96 GT, 2 questions

Skidzz

Tinkerbell
Apr 11, 2005
328
1
19
Salt Lake City, UT
Ok I've had my GT for a month now and its been great. Only 55k miles and the only problems were the EGR valve needed cleaned and it need a new pinion seal in the diff. (I've already fixed both). Now I have 2 potential problems i need to ask about. The first is this cold gear grind issue. I searched for this first but didn't really find a clear answer. My tranni grinds slightly when the engine is cold, usually when i shift to 4th, and once in a while 2nd or 3rd. I assume i have a t-45 since its a 96. Should i be worried about this? I just fixed the diff. today and it has all new gear oil in it now. Will that help. And, how the hell to you change the tranni fluid in this car? I don't even see a dip stick for the tranni fluid. Would changing the tranni fluid help with the grind? My next question is this, i cleaned my engine the other day and accidently used too much water pressure and blew off the plastic i was using to cover my alternator, and sprayed it with water. Now i heard a faint whinning sound when the car is on that gets a little louder as a rev it up. I'm assuming its the alt. because i also notice a little power surge once in a while. Still works fine but is it the alt.? If so it can wait a while seeing as how it still seems to be functioning fine.
 
Skidzz said:
Ok I've had my GT for a month now and its been great. Only 55k miles and the only problems were the EGR valve needed cleaned and it need a new pinion seal in the diff. (I've already fixed both). Now I have 2 potential problems i need to ask about. The first is this cold gear grind issue. I searched for this first but didn't really find a clear answer. My tranni grinds slightly when the engine is cold, usually when i shift to 4th, and once in a while 2nd or 3rd. I assume i have a t-45 since its a 96. Should i be worried about this? I just fixed the diff. today and it has all new gear oil in it now. Will that help. And, how the hell to you change the tranni fluid in this car? I don't even see a dip stick for the tranni fluid. Would changing the tranni fluid help with the grind? My next question is this, i cleaned my engine the other day and accidently used too much water pressure and blew off the plastic i was using to cover my alternator, and sprayed it with water. Now i heard a faint whinning sound when the car is on that gets a little louder as a rev it up. I'm assuming its the alt. because i also notice a little power surge once in a while. Still works fine but is it the alt.? If so it can wait a while seeing as how it still seems to be functioning fine.
1. Manual trannies dont have a dipstick
2. Yes the new trans fluid WILL help with the gear grind, and may or may not completely eliminate it. There is one plug to drain it and one to refil it up top.
 
Skidzz said:
Ok thanks, so im guessing that the plug to drain it is under the car on the tranni somewhere, right? And where is the one to refill it located? Can i get to it from under the hood?
Both are on the tranny, one on the bottom, one on the top. Has nothing to do with under the hood, you're thinking too automatic :rolleyes:

Only way to check your fluid level is to take off the plug up top and stick your finger in.
 
your alt should be ok if you sprayed it. the brushes and armature dont mind the water, and long as you had it running and didnt let the water sit on the armature, but even then, the arm is copper, and the brushes should probally be copper also. the only thing that may of went bad on it would be your regulator, but with only 55,000 on it, i cant see it. my car has 100 on it, and everytime i wash it, i spray the motor. if anything sparying the alt may help out with charging, and it would clean the contact between the brushes and armature, unless the regulator is kinda goin. maby you got a little bit of corrosion somewhere too, have you checked?
 
Skidzz said:
Yep just crawled under the car a little bit ago. One tranni plug is labeled "drain" and the other "fill". And no theres no corrosion i just checked. I guess I'll have to ask a professional what the whinning is.
I'd change the tranny fluid regardless of the level, its old, just get new stuff.