Hey there!

I took my vehicle to get the rotors turned at the shop I use and before I dropped it off I told them to look at an issue that has been developing for a little while now.

When I am driving around and stop at a light I can hear this rattling noise coming from the engine compartment and then once I step on the gas, it seems to go away. This has been happening for awhile but now it is really noticeable. The noise only occurs when I am in Drive gear and it disappears when the vehicle is placed in Neutral or Park.

The shop's consensus is that my torque converter is going bad. I trust these guys and told them I would do some more investigating on what needs to be done. I asked them to pull the GM replacement part to get an idea on cost and it costs about $540 for the Torque Conv for the HD Trans. I would obviously find the part elsewhere.

So...any ideas on what I should do? I have put a lot of money into this car and would hate to drive it until the trans tanks, so I am inclinced to have it fixed......but with what and how?

Any ideas? Other have gone through this I am sure

If I get the converter replaced, what else should be done?

Say goodbye to 18" rims and wheels!

Thanks

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2009 G8 GT -Sport and Premium Pkgs, Roto-Fab CAI, Cortex 93 Octane Tune, Billet Prototype Catch Can, BMR Front and Rear Sways, BMR RTAs, BMR Rear Cradle Bushings, BMR Steering Rack Bushing, GXP SW......and much more to come.

Oh boy, I know nothing about those silly devices, manual FTW!!! This is Derek's expertise.

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Dubs:00 VW GTI VR6, Low and Slow 91 VW GTI 8v, Shave the Bay!! 91 VW Cabriolet 8v, bitch Basket
GP's:04 GP GT, Past now G-Ma's Girlfriend's 97 GP GT, "Project Pink Power"

Sounds somewhat similar to what happens to mine sometimes... My guess would be the TCC solenoid or something like that. When you slow down to a stop light from like 35 mph to 0, does your rpms surge right down and then surge up and down a bit? When mine does it it feels like it wants to still crawl forwards, even with my foot on the brakes. Mine has been doing that lately, so i dont know if that would be the TCC solenoid or torque converter.

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Actually, I do not feel any degradation of shifting, or at least it is not too perceivable. However, I remember the car wanting to move forward a bit on a hill when my foot is off the acclerator. But the biggest telltale is the loose rattling noise when in Drive and I am stopped at a light. The noise is coming from the area around the master cylinder. It sounds like something is very loose and the shop says it is the torque converter. I tend to belive them since the noise disappears when in Park or Neutral.

The big question is if I replace the torque converter, what do I replace it with!!?? I see ZZP, W-Body and 3800 all sell their own versions.

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2009 G8 GT -Sport and Premium Pkgs, Roto-Fab CAI, Cortex 93 Octane Tune, Billet Prototype Catch Can, BMR Front and Rear Sways, BMR RTAs, BMR Rear Cradle Bushings, BMR Steering Rack Bushing, GXP SW......and much more to come.

First, check for a cracked flexplate. This is common, and much cheaper to replace, though, the trans (or engine) still comes out of the car.

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One Big Ass Mistake America

Would a cracked flexplate cause the issues that I described? These dang trans issues are hard to diagnose!! Unfotunately, if the shop would drop the tranny to look a tthe flexplate, I would have to have a TC handy just in case.

Thanks.

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2009 G8 GT -Sport and Premium Pkgs, Roto-Fab CAI, Cortex 93 Octane Tune, Billet Prototype Catch Can, BMR Front and Rear Sways, BMR RTAs, BMR Rear Cradle Bushings, BMR Steering Rack Bushing, GXP SW......and much more to come.

You can check for a cracked flexplate with everything still in the car. Pull the inspection cover, and look up in there. More often than not, you'll see it cracked, (IIRC) around the bolt hole areas where it bolts to the crank. And, yes, it would cause the sounds you're describing.

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One Big Ass Mistake America

Thanks for the advice.....

So any good ideas on which flexplate to purchase and/or torque converter?

Also, anyting else I should have done once they drop the tranny? ..within reason

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2009 G8 GT -Sport and Premium Pkgs, Roto-Fab CAI, Cortex 93 Octane Tune, Billet Prototype Catch Can, BMR Front and Rear Sways, BMR RTAs, BMR Rear Cradle Bushings, BMR Steering Rack Bushing, GXP SW......and much more to come.

Replace the trans and lower engine mounts with poly/solid units, shift kit, pan drop with a filter change and refill with Dex6. I'd stick with a stock flexplate...the aftermarket billet ones are ridiculous. I personally don't see a serious need for a TC here.

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One Big Ass Mistake America

I was unaware they made a shift-kit for the Comp-G's transmission...

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Any of the 4T65E transmissions have one available. You can buy one, or you can make one.

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One Big Ass Mistake America

Oooh thats good to know. I thought i read somewhere that with the paddle shifters somethings different causing it to not work, but now that i look i see people have done it on theirs, so it must work!

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Thanks for the information! So which shift kit is recommended? I think I recall that the Intense kit is preferred??

Ahhhh I looked at the posts below and yes the Intense is preferred...

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2009 G8 GT -Sport and Premium Pkgs, Roto-Fab CAI, Cortex 93 Octane Tune, Billet Prototype Catch Can, BMR Front and Rear Sways, BMR RTAs, BMR Rear Cradle Bushings, BMR Steering Rack Bushing, GXP SW......and much more to come.

Mike give me a few minutes to grab a shower and get settled after a day of work and I'll post a video for you of the sound a cracked flex plate can make. If it is cracked I highly advise do not drive the car till it's fixed because it can cause serious injury if it breaks loose. Also don't but a w-body flex plate, they'll say its new and send you a used one. As for shift kit I had a zzp and when I took it out the nylon shims were mushroomed so I replaced it with an intense shift it and the shifting and everything is much nicer.

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GPDIY - For All Your DIY Needs
VS CAM|3.4|HEADERS|FWI|42.5#|HPT|6000k LOWS|8000k FOGS|

Derek, I really do not think it is a cracked flexplate, but will gladly look at your video and listen to what your sounded like. Also, please let me know under what conditions your noise existed...in Drive, Park, Neutral? or all of the above.

I also have another posting in the 04 Forum asking if I should just repair the torque converter ( I would also replace the flexplate just in case) or should I invest in a new tranny. Not sure what I should do.

Thanks!

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2009 G8 GT -Sport and Premium Pkgs, Roto-Fab CAI, Cortex 93 Octane Tune, Billet Prototype Catch Can, BMR Front and Rear Sways, BMR RTAs, BMR Rear Cradle Bushings, BMR Steering Rack Bushing, GXP SW......and much more to come.

This was when it was at it's most severe. At first I thought it was valve chatter and then about 2 weeks later it sounded like this.

If it ends up being the tc then I would have the trans inspected because if the tc goes out all the metal inside it has the chance if going right into the transmission. The flex plate doesn't need replaced unless if has warping which the shop should check for none the less.

Repairing the tc could cost a nice chuck of change as well since it needs to be cut open then welded back shut. I would recommend a rebuilt one from Dave at triple edge performance - http://www.tripleedgeperformance.com/To ... rters.html

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GPDIY - For All Your DIY Needs
VS CAM|3.4|HEADERS|FWI|42.5#|HPT|6000k LOWS|8000k FOGS|

Thanks Derek!

My noise is no where as severe at the moment and my noise really sounds more like a rattle than anything else. The strange thing is that I can be in Drive while the foot on the brake and hear this rattle, but as soon as I give it some gas and move along.....I hear nothing..and that could be because of the engine noise drowing out the sound.

Another strange thing is that I can make the noise go away either bu shifting to N or Park....or by turning the steering wheel a bit.

Any ideas on that?

I would defintely buy a new TC ! But am thinking if I should just get a tranny. I hate this crap..LOL

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2009 G8 GT -Sport and Premium Pkgs, Roto-Fab CAI, Cortex 93 Octane Tune, Billet Prototype Catch Can, BMR Front and Rear Sways, BMR RTAs, BMR Rear Cradle Bushings, BMR Steering Rack Bushing, GXP SW......and much more to come.

Dunno why turning the steering wheel would make it go away...

It doesn't sound close to this does it? This was before it got really bad but this was also a few weeks after I noticed, it slowly got worse and worse.



If you can get a sound clip for us that could help.

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GPDIY - For All Your DIY Needs
VS CAM|3.4|HEADERS|FWI|42.5#|HPT|6000k LOWS|8000k FOGS|

If you can turn your steering wheel and the noise goes away then it is not tranny related.

Milestone

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Derek,

That sound does seem more like what I am hearing, but not as severe, at least not in the car, and mine only occurs when in Drive and not in Park or Neutral.

Did your noise occur only in Drive or was that video taken when in another gear? Did you have any degradation in shifting during normal driving or WOT?

Milestone - I was wondering the same thing about the sound disappearing when turing the wheel a bit.
Any ideas what would cause this while only in Drive?

I will take a video of the engine compartment this evening and will have my wife place the vehicle in Drive so you all can get a chance to hear the noise.


I know I need to find a good tranny shop and have them look at this, but how does a shop really tell what is going on with a trannny without having to take the dang thing apart? LOL

Thanks for the help. Gotta love this forum!

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2009 G8 GT -Sport and Premium Pkgs, Roto-Fab CAI, Cortex 93 Octane Tune, Billet Prototype Catch Can, BMR Front and Rear Sways, BMR RTAs, BMR Rear Cradle Bushings, BMR Steering Rack Bushing, GXP SW......and much more to come.

This may be too basic, but have yo checked to make sure your hydraulic engine/trans mounts aren't blown out? They blow out all the time and can cause rattles/vibrations.

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'05 WRX STi - COBB Stage 2|Invidia DP|3" Borla XR-1|Coilovers|Camber Plates|Swaybars|Endlinks|Bushings|Braces|Anti Lift Kit|DBA4000s|SS lines|
Sold: 06 Cobalt SS/SC, 99 GTP 245WHP/326 Ft-lbs, 06 R6