[mutestiffy]

When I'm accelerating, especially from a stop, I'm hearing a subtle grinding in the lower RPMs, rattling noise. It sounds like it's coming from the transmission. I'm thinking it's possibly the transmission fan or something like that.

Anybody have this strange sound?

I asked the dealer and they gave me the classic "thats normal" routine.

Personally, it drives me crazy and I'd like to get it fixed.

thanks!

 

[bryan_ruiz]

for some reason unknown my car does this too it is a 2000 ford focus spi 5 speed, i have yet to have any problems with it and not had time to check it out either.

 

[mievil]

When I'm accelerating, especially from a stop, I'm hearing a subtle grinding in the lower RPMs, rattling noise. It sounds like it's coming from the transmission. I'm thinking it's possibly the transmission fan or something like that.

Anybody have this strange sound?

I asked the dealer and they gave me the classic "thats normal" routine.

Personally, it drives me crazy and I'd like to get it fixed.

thanks!

What year, and what transmission do you have?

 

[mutestiffy]

I've got a 2001 ZX3 with a manual tranny. It seems to get more pronounced when I'm driving through city traffic. When the car is cold, I don't hear it at all.

 

[mutestiffy]

I've also been hearing it really faintly when I'm idling at a stop sign. When I have the clutch pedal in, the noise goes away. This makes me think it's something to do with the tranny. For awhile I thought it was spark knock, but I tried supreme gas and it's still there.

 

[troy10]

I have a 2000 spi 5 speed. Recently I have a similar noice. The next time you hear the noice, take notice of you are on a slight incline, what happens is your transmission and egine will shift causing the clutch plate to relax. This will give you that wierd noice you are hearing. Also could be a bad pulley.

 

[wrcRS]

Its normal. As much as i hate tellin you guys....it is normal operation. I've heard this noise on my car clearly all the time. I have a long tube header on my car so i don't hear it at all now.

 

[mutestiffy]

So it's coming from the exhaust? Like it's a heat shield or manifold or something? If I wanted to, could I get under the car and tighten a few bolts and make it go away?

 

[Bart]

I have exactly the same problem with my Focus ZX3 (from 2000, manual transmission), it's driving me crazy!! You don't hear the sound when the engine is cold, but as soon as it's heated up and are accelerating in 1st and 2nd gear, the rattling sound is there (below 2000 rpm). If someone could explain me how to get rid of this sound, that would be greatly appreciated

 

[bryan_ruiz]

Ok, I think I found the problem, it is the heat shield for the header.

 

[mutestiffy]

Yup. I don't hear it when it's cold. After about ten minutes of driving it starts to rattle. It's especially prominent in city traffic, when the engine is producing the most heat. Ahh... it's starting to make sense.

Now, if somebody has some advice on how to cure this heat shield header rattle you speak of, let's hear it.

 

[1320]

do you hear any noise while at idle? if so do you hear it with the clutch in or out?

 

[mutestiffy]

When idling, I hear it when the cluch is out. When I put the clutch in, the sound goes away.

 

[AnthonyD]

Gear roll over noise.

Nothing you can do about it.

I'm on my 3rd tranny because of it. It just keeps coming back.
It's not bad or anything... it just makes your car sound like a diesel.


The joys of owning a Focus I guess.

 

[mutestiffy]

wait, if it's not bad, why are you on your third tranny? Is it something that just comes with time? Does it take a new tranny to get rid of it?

 

[01yellazx3]

yep the MTX75 is just a noisy tranny. But I'd also like to know why you're on your 3rd tranny bc of it

 

[AnthonyD]

Because I was probably one of the first guys to complain about it.

I took the complaints to Ford Moto Co. They told me they would request a new tranny for me.

Every time it happened... I would take it in followed by a phone call.

They just kept putting new tranny's in.

After the third one they told me it was just the way the tranny sounds. It is not damaging anything so just leave it.

It only does it once in a while now.

 

[VizualXTacyZX3]

i cant stand that damn noise!! it sounds horrible.. when i release the clutch sometimes when i shift it makes a loud clunk noise like its a damn tractor shifting... fyi i have a 2000 zx3 zetec with the mtx trans... so annoying..

 

[01yellazx3]

Yea I hate it, whats even worse is you can hear the chattering from outside too. Never cool when coming into a crowded parking lot and the tranny sounds like its gonna drop

 

[mutestiffy]

So, we've identified the problem. Is there anything that can be done to aleviate the coffee grinder under the hood short of replacing the whole tranny? I too am anal about my cars and took my dad for a ride in my new (used) focus and cringed every time I heard that grind.