6th Gear Whine Under Acceleration (Manual Tran)

[ZeHeadBanger]

If it helps, I had a similar issue a few years ago at around 60k on the odo (at 100k now). It used to hit a high pitched whine at 80 mph and initially I found it difficult to have a ny dealership look at it because it was over 70 mph, which is the speed limit in our state.

I sort of lived with the whine for a few months and then slowly my upshifts from 4th to 3rd started getting really choppy and the whine started occurring at 60mph in 4th gear too. Took it to the dealership, they diagnosed the trans and replaced the trans under warranty for me - they said a couple of my gears in the transmission were worn out and this is a known issue for Subaru. Since getting my trans replaced, the noise has not come back.

I visit the forum occasionally and find someone posting similar whine issues so I think this should be a fairly common issue for a lot of people.

I had tried changing my tires, diff fluid, trans fluid, replaced my wheel bearings on the rear (had to do it anyway) and nothing fixed my whine issue until the trans got replaced.

I should have a couple of posts on this topic in my history too. Hope this helps!

[AutoNewb]

Install a Whiteline Trans bracket and Perrin Trans mount. You'll get TONS of whine. Sounds wonderful.

For real though, its not an issue.

[Grady]

Originally Posted by DarkPira7e

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

But the wider the tire the faster the car will be. I am looking at 400 with tire. It is going to be so fast and handle so good the tires will never break loose.

[Stomachbuzz]

Originally Posted by 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.

Why? What will happen?

Originally Posted by DarkPira7e

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

How would an engine create radio waves...?

Originally Posted by ZeHeadBanger

If it helps, I had a similar issue a few years ago at around 60k on the odo (at 100k now). It used to hit a high pitched whine at 80 mph and initially I found it difficult to have a ny dealership look at it because it was over 70 mph, which is the speed limit in our state.

I sort of lived with the whine for a few months and then slowly my upshifts from 4th to 3rd started getting really choppy and the whine started occurring at 60mph in 4th gear too. Took it to the dealership, they diagnosed the trans and replaced the trans under warranty for me - they said a couple of my gears in the transmission were worn out and this is a known issue for Subaru. Since getting my trans replaced, the noise has not come back.

I visit the forum occasionally and find someone posting similar whine issues so I think this should be a fairly common issue for a lot of people.

I had tried changing my tires, diff fluid, trans fluid, replaced my wheel bearings on the rear (had to do it anyway) and nothing fixed my whine issue until the trans got replaced.

I should have a couple of posts on this topic in my history too. Hope this helps!

Thanks for posting this.
The real issue is obviously a faulty bearing inside the transmission, and your post confirms this.
A high pitched whine is almost always created by a bearing. Usually poor lubrication creates the issue, and the bearing will eventually go bad. Whether it goes bad in 5k miles or 200k is hard to tell. I suspect with the whole "eh nothing to worry about" attitude, it usually doesn't end up as a catastrophic failure, but man is it annoying.

My car has it as well. Only in 6th gear, and usually starts to catch my attention around 70+ mph. You can clearly hear the whine immediately come and go when I stop on/off the gas.
Just another one of those things that most people wouldn't hear on their own, and probably wouldn't know what you're talking about even if you explained it to them and said "look! Listen!"

I had a 2005 Tacoma (4cyl, 5 speed) that did the same thing. Only in 5th gear. I decided to change the M/T fluid, and about a tablespoon's worth of muddy gear oil came out the drain plug


I bet if you took apart these BRZ transmissions, you'd pretty quickly find an ill-sized thrust washer or such that's allowing a moment to be acting on the bearing.
This is pretty much what it really means when they say "these transmission are weak" or "they fail above ~250hp"
A poorly designed transmission, that easily 'flexes' under load. A bearing gets worn out, then allows the gears to slop around until one of them crunches another.

[StraightOuttaCanadaEh]

It accelerates in 6th whaaaaaaa?

[Bardia]

Originally Posted by StraightOuttaCanadaEh

It accelerates in 6th whaaaaaaa?

It does but very gently, like really gently. I use 6th to just hold my speed but then again, I can't confirm how fast I go. (I do not condone racing if any OPP is reading this)

[DarkPira7e]

Originally Posted by Stomachbuzz

How would an engine create radio waves...?

Alternator charging circuit. Ask anyone older than 30 and I'm sure they'll agree with me

[horacezhl]

I have a similar issue, high pitch whine, on the highway, only at 6th gear and only when I step on the gas (doesn't matter what speed I'm drive); looks like this is quite common and won't be easy to fix...
(the problem only occurred recently, my car is 2013 with 70K miles.)

[chipmunk]

6th gear and 40mph should be around 1700-1800 rpm...? That is borderline lugging.

You get double whammy if you do that - 1) the torque output at 1750 rpm is low enough already. 2) whatever little torque that engine puts out at that RPM is made worse by the overall gear ratio being too low.

[Decep]

Originally Posted by horacezhl

I have a similar issue, high pitch whine, on the highway, only at 6th gear and only when I step on the gas (doesn't matter what speed I'm drive); looks like this is quite common and won't be easy to fix...
(the problem only occurred recently, my car is 2013 with 70K miles.)

Thats the diff, and if you've owned this car long enough you should either be desensitized to weird noises or deaf. And have the radio on at 30-40% volume with your iphone at full blast.

[anticubus]

Originally Posted by Decep

Thats the diff, and if you've owned this car long enough you should either be desensitized to weird noises or deaf. And have the radio on at 30-40% volume with your iphone at full blast.

IDK who it was but someone compared our cars' noises to tractors running and it's the most accurate statement I've heard yet. It's more concerning when the noise stops now.

[southside iraq]

your a idiot who used 6th gear at 40mph

[sharpsicle]

Originally Posted by southside iraq

you're an idiot who used 6th gear at 40mph

FTFY.

Also, did you even read the whole thread? He stated that the 40mph end of his range was not everyday operation, but just testing to understand the nature of the noise.

Originally Posted by midnitz

...I've been experimenting, running 6th at lower speeds; trying to identify the root cause of this whine...

Others then started discussing torque and load in 6th gear for low speeds and making their cases in both directions. Nobody here is an "idiot".

[soundman98]

Originally Posted by sharpsicle

Nobody here is an "idiot".

well i am. but i don't really think that's the point youre tryin to make