Ok, very strange problem. 2003 F250 Super Duty with 9,000 miles. A very loud "whine" is coming from somewhere when the vehicle is in motion. It's almost like a "siren" sound or "alarm" sound that stays constant. The tempo, nor the volume, changes with an increase or decrease in speed. It only does this once the truck has been warmed up, that is, driven about 20 miles or so, then the whining starts and continues. When you slow to a stop it quits, then starts again when you get up to about 20 mph. If the truck sits for an hour it will take the 20 minutes of driving before the whining starts again. The noise does not seem to be in the engine as reving the motor in neutral or park does not create the sound, it only happens when moving. Does anybody out there have even a clue as to what this could be? I had to drive 400 miles on Saturday and Sunday with this occuring and it has me pretty concerned. Thanks for any tips or ideas. Kevin

 

Is your truck a firetruck? What kind of truck is it? Is it a 4 cylinder or 6? Propane or electric? Is it belt drive or chain drive? 2 speed auto of 13 speed manual non-synchro?

 

V10, 4x4 and it's blue.

 

auto or manual? Can you tell if the noise is coming from the front or the back?

 

It's an automatic. As far as where it's coming from I don't know. There were six adults in the truck on our trip and some thought it was from the front, some from the back. I even had some jog along side at slow speed to see if they could tell but of course it doesn't make a sound until about 20 mph or above so that didn't work either. Personally I'm saying it's coming from the back.

 

hmmm, I guess you could get someone to ride in the bed to hear if it's coming from the back. I lost the TSB, but there was one about whining caused by the center carrier bearing spinning in it's rubber vibration damper or something, I forgot. The TSB was for 2003 trucks made before June 2003. The new design carrier bearings have a white paint dot on the bracket.

 

It might be coming from improperly set up gears in the rear? They are fine when cold but once they are warm the tolerance is no good and what you're hearing is gear whine?? Just a thought?

 

ah! found it, on this site no less:

Article No. 03-22-2
NOISE - DRIVESHAFT CENTER BEARING NOISE - VEHICLES BUILT AFTER 6/1/2002
DRIVESHAFT - DRIVESHAFT CENTER BEARING NOISE - VEHICLES BUILT AFTER 6/1/2002

Publication Date: October 17, 2003

FORD: 2002-2003 F SUPER DUTY


ISSUE:
Some 2002-2003 Super Duty F-Series vehicles built after 06/01/2002, with a multi-piece driveshaft may exhibit a squeaking and/or squealing noise from the center bearing while driving. This noise is produced when the bearing seal rotates in the bearing outer race.

ACTION:
To service, replace the center bearing. Use a center bearing assembly with a white paint dot (built after 6/9/2003). Determine the style of the driveshaft per (Figure 1) and (Figure 2), then follow the appropriate Service Procedure below.

SERVICE PROCEDURE
NOTE: WHENEVER DRIVESHAFT REMOVAL IS NECESSARY, IT IS IMPORTANT TO PAINT MARK THE DRIVESHAFT TO THE TRANSMISSION (OR TRANSFER CASE) AND THE REAR AXLE. ADDITIONALLY, MARK A PAINT LINE THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE MULTI-PIECE DRIVESHAFT ASSEMBLY. THIS IS ESSENTIAL TO INSURE THE DRIVESHAFTS ARE REASSEMBLED IN THE SAME ORIENTATION AS ORIGINAL. FAILURE TO REASSEMBLE THE DRIVESHAFT IN ITS ORIGINAL ORIENTATION MAY RESULT IN AN UNBALANCED DRIVESHAFT CONDITION.

 

i thought all the blue ones did that :-)

sorry could not help myself

 

I would have to say gear whine also.

 

but... but... but... gear whine changes pitch with speed. And it occurs at different ranges of speed. I had severe gear whine, gear howl really on my 2002, but it occured only between 32-36 mph, 44-47 mph and 55 mph-61 mph. After the 4th time at the service dept, the dealer said (I'm serious) "But sir, with the A/C and fan on MAX and the radio on, you can't even hear it." That was their fix. ...and that's why I have a 2003 now. Not a noise from the axle on this one.

ps. The 2002 was dark shadow gray and made noise, the 2003 is white but is quiet. Sell your truck and buy a white one.

 

"And with my foot in your ear, you won't be able to hear it either!"
Haven't you ever just wanted to?

 

He was lucky my 30.06 was locked in the truck and they had the key. I expected him to laugh after saying it, but nope, he was serious. I laughed of course and he got mad.

 

Thanks for all your replies and the research on the issue. I will pass your ideas along to the service personel and the heads up on marking the driveshaft may be very helpful. Appreciate it. And p.s., I would have went with white in the first place but "you know who" thought blue was "pretty".

 

The carrier bearing whine sounds just like a bad idler pulley squeal, but doesn't change pitch when you rev the engine. Also only happens when moving. If that's the problem, have the tech check out your pinion seal also. The misalignement can cause it to leak.