was a big debate until someone e-mailed mobil about it. their official statement said that it had the POSSIBILITY to show harm IF it was constantly run at temperatures seen in road racing conditions, for everything else it was fine.

it ran exceptionally smooth in my transmission.
 
Thanks for the feedback. I'm actually not sure whether my car started this with time or whether it made the sound when new -- it's pretty faint. Just wanted to hear what others had to say about it.
 
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