Transmission clicking noise

Dragula · Jan 18, 2022

Hello all,

I have a 2012 1500 2wd Hemi 6sp AT. Has 130K mi on the clock. For a while, I’ve been hearing a clicking sound coming from the transmission when I’m coasting. I know it’s coming from the transmission because when I put it in manual -/+ mode the noise immediately goes away. I put it back in drive and the noise resumes. There are no shifting issues or any issues for that matter, it’s been a great truck. Any ideas to what that could be? Should I be concerned? Is something giving out?

Burla · Jan 18, 2022

If you are asking a question, it is best to not say I know in the question, no offense meant. It could be mds, as the action you took deactivates mds. Clinking is usually in axles or diffs. I'm not saying it isnt in rfe transmission, but that would be more rare then everything else I said. The rfe rotates in neutral, try putting gears in N and see if it duplicates.

It only happens when coasting? That would mean more likely mds then axles or diffs. Does it also go away with throttle? especially medium or heavy throttle? The free fix for this is to drive in tow haul 24/7.

Dragula · Jan 18, 2022

Thanks for the response and advice. I’ll try the tow/haul and see if that makes a difference. I can only hear it when I’m at slow speeds, when going through neighborhoods. I figured it was from the transmission because of the gear selector. I just want to make sure that it’s not something that’s about to break. Wanted to see if anyone has had the same noise.

Burla · Jan 18, 2022

OK, I'm trying to help, but now you say something completely different then before. You coast through neighborhoods? Does it go away with the use of throttle at all?

Burla · Jan 18, 2022

Have you checked transmission fluid level warm idle?

Does this sound happen when going through a drive through?

Dragula · Jan 18, 2022

I went for a drive just now and your suggestion to turn on the tow/haul mode worked! The noise went away just like when I put it in manual mode. And yes, I do hear it under throttle. My exhaust kind of drowns it out, but it’s there. So then why does it make that noise? Seems there‘s nothing wrong just an annoying clicking like a bicycle chain.

Burla · Jan 18, 2022

So both tow haul and gear selector disable mds, now tow haul also changes shift points to keep you in higher rpm's, gear selector down doesnt necessarily do this. So I might be inclined to use gear selector down for a while and see if this happens in low rpm's. If you do this and it never duplicates the noise, I cant seeing this noise being in the transmission. Try making the trans bog from low rpm's with gear selector down, literally try and make it happen similar like you do when you coast. If you hear it under throttle, it takes away mds. We might be able to rule out trans, but cant identify what is actually the problem. I'd be inclined to drive in tow haul all the time for a long term solution, I did it for 7 years w/o issue til I solved a shudder issue. good luck

huntergreen · Jan 18, 2022

My thoughts are worn driveshaft unjoints.

Dragula · Jan 18, 2022

If it were the ujoints, wouldn’t the sound be constant? The clicking stops when I put it in manual mode or (thanks to Burla ) when tow/haul is turned on. It’s really strange.

Tach_tech · Jan 18, 2022

Based on what your describing I would say the cam phaser. Seen this maybe 4 or 5 times at work in the past couple years.

Using the ERS or tow/haul mode disables MDS which stops the cam phaser from rattling. Only happens during decel and sounds similar to a playing card in bicycle spokes.

You can try just doing an oil change first, I’ve had that fix it as well. Seems like the phaser gets gunked up over time and sometimes just doing an oil change fixes it. Other times it needs the phaser. If you do the phaser I would recommend the oil control valve as well.

Burla · Jan 18, 2022

That is the guy you should listen too since he works on ram. Are you on a long oil change interval? Auto-rx plus takes sludge down to ash safely, it is the safest cleaner I know, very effective but not harsh it likely wont dislodge sludge like solvent cleaners do. It is an ester based cleaner, very fancy stuff. I have witnessed how it works, after you dump it in about 500 miles later you look on dip stick you see little ash on there. If this happened to my ram, this is what I'd use. After you use it change pcv, if you never changed pcv it could literally have caused this in the first place.

huntergreen · Jan 20, 2022

Dragula said:
If it were the ujoints, wouldn’t the sound be constant? The clicking stops when I put it in manual mode or (thanks to Burla ) when tow/haul is turned on. It’s really strange.

First, I would listen to tach-tech.

Second, the increasing speed or using ERS could change the frequency/vibration of the driveshaft and silence the noise.

Tach_tech · Jan 20, 2022

Neutral,tow haul,ERS are all things that will disable MDS. I’ve never seen a u-joint cause noise that went away depending on transmission gear. I guess it’s possible but never seen it.

First time we came across this issue quite a few years ago, we thought it was driveline related as well. Our tranny guy tore the transmission apart and didn’t find a thing, u-joints all good. It was quite a hard one to pin down but once we did it was pretty easy to diagnose from there because any 5.7 that had that issue all had the same symptoms as you’re describing.

Justin Stafford · Jan 24, 2022

Dragula said:
Thanks for the response and advice. I’ll try the tow/haul and see if that makes a difference. I can only hear it when I’m at slow speeds, when going through neighborhoods. I figured it was from the transmission because of the gear selector. I just want to make sure that it’s not something that’s about to break. Wanted to see if anyone has had the same noise.

My 2012 1500 does the exact same thing, I have 266900km on the clock and yes it's the mds ticking under the hood, either drive it manual shift mode or tow haul, will solve your noice problem.

Dusty · Jan 28, 2022

Cam phaser.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 03 June 2018. Now at: 064094 miles.

Jsouthern · Mar 28, 2022

Tach_tech said:
Based on what your describing I would say the cam phaser. Seen this maybe 4 or 5 times at work in the past couple years.

Using the ERS or tow/haul mode disables MDS which stops the cam phaser from rattling. Only happens during decel and sounds similar to a playing card in bicycle spokes.

You can try just doing an oil change first, I’ve had that fix it as well. Seems like the phaser gets gunked up over time and sometimes just doing an oil change fixes it. Other times it needs the phaser. If you do the phaser I would recommend the oil control valve as well.

Having this same issue… been running ams oil is there something else I should run?

Transmission clicking noise

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