6th Gear Whine Under Acceleration (Manual Tran)

[midnitz]

My manual transmission have this whining noise. It occurs in 6th gear, and only under acceleration (stepping on the gas pedal). The whine is prominent between 40mph through 60mph, and faint between 70mph though 80mph. I can’t hear it from 50mph to 60mph, though it might be there; just covered up by road and tire noise. My car is
- Year: 2016
- Original Owner
- Mileage: 63850miles
- Transmission: Manual and original
- Mods: Stock other than a TRD Door Stabilizer and a Whiteline transmission mount; but it is off the car now. Installed at around 30k miles. It added so much noise and vibration I couldn’t handle it as a daily. I removed it after 2 days of install.
- Transmission fluid is Motul300, changed at 5k miles and 35k miles. Differential fluid is also Motul300, changed at 5k miles.

I can’t say if the noise was there since new. I do hear it with softer music, but didn’t give it much thought. I let my coworker drive my car the other day, first thing he said was “What’s with the whine in 6th?” He thinks is bad synchro? He had a RX-8 previously.

Just curious if someone else have the same/similar symptom? Is this mechanically detrimental?

So far, the car has been mechanically trouble free, just regular oil change; I really hope it stays that way


Thanks

Update: I try to record the whine. It is the higher pitch noise. You can hear it as I step on the gas pedal, and the sound disappers as I let my foot off.

[Decep]

I have some gear whine at 75mph and up. Have had it since i've had the car and hasn't done any harm. Just one of those things.

[alan.chalkley]

At 40mph/60kph in sixth gear it is probably labouring.
I prefer to use 5th gear at this low speed.

[WNDSRFR]

Yeah
Stepping on the gas at 40 mph in 6th gear is not a very good thing to do. This car doesn't have a high torque V8. It has a 4 cylinder with very little low end torque. Don't do it.

[HKz]

normal...we all get gear "whine" (more like resonance) in 6th...another case of ignore sounds if the car is driving fine.

[soundman98]

40mph in 6th? i'm usually running 4th... i don't use 6th under 60.

[midnitz]

Originally Posted by alan.chalkley

At 40mph/60kph in sixth gear it is probably labouring.
I prefer to use 5th gear at this low speed.

Maybe that's why I didnt notice the whine earlier (until my coworker pointed it out when he drove my car). I usually use 5th gear until 55mph or so. But since my coworker pointed it out, I've been experimenting, running 6th at lower speeds; trying to identify the root cause of this whine...

[soundman98]

don't listen to coworkers.

[RZNT4R]

I find it hilarious to suggest this car doesn't have low end torque. It's thousand rpm wide plateau of peak-torque starting in the mid 2000 range is the whole reason it's got a "torque dip" top begin with.

[DarkPira7e]

Originally Posted by RZNT4R

I find it hilarious to suggest this car doesn't have low end torque.

Most who complain about the lack of torque also have their car outfitted with 25lb 18x10 wheels.


The gear whine is nothing to worry about. It's a combination of lack of sound deadening and rigidity in the transmission mounting. If anything, I love transmission whine in a car- I think it sounds awesome. Then again, I was one of those guys who drove my first car with AM radio on an empty frequency and high volume to pickup engine frequency interference

[soundman98]

Originally Posted by RZNT4R

I find it hilarious to suggest this car doesn't have low end torque. It's thousand rpm wide plateau of peak-torque starting in the mid 2000 range is the whole reason it's got a "torque dip" top begin with.

gear reduction is a thing. the 5spd 4cyl colorado work truck i had for a while had all of the same issues, but even worse. i barely used 5th gear, there were actually a few instances where i had to downshift on the highway because the truck would lose speed on uphill portions trying to maintain 70mph with the pedal to the floor.

this car is more lively in 6th gear at 40mph than that truck, but it's sluggish and slow in a way that i'd have to drop all the way down to 3rd move around in traffic, so it's just not worth dropping revs that much. but i also ain't care about gas mileage...

the only real fix for this would be for me to build a 800hp monster, and i'd end up driving like this through traffic every day. my self control game is not very good. which is why a 200hp car is much better for me.

[RZNT4R]

My point is, I drive in 6th between 50 and 60 KM/H all the time (2017 4.3 diff tho), On my way to work I've got a 10% grade that I take at 50 KM/H in 6th and it just digs it's heels in and goes with barely any throttle.

Not using 6th under 60 mph or thinking it's labouring at that speed is nonsense, in fact, the exact opposite is endorsed by the manufacturer. If you've got GEAR ON in the dash, you've got a little upshift arrow that flashes 3 times when the car determines it could do whatever it's doing right now, but in a taller gear. Just driving around normally with the flow of traffic, it usually flashes around 2000 rpm for me.

Originally Posted by DarkPira7e

Most who complain about the lack of torque also have their car outfitted with 25lb 18x10 wheels.

I've got my car outfitted with 16lb 16x7 STI wheels.

[DarkPira7e]

Originally Posted by RZNT4R

I've got my car outfitted with 16lb 16x7 STI wheels.

Way to be. That's what I mean - those of us who have light wheels know that the cars power is sufficient. It's those who weigh the car down that complain

[N1rve]

Gear whine is normal on this car. There isn't much sound deadening material.