Weird sound I can’t figure out

[JDHarris]

I have a sound that has started in the last couple of weeks that myself and the mechanics have not been able to figure out yet. It’s a groaning sound that happens at any speed, sporadically. It doesn’t change pitch or volume with vehicle speed, though the sound does vary. It typically happens when very light on the throttle or just recently let off the throttle. It will make the noise down to almost a complete stop. When it’s making the sound, pressing the gas or brake has no impact on the sound. It’s coming from the front of the truck somewhere, but I can’t figure out where just yet. It sounds similar to brakes groaning, but it’s not related to hitting the brakes or vehicle speed and doesn’t change with speed like brakes would. There is nothing notably wrong with brakes or wheel bearings that we could identify, there is nothing leaking fluid that we have found. I’m at a loss. I have some chassis ears microphones coming tomorrow. Anybody have an idea on what this could be?

Here is a short video of the sound happening.

Weird sound

New item · Album by Joshua Harris

photos.app.goo.gl

Edit: Using some chassis ears microphones I was able to narrow it down to my Pacbrake oil filter relocation kit (or something directly attached to it). Now I just need to figure out why it’s making the noise. It’s been on for months without issue, but now it intermittently makes that groaning noise.

 

[SKT Customs]

That’s bizarre dude I have no idea unfortunately!

 

[raygun9]

My 2012 did something similar and it ended up being the coolant lines being bolted to the frame. They swapped them with insulated lines but that was a Gen4 and I've heard nothing about that issue after they changed the Gen4 lines in somewhere around 2014... very strange.

Curious if you have jacked up the front and just spun the wheels... doesn't sound like a bearing or front diff but could be worth a try

 

[JDHarris]

My 2012 did something similar and it ended up being the coolant lines being bolted to the frame. They swapped them with insulated lines but that was a Gen4 and I've heard nothing about that issue after they changed the Gen4 lines in somewhere around 2014... very strange.

Curious if you have jacked up the front and just spun the wheels... doesn't sound like a bearing or front diff but could be worth a try

I have checked the bearings and the shop did as well. No play in the wheels, no grinding felt or heard when spinning the tires, everything spins freely, and no heat build up. Typically when I have heard bearings going out, I’ve heard a rhythmic sound as it rotates or a whine that changes pitch with speed. This doesn’t do either. It only happens while the vehicle is in motion though..

I’m baffled. I have a 1500 mile road trip on Friday and this noise isn’t filling me with confidence. It doesn’t seem to impact drivability in any way I can tell yet, but still…

 

[SkittleRam]

Almost sounds like bad blower motor, but the sound would be more consistent with load.

It also sounds like air trying to escape between a rubber seal of sorts.

 

[JDHarris]

Almost sounds like bad blower motor, but the sound would be more consistent with load.

It also sounds like air trying to escape between a rubber seal of sorts.

That's where my current line of thinking is. It reminds me of something rubbing against a grease seal. But I don't see anything obviously leaking and the front diff and axles look fine visually. I have a ChassisEar (remote wireless microphones) that is arriving tomorrow that will hopefully help me narrow down where the sound may be coming from. There is a very slight vibration in the gas pedal and steering wheel when the sound is happening, but it doesn't seem to vary with speed and is often in fact loudest at lower speeds (though not always). I'm not sure what sort of seal going bad would align with the other symptoms though (primarily triggered when light throttle or decelerating, not varying significantly with speed, etc)

 

[raygun9]

Let me guess... the dealer cant replicate it?

Sent from my SM-G781U1 using Tapatalk

 

[Cbty2050]

Could be ANC or AVC acting up. Remove radio fuse, this can help w/ ANC concerns. AVC unplug the actuators. I'm just spit balling here

 

[JDHarris]

Let me guess... the dealer cant replicate it?

Sent from my SM-G781U1 using Tapatalk

Correct. They had it for two weeks and much BS ensued. I found another mechanic.

 

[JDHarris]

Could be ANC or AVC acting up. Remove radio fuse, this can help w/ ANC concerns. AVC unplug the actuators. I'm just spit balling here

Definitely not ANC. What is AVC?

Edit: looked up AVC. It’s the tuned mass dampers to cancel out vibrations from cylinder deactivation. That wouldn’t be what would come to my mind based on it seeming to come from the front of the truck, but it’s a great suggestion and easy to test. I’ll check that out tomorrow! Fingers crossed!

 

[JDHarris]

Could be ANC or AVC acting up. Remove radio fuse, this can help w/ ANC concerns. AVC unplug the actuators. I'm just spit balling here

I got excited about the possibility and decided to test it tonight. I unplugged the 4 connectors that go into the two tuned mass dampers. Unfortunately that didn’t end up being it. It was a really good suggestion though! Thank you.

 

[Cbty2050]

Does it do it in 4wd and 2wd?

 

[Louhound88]

I have a sound that has started in the last couple of weeks that myself and the mechanics have not been able to figure out yet. It’s a groaning sound that happens at any speed, sporadically. It doesn’t change pitch or volume with vehicle speed, though the sound does vary. It typically happens when very light on the throttle or just recently let off the throttle. It will make the noise down to almost a complete stop. When it’s making the sound, pressing the gas or brake has no impact on the sound. It’s coming from the front of the truck somewhere, but I can’t figure out where just yet. It sounds similar to brakes groaning, but it’s not related to hitting the brakes or vehicle speed and doesn’t change with speed like brakes would. There is nothing notably wrong with brakes or wheel bearings that we could identify, there is nothing leaking fluid that we have found. I’m at a loss. I have some chassis ears microphones coming tomorrow. Anybody have an idea on what this could be?

Here is a short video of the sound happening.

Weird sound

New item · Album by Joshua Harris

photos.app.goo.gl

Does it happen relative to turning? In the video it seems like it came up when you were letting off throttle and starting to brake, but also turning slightly to the right. So low speed but right turning. It stopped when you were still low speed then moving the steering back to center then left.

Possibly a bushing binding? Steering link bushing or maybe swap bar?

 

[JDHarris]

Does it do it in 4wd and 2wd?

It doesn’t matter if the truck is in 2wd, 4wd, or neutral. The sound is not impacted.

 

[JDHarris]

Does it happen relative to turning? In the video it seems like it came up when you were letting off throttle and starting to brake, but also turning slightly to the right. So low speed but right turning. It stopped when you were still low speed then moving the steering back to center then left.

Possibly a bushing binding? Steering link bushing or maybe swap bar?

In general, it doesn’t seem like it. When the sound first started happening, it most consistently started while going slightly uphill, letting off the throttle, and a slight turn in that location in the video. As it’s progressed, it happens in many scenarios, including going straight down a road or freeway. When the sound is happening, turning the wheel back and forth does not alter the sound.

 

[JDHarris]

With the Chassis Ears I was able to narrow down the noise. It seems to be coming from my Pacbrake oil filter relocation kit on the filter side. What specifically, I’m not sure. Could be a line, the filter mount, the filter itself, or perhaps air in the system that is cavitating, I’m not sure. It definitely seems to be from the kit on the filter side, not the engine side though.

 

[crusher]

With the Chassis Ears I was able to narrow down the noise. It seems to be coming from my Pacbrake oil filter relocation kit on the filter side. What specifically, I’m not sure. Could be a line, the filter mount, the filter itself, or perhaps air in the system that is cavitating, I’m not sure. It definitely seems to be from the kit on the filter side, not the engine side though.

did you check the oil pressure gage, just in case

 

[JDHarris]

did you check the oil pressure gage, just in case

I did. Thanks for asking. It sits consistently around mid-40’s psi when up to temp.

 

[theblet]

I had a Saturn SUV that would do this. Noise was more pronounced above 30 mph. no play in the wheel bearings or CV joints. I jacked up the front end and let the vehicle gain “speed” and found the left wheel bearing was the culprit. After changing it no more noise

 

[JDHarris]

I had a Saturn SUV that would do this. Noise was more pronounced above 30 mph. no play in the wheel bearings or CV joints. I jacked up the front end and let the vehicle gain “speed” and found the left wheel bearing was the culprit. After changing it no more noise

Thanks for the suggestion! I narrowed it down to the oil filter relocation kit I have on my truck. Now I just have to figure out why it’s making that noise.