Chrysler Repair: Chrysler Voyager 2005 Automatic Whining noise on gear change, chrysler voyager 2005, chrysler voyager

Question
Hi,
i have been following your forum and valued the sensible and honest answers you have provided.
I am from Australia and I have a Chrysler Voyager 2005 automatic and over the past two-three weeks have heard a high pitch whining noise. the noise is prevalent when changing from 1st to second and sometimes in the higher gears (during gear shift only). Other than that it drives fine, the revs are good (normal) and steps in to OD and out quite easily.
The problem initially started about four weeks ago when it made a clunky sound when I came to a stop at a set of lights. It did this one more time and then all seemed normal...no noise. But then the whining on gear change from 1st second started as previously explained.

Also, I am thinking of doing a flush of the transmission. Can you advise if this is a good option and if so can you give me a brief description on how to do so.

Thanks


Answer
Hi Gladstone,
The whining sound could mean that there has been some damage to the internal parts. There are several approaches. One is to seek a fault code readout of the trans computer via a reader that plugs into a socket under the dash by the steering coulum to see if it shows any 4-digit fault code numbers preceded by a P. Let me know if any appear and we can go from there.
Another way would be to remove the pan and do so as gradually as possible to drain the fluid slowly (only about half comes out this way) and then remove the pan entirely to check for debris indicating such damage. Absent debris in the drained fluid or pan one could remove the valve body at that point and clean/inspect it for debris and then reassemble. Care must be taken when removing to note the location of 2 or 3 balls that are free.  Following that, a series of checks of hydraulic pressures can be done to verify proper pressure levels in the various circuits, after reassembly is complete.
It may be that cleaning the valve body would cure the problem if the debris was not too severe.
If debris was present you might want to do a powerflush which would change out all the fluid (from the torque converter and cooling lines and cooler). A new filter would be installed in all cases.
The pan is re-installed with silicone gasketing compound and torque pan bolts to 165 inch-pounds.
Those are basically the choices that I am aware of. Always use ARF+4 type fluid.
Roland