Sierra 2006 VortecMax Driveline Noise

[hdfat2002]

Greetings fellow Forum members,

 

I have a 2006 GMC Sierra Crew-Cab 1500 2WD with the VortecMax Performance Package, A/T, and automatic locking differential. It has a strange noise, seemingly from the driveline, on moderate acceleration. The noise is NOT there on light acceleration, nor on hard acceleration--but at 25-40% throttle (estimated) it is prevalent.

 

It kinda sounds like someone taped a playing card to one of the wheels--for every revolution, there is a little fluttery noise that is hard to describe. It is rhythmic and follows vehicle speed. It goes away above about 35MPH and only seems to happen in first and second gear.

 

Any thoughts? Is this a normal condition? There doesn't seem to be anything WRONG with the truck--it performs admirably and is a pleasure to drive. But my passengers ask "What is that?" and I find myself a little embarassed.

 

I am debating taking it in for a warranty repair, but I'd just as soon avoid that if it is normal. A nice cat-back exhaust would easily drown out the sound (the radio does, as it is). And it has occurred to me that it may go away after I allow the truck to "break in." It only has 1020 miles so far.

 

Thanks in advance for you help!

 

-Fat

[svensk]

Take it in.

[hdfat2002]

Greetings fellow Forum members,

 

I have a 2006 GMC Sierra Crew-Cab 1500 2WD with the VortecMax Performance Package, A/T, and automatic locking differential. It has a strange noise, seemingly from the driveline, on moderate acceleration. The noise is NOT there on light acceleration, nor on hard acceleration--but at 25-40% throttle (estimated) it is prevalent.

 

It kinda sounds like someone taped a playing card to one of the wheels--for every revolution, there is a little fluttery noise that is hard to describe. It is rhythmic and follows vehicle speed. It goes away above about 35MPH and only seems to happen in first and second gear.

 

Any thoughts? Is this a normal condition? There doesn't seem to be anything WRONG with the truck--it performs admirably and is a pleasure to drive. But my passengers ask "What is that?" and I find myself a little embarassed.

 

I am debating taking it in for a warranty repair, but I'd just as soon avoid that if it is normal. A nice cat-back exhaust would easily drown out the sound (the radio does, as it is). And it has occurred to me that it may go away after I allow the truck to "break in." It only has 1020 miles so far.

 

Thanks in advance for you help!

 

-Fat

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

 

Any Forum members heard of this issue before? I'm just about certain the noise is coming from the rear-end. Seems to be torque-dependent. Gotta be something to do with the auto-locker. We'll see what happens when I take her in next week...

 

-Fat

[jschunke]

Does the noise go away when you coast in neutral?

If so, it means it's the tranny making the noise. My

tranny whines sometimes, but it doesn't sound like

the noise your describing.

[hdfat2002]

Does the noise go away when you coast in neutral?

If so, it means it's the tranny making the noise. My

tranny whines sometimes, but it doesn't sound like

the noise your describing.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

Yeah, it goes away when coasting and after it shifts into third (direct drive). There is a whine, too--especially between 30-50MPH. Truck's new; she goes in tomorrow. I'll report back what I find out.

 

-Fat

[hdfat2002]

Does the noise go away when you coast in neutral?

If so, it means it's the tranny making the noise. My

tranny whines sometimes, but it doesn't sound like

the noise your describing.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

Yeah, it goes away when coasting and after it shifts into third (direct drive). There is a whine, too--especially between 30-50MPH. Truck's new; she goes in tomorrow. I'll report back what I find out.

 

-Fat

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

 

Took the rig into Reynolds GMC (West Covina, CA) yesterday. No word yet...

 

-Fat

[hdfat2002]

Does the noise go away when you coast in neutral?

If so, it means it's the tranny making the noise. My

tranny whines sometimes, but it doesn't sound like

the noise your describing.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

Yeah, it goes away when coasting and after it shifts into third (direct drive). There is a whine, too--especially between 30-50MPH. Truck's new; she goes in tomorrow. I'll report back what I find out.

 

-Fat

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

 

Took the rig into Reynolds GMC (West Covina, CA) yesterday. No word yet...

 

-Fat

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

 

OK, so the word is the noise is coming freom the third-member. The Service Advisor said something "wasn't machined correctly" from the factory and that they had ordered the parts. It wasn't clear to me--based on his description--if it was the pinion, the ring gear, or the carrier that had the trouble. I guess I'll know when I see the RO when they are done.

 

Supposed to be home again Friday. I'll update you all then.

 

-Fat

[hdfat2002]

Does the noise go away when you coast in neutral?

If so, it means it's the tranny making the noise. My

tranny whines sometimes, but it doesn't sound like

the noise your describing.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

Yeah, it goes away when coasting and after it shifts into third (direct drive). There is a whine, too--especially between 30-50MPH. Truck's new; she goes in tomorrow. I'll report back what I find out.

 

-Fat

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

 

Took the rig into Reynolds GMC (West Covina, CA) yesterday. No word yet...

 

-Fat

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

 

OK, so the word is the noise is coming freom the third-member. The Service Advisor said something "wasn't machined correctly" from the factory and that they had ordered the parts. It wasn't clear to me--based on his description--if it was the pinion, the ring gear, or the carrier that had the trouble. I guess I'll know when I see the RO when they are done.

 

Supposed to be home again Friday. I'll update you all then.

 

-Fat

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

 

Word is, she's getting a Ring & Pinion AND a Carrier.

 

I'll update you all with how it turned out tomorrow.

 

-Fat

[hdfat2002]

Does the noise go away when you coast in neutral?

If so, it means it's the tranny making the noise. My

tranny whines sometimes, but it doesn't sound like

the noise your describing.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

Yeah, it goes away when coasting and after it shifts into third (direct drive). There is a whine, too--especially between 30-50MPH. Truck's new; she goes in tomorrow. I'll report back what I find out.

 

-Fat

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

 

Took the rig into Reynolds GMC (West Covina, CA) yesterday. No word yet...

 

-Fat

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

 

OK, so the word is the noise is coming freom the third-member. The Service Advisor said something "wasn't machined correctly" from the factory and that they had ordered the parts. It wasn't clear to me--based on his description--if it was the pinion, the ring gear, or the carrier that had the trouble. I guess I'll know when I see the RO when they are done.

 

Supposed to be home again Friday. I'll update you all then.

 

-Fat

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

 

Word is, she's getting a Ring & Pinion AND a Carrier.

 

I'll update you all with how it turned out tomorrow.

 

-Fat

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

 

So the Service Advisor called me today. He said the truck was all done (meaning the new third-member had been installed) and that the truck now has "an even louder noise than before."

 

He said they are ordering a drive-shaft and that it will be in some time next week.

 

I'm thinking it's gonna end up needing a trans. Those 4L70E transmissions are a fairly new piece--wouldn't surprise me if there weas a production hiccup.

 

This is a real bummer! I've only HAD the truck three-weeks as of yesterday, and 5 days of that it has been in the dealership with a problem! Not to mention the driveshaft won't be in until the middle of next week, so it will be at least that long before they find the real problem! Then, they'll have to order something ELSE! By the time I get my truck back, I'll bet it will have been in their custody a good three weeks!

 

Oh well. Hopefully their techs are better at R&R than they are at diagnosis.

 

More updates when I have them...

 

-Fat

[pm26]

I fail to understand how a new driveshaft will solve anything. if the driveshaft was bent or out of balance, there would be vibration. Same for bad universal joints, but these could be replaced separately. Looks like these people have no clue what is wrong, so they are replacing parts at random, hoping that one will solve the problem.

 

Sorry that instead of VortecMax you got a "Whiner Max" instead.

[hdfat2002]

I fail to understand how a new driveshaft will solve anything.  if the driveshaft was bent or out of balance, there would be vibration.  Same for bad universal joints, but these could be replaced separately.  Looks like these people have no clue what is wrong, so they are replacing parts at random, hoping that one will solve the problem. 

 

Sorry that instead of VortecMax you got a "Whiner Max" instead.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

Yeah, it's a shame. It's a bad-ass truck. It just has a little goofy issue with a noise. I'm with you, though: I don't see how a new driveshaft is going to fix anything. There is no vibration associated with the condition, which WOULD exist if there was a bent shaft or a bad U-joint problem. In fact, if either of those were really at issue, the problem OUGHT to get worse with speed--but above 30mph, it's just plain gone.

 

I'm betting it gets a trans. That said, the issue for me is: Am I going to be happy with a brand-new truck that has a reman (AWTEC) trans in it?

 

Maybe 4L70Es are new enough that there ARE no remans. I'd like that. NEW, baby!

 

Anywayz--I'm planning on having this truck a long time. I just gotta get through these teething pains while it's still a baby...

 

-Fat

[FSTDL]

The first truck I ever ordered was an 84 GMC step side and it had a vibration and took about 4 visits to fix but its still in the family and has always been a great truck.At least they aknowlege there is a problem That seems to be the biggest problem. Dont worry they will fix it.

My vortec max has a weird drone at times be 50 and 60 mph.I love the truck and will make a stink before its out of warr and am not going to get a stomach ache over it.

[hdfat2002]

The first truck I ever ordered was an 84 GMC step side and it had a vibration and took about 4 visits to fix but its still in the family and has always been a great truck.At least they aknowlege there is a problem That seems to be the biggest problem. Dont worry they will fix it.

My vortec max has a weird drone at times be 50 and 60 mph.I love the truck and will make a stink before its out of warr and am not going to get a stomach ache over it.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

Yeah, you're right about that. As long as they do quality work and it does get fixed, I'll be happy.

 

How do you like your V-Max?

 

-Fat

[ZZebes]

I would demand a new trans and not a reman, for gods sakes the truck has less than 1,500 miles on it and they are going to slap a trans in that has thousands of miles on it. Even though it is rebuilt that is not right.

[hdfat2002]

I would demand a new trans and not a reman, for gods sakes the truck has less than 1,500 miles on it and they are going to slap a trans in that has thousands of miles on it. Even though it is rebuilt that is not right.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

I'm with you, ZZebes!

 

No reman. If it gets a trans, it gets a new trans--otherwise, they buy her back.

 

(And I still want the truck so that's not an option)

 

-Fat