I have absolutely no mechanical knowledge and find myself completely out of my element. Give me a car noise and the best I can do is re-enact it for you. It's a gift.

So this past week my '99 has been making yucky transmission/clutch noises when I shift gears. My husband flushed the transmission fluids and it has helped the noises, quite a bit. We're aware that we will need to replace whichever is causing the trouble. (He knows which, but right now they're interchangeable to me.)

On my way into work this morning the Low Oil light popped on and about a quarter of a mile from work there was an awful, loud popping noise. The only thing I can even compare it to is a gunshot. I don't think it was your typical backfire, but then, I am so not a gearhead.

When it was light out, as this happened at 0530, I popped the hood and checked my oil, it was at the low range of ok, and all of the other fluids that are easily labelled seemed ok too. Nothing seemed to be out of place, to my extremely untrained eye.

The husband is very big on me finding out and fixing things having to do with Delilah (the vette) myself, since she is my car. Which is why I'm here. My searches online haven't brought me to any real conclusion, and not knowing much of anything about cars, I don't even know what to look for. Any idea what this could be? Or where I should start?

Husband just got back from a year long deployment in Iraq last week, he doesn't need to be dealing with my car falling apart right now if it's something I can handle on my own!

Thank you so much!

 

Does your vette have an automatic or manual tranny?

For the oil, when was the last time you had the oil changed? Crank pressure from the motor builds and the oil is drawn up into the intake manifold. From there, it gets burned with the air and fuel. You should get your oil changed - or add more just to get you going. Here's a link to an oil catch can that will help catch the oil before it gets to the intake.

http://customcorvetteaccessories.com/oilcatchcan.html

 

When do the noises appear, are you doing anything specific? Is it when the car is moving or still?

 

She's a manual. The oil was changed at the end of July. Which, seems to indicate there might be an oil leak, since it's low already, right?

The yucky Transmission/Clutch noises happen when pushing in the clutch, when shifting gears, and sometimes when we start her up.

The loud popping only happened the one time this morning. It scared me, and has me more concerned than anything else because I just don't know what caused it, or how much damage it caused.

 

Sorry you're having trouble. The problem here is, no matter what guidance forum members offer, you do not possess the aptitude or knowledge to conduct the inspections necessary to find the issue. You've already taken the first step, in making sure the fluids are at the correct level. Aside from that, I suggest you get together with a local forum member that can help you out with a diagnosis, or get a recommendation from a local forum member for a trusted shop.


Good luck, and thank your husband for his service. Soo glad he is back home.


Any guys in the Northwest that can help this gal out?

 

People here on the Forum will bend over backwards to help you, but will need more information from you. First, where are you? There may be a Forum member near you willing to help. Have you attempted to drive the car since you last posted? If so, what happened? If you are scared to drive it, first look under the car to see if any fluids are leaking out, also make sure that there is oil on the dipstick. Then just try starting it, if it seems O.K. then try a short drive around the parking lot or whatever. Maybe someone familiar with cars at your place of work can look at it for you and maybe see something.

If the car drives normally now, get it to a decent repair shop as close as possible and pay them a couple of bucks to at least look at it for you and see what they think. Shouldn't cost much; find out how much up front.

If the car is now behaving itself, and the shop doesn't see anything amiss, get it home. Then you or your hubby can pull codes from the car's computer and learn a little more. Reading on this Forum will tell you the fairly simple procedure for reading the car's trouble codes and that may well tell you what to do next. Good luck.

 

Thank you!

I live in Lacey, WA. I've been afraid to do anything with the car, except have a friend bring me more oil, so I can at least make sure that's topped off. There is oil on the dipstick - so I know she's not dry. I'm actually a nanny, so I'm at the family's house right now, so having someone I work with would be as helpful as me checking it out, she's four. She did enjoy sitting in the seat while I checked the fluids though.

I'll take another peek at everything and take her for a short drive around the block if she starts up without issue. Then, I will follow your advice from there.



I appreciate you all taking the time to help me out!

 

Thank you! This is what I was thinking as well... I knew I was in over my head! One of these days I'll know her inside out!

 

Ok, no fluids under the car. She started up just like she has been, and drove just fine, for how she's been driving these last few days. There were no other strange noises other than the ones we've already pinpointed. So, I'll have the husband check it when I get it home (He's a former Mitsubishi mechanic and quite a gearhead.) Maybe I'll learn how to pull the codes and do that before having him look at anything. Then I can impress him with the steps I've already taken!

Again, thank you, guys!

 

Pulling the codes is easy. Just make sure you have a pencil and paper and include the C or H at the end of the code. Some might even have both a H and C.

To enter the Diagnostic Display function perform the following steps in order:

1. Turn ON the ignition switch, engine OFF.
2. Press the RESET button to acknowledge any warning messages present.
3. Press the OPTIONS button on the Driver Information Center (DIC) and hold.
4. While holding the OPTIONS button press the FUEL button 4 times within a 10 second period.
5. System will first enter automatic display mode followed by the manual display mode.
The automatic display feature allow you to read each module DTC display function in an automatic display sequence. Each system module DTC will be displayed for 3 seconds followed by a 1 second pause before the next DTC is displayed in an automatic sequence. If no DTC information is sent to the IPC from the system currently displayed on the IPC, the IPC will display NO CODES for that system. At any time during the automatic display function, the manual display feature can be activated by pressing any button on the DIC except the E/M 5 button. The E/M 5 button is used to completely exit the DIAGNOSTICS mode at any time. If there is a communications problem between any system, the IPC will display NO COMM when the IPC is trying to communicate with that system. When all DTCs have been displayed for all systems, the IPC will display NO MORE CODES for 2 seconds then will enter the manual display mode, waiting for manual mode operation.

The manual display feature allows you to manually select each module DTC display function. The manual mode will automatically be entered after the automatic DTC display sequence is complete, or can be entered at any time during the automatic mode by pressing any button on the DIC except the E/M 5 (E/M 5 button is used to exit the DIAGNOSTIC mode at any time). When the manual mode is selected, the IPC will display the MANUAL DIAGNOSTICS mode message for 2 seconds, or until any button on the DIC except the E/M 5 is pressed. After the MANUAL DIAGNOSTICS mode message is displayed, the IPC will display the first system abbreviation and quantity of codes stored for that system, then the IPC will wait for further instructions. The buttons on the DIC provide the following functions when operating the on-board diagnostic feature in the manual mode:

DIC Button Function
FUEL 1 Previous DTC
GAGES 2 Next DTC
TRIP 3 Previous System
OPTIONS 4 Next System
E/M 5 Exit Diagnostics
RESET Clear DTCs

 

Thanks, Mark! I did a search and came up with the same steps! I'll deal with it as soon as I'm off work. There's only so much looking at and sitting in the car a four year old can do. She is now telling me she thinks the car is pretty but she's going to paint pretty rainbows on it to make her more beautiful... Oh boy!

 

They're never too young to start enjoying Corvettes !

 

Can you describe what this yucky sound is from the tranny/clutch? If it's only when the car is in neutral, C5/C6s do have a kinda "marbles in a can" sound which is normal. If you hear it when the clutch is pushed in, I'm thinking maybe throwout or pilot bearing? If you only hear it when you shift, and it's sort of a whirring/grinding sound, then I'm guessing it could be worn synchros. Especially if changing the tranny fluid helped.

How many miles on it?

Regarding the popping sound, was it just one pop or a series of pops? If multiple pops, how long did it last? What were you doing when it happened (accelerating/braking/shifting/turning/etc)? Did you do anything to make it stop or did it stop on its own?

Details are good - a lot of times posting the exact symptoms and surrounding circumstances can help immensely.

Dope

 

Tom Wong is up in the Seattle area somewhere and knows these cars inside and out. If you go to the Pacific Northwest Regional forums someone may be able to point you to him.

 

Tom Wong should be contacting you shortly.

jeff

 

It's kind of a grinding sound. Husband mentioned needing a new transmission. So those sounds, I'm expecting, even though they have gotten better with the changing of the fluid.

It was one LOUD pop. It sounded like a gunshot to me. Loud, violent, quick. I was on a straight away after turning a corner, so I was accelerating, which also means I was probably shifting. It was just the one, pop. I slowed down and drove carefully the rest of the way in, (a quarter mile or so) trying to see if I noticed a difference in the feel of the car, or in the guages. I didn't register any difference in either.

 

Thank you guys, very much!

I pulled my codes, all with H's after them. And looked up their meanings. I don't know that it's going to tell the husband anything about this noise. I will pull them again when I run the car home, to see if the drive home registers anything.

BCM
B2583 H - LF turn signal monitor circuit

HVAC
B0367 H - Right actuator feedback open

LDCM
B2252 H - Key Cylinder Switch fault
B2282 H - battery #1 fault
B2284 H - battery #2 fault
U1064 H - Loss of communication with BCM
U1096 H - Loss of communication with IPC

RDCM
B2283 H - Battery #1 fault
B2285 H - Battery #2 fault
U1064 H - Loss of communication with BCM
U1096 H - Loss of communication with IPC

SCM
B2860 H - couldn't find what this one was - I may have written it down wrong.

I don't know what a BCM or IPC is and I don't think any of these things have to do with the noise, but since I don't know what those things are I can't say for sure.

We'll see if it pops again. I certainly hope not!!

I really appreciate all of the support you guys are giving me! I was hoping to not bug the husband with it, but she's my baby and I certainly would rather bug him than have something else happen to her!

 

Strange, with the pop, especially since the car seems fine afterwards. I wouldn't really sweat it unless it keeps happening I guess. I wonder if you just ran over something and it broke, or maybe something like a rock that smacked the underside of the car? Who knows.

If it's grinding into gear, and/or being really notchy/clunky going into get, that sounds like your synchros are starting to go. Generally you rebuild the tranny at that point once it starts getting really bad. I've already replaced my tranny due to this issue, and my Camaro's tranny is starting to grind when cold too (though a fluid change did help). Just a wear item really, exacerbated by abuse and/or poor shifting.

There's really no code to tell you anything regarding the clutch/tranny/rear. There's no related sensors for these parts, they are pretty much purely mechanical units. Judging by the codes you posted they are not related either.

So, IMO, keep driving it until the grinding gets too much and then rebuild the tranny. Done deal.

Dope

 

Great post and great advice lucky. as usual

Please do thank your husband for his service from all of us.

 

OK, all of your codes are history codes so that is a dead end as far as you current concerns. Looking at those codes I would say they are the result of a low battery.