whining transmission Keisler RS 400
02-20-2017, 05:34 AM
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
whining transmission Keisler RS 400
Hi,
some 3-4 years ago a bought a brand new Keisler RS 400 for my Corvette C2.
As it goes, it took me that long to do the first drives in the last weeks.
I now have the following problem with the RS 400, hooked up to a GM 350/290HP crate.
Sometimes it starts whining (at uncomfortable and worrying levels) at a high pitch, with following characteristics:
- the pitch varies with the speed of the car, not with the gear selected (so shifting up/down at 50mph does not change the pitch)
- depressing the clutch does not change a thing
- whining is not present below 20-30 mph
- the wining sounds more like friction than pure gear whining
- the shifter seems to resonate at the same whining frequency
- it’s not permanent. Sometimes it does , sometimes it doen’t
- when the whining starts, it’s getting louder and louder starting from a low volume
- if and when it stops whining , it does so very abruptly.
- the whining seems to come out of the shifter area.
- not sure there is a correlation, but I sometimes have trouble going into first gear.
I did contact Silver Sport Transmissions (I believe they took over some of the ex-Keisler business), but was curious to have some alternative opinions from the smart people around here
Alexander
some 3-4 years ago a bought a brand new Keisler RS 400 for my Corvette C2.
As it goes, it took me that long to do the first drives in the last weeks.
I now have the following problem with the RS 400, hooked up to a GM 350/290HP crate.
Sometimes it starts whining (at uncomfortable and worrying levels) at a high pitch, with following characteristics:
- the pitch varies with the speed of the car, not with the gear selected (so shifting up/down at 50mph does not change the pitch)
- depressing the clutch does not change a thing
- whining is not present below 20-30 mph
- the wining sounds more like friction than pure gear whining
- the shifter seems to resonate at the same whining frequency
- it’s not permanent. Sometimes it does , sometimes it doen’t
- when the whining starts, it’s getting louder and louder starting from a low volume
- if and when it stops whining , it does so very abruptly.
- the whining seems to come out of the shifter area.
- not sure there is a correlation, but I sometimes have trouble going into first gear.
I did contact Silver Sport Transmissions (I believe they took over some of the ex-Keisler business), but was curious to have some alternative opinions from the smart people around here
Alexander
02-20-2017, 07:23 AM
#2
Race Director
Member Since: Jun 2006
Location: Inverness FL
Posts: 17,891
Received 727 Likes
on
621 Posts
St. Jude Donor '07
the RS series is akin to the SS700, and in my experience, the SS700 is noisy with a whine.
the rest of the symptoms I cannot address; I have a 3rd gear synchro clash that pisses me off....
Bill
the rest of the symptoms I cannot address; I have a 3rd gear synchro clash that pisses me off....
Bill
02-20-2017, 07:29 AM
#3
Race Director
I have heard reports that a whine is not uncommon. Might try a change to a slightly different transmission oil if one is available.
02-20-2017, 07:30 AM
#4
Drifting
Are you sure it's the trans? Depressing the clutch should stop the transmission from turning over. And with the clutch engaged the transmission input shaft will not be turning inside the pilot bushing. I would be looking for another case maybe.
Last edited by DSR; 02-20-2017 at 07:48 AM.
02-20-2017, 07:34 AM
#6
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
that's why I believe it comes from the output shaft
was a reply to post #4
was a reply to post #4
Last edited by alexandervdr; 02-20-2017 at 07:37 AM.
02-20-2017, 07:56 AM
#8
Drifting
02-20-2017, 09:25 AM
#9
Team Owner
Member Since: Aug 2008
Location: Rochester NY
Posts: 31,358
Received 5,010 Likes
on
2,529 Posts
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-‘19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
02-22-2017, 01:01 PM
#10
Race Director
Member Since: Jun 2006
Location: Inverness FL
Posts: 17,891
Received 727 Likes
on
621 Posts
St. Jude Donor '07
Hi,
some 3-4 years ago a bought a brand new Keisler RS 400 for my Corvette C2.
As it goes, it took me that long to do the first drives in the last weeks.
I now have the following problem with the RS 400, hooked up to a GM 350/290HP crate.
Sometimes it starts whining (at uncomfortable and worrying levels) at a high pitch, with following characteristics:
- the pitch varies with the speed of the car, not with the gear selected (so shifting up/down at 50mph does not change the pitch)
- depressing the clutch does not change a thing
- whining is not present below 20-30 mph
- the wining sounds more like friction than pure gear whining
- the shifter seems to resonate at the same whining frequency
- it’s not permanent. Sometimes it does , sometimes it doen’t
- when the whining starts, it’s getting louder and louder starting from a low volume
- if and when it stops whining , it does so very abruptly.
- the whining seems to come out of the shifter area.
- not sure there is a correlation, but I sometimes have trouble going into first gear.
I did contact Silver Sport Transmissions (I believe they took over some of the ex-Keisler business), but was curious to have some alternative opinions from the smart people around here
Alexander
some 3-4 years ago a bought a brand new Keisler RS 400 for my Corvette C2.
As it goes, it took me that long to do the first drives in the last weeks.
I now have the following problem with the RS 400, hooked up to a GM 350/290HP crate.
Sometimes it starts whining (at uncomfortable and worrying levels) at a high pitch, with following characteristics:
- the pitch varies with the speed of the car, not with the gear selected (so shifting up/down at 50mph does not change the pitch)
- depressing the clutch does not change a thing
- whining is not present below 20-30 mph
- the wining sounds more like friction than pure gear whining
- the shifter seems to resonate at the same whining frequency
- it’s not permanent. Sometimes it does , sometimes it doen’t
- when the whining starts, it’s getting louder and louder starting from a low volume
- if and when it stops whining , it does so very abruptly.
- the whining seems to come out of the shifter area.
- not sure there is a correlation, but I sometimes have trouble going into first gear.
I did contact Silver Sport Transmissions (I believe they took over some of the ex-Keisler business), but was curious to have some alternative opinions from the smart people around here
Alexander
it would appear that they are only interested in selling, not helping...
Bill
02-22-2017, 02:29 PM
#11
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
did you get a response from SST? I contacted them, asking for input in the posting I wrote about transmission lubes; I never heard anything back except an email ad for a power steering conversion kit they are offering.
it would appear that they are only interested in selling, not helping...
Bill
it would appear that they are only interested in selling, not helping...
Bill
Talking lubes, I drained the dexron III oil from my transmission and replaced it with same type from another brand . Believe it or not, but in neutral the transmission runs more silently...
It's raining like hell these days so I can't test, but curious to see how that goes. In the meantime SST may have responded
02-22-2017, 03:39 PM
#12
Race Director
Member Since: Apr 2015
Location: Fresno California
Posts: 17,505
Received 3,443 Likes
on
2,113 Posts
I had a whining transmission once in my '65 GTO....it was terrible. Turned out to be a bone dry rear diff.....and the noise was telegraphing up the driveshaft and coming from the trans. Nothing wrong with the trans. Rear end was toasted. That said, there are several Keisler users on the Pontiac forums who have less than satisfactory experiences with them, the most common being balky synchos/sctratchy shifting, noise, and vibration. When these transmissions were being introduced a few years back, I always wondered about warranties, etc. if something happened to the company and they went belly up. That, and the cost of these units convinced me to keep my 4 speeds.
02-22-2017, 03:43 PM
#13
Race Director
Member Since: Jun 2006
Location: Inverness FL
Posts: 17,891
Received 727 Likes
on
621 Posts
St. Jude Donor '07
That said, there are several Keisler users on the Pontiac forums who have less than satisfactory experiences with them, the most common being balky synchos/sctratchy shifting, noise, and vibration. When these transmissions were being introduced a few years back, I always wondered about warranties, etc. if something happened to the company and they went belly up. That, and the cost of these units convinced me to keep my 4 speeds.
)....Bill
Last edited by wmf62; 02-22-2017 at 03:44 PM.