First, get a correct diagnosis on your problem. Find out what part of the drivetrain is having problems and making noise.

The center console area is nearest to the transmission, and has the least amount of sound deadening material, so all the drivetrain noise gets amplified through there. It could be coming from the front, the back, or the tranny itself.

I dont really hear of stock SC's blowing diffs left and right, or having problems with them leaking all over the place and locking up. It could be just a worn bearing...could be many things!

Rule out the smaller items first--

When was the last time you serviced the tranny and diff gear oil?
When was the last time the clutch was replaced? Were new bearings and seals installed? Are they leaking?
Does the car shift properly? Is the shifting notchy, or occasionally grinds on either upshift or downshifts?
Do you do a lot of standing drag launches, or tail-out drift jackassery?

Don't spend thousands on a hunch that may wind up not fixing anything.

 

Okay, I hope to get some suggestions. I have a 1996 Lexus ls400, on cold starts I get this whining noise that gets higher as I give it gas in park. If I shift when it is whining it immediately slams into gear and If I drive it while it is whining it slams into all the gears, if I wait about 3-5 minutes the whining stops and then it shifts smooth and works well for a while, also when I drive or rev the car in park to about 2200 rpm the car vibrates or shudders, within 2 weeks of the whining it has started shifting to soon and when I slow to a stop it is like it is stuck in overdrive and vibrates roughly until it seems to force itself back to normal at a stop. I had the computer read and it says malfunctioning shift solenoid but not anything else which does not explain the cold start ups whining and hard shifting and fairly consistent shuddering at mostly 2200 rpm sometimes at 1500 rpm and 2000 rpm regardless of whether it is whining or not. 5 months earlier I had the transmission flushed they also used a cleaning detergent also with dexron III they put some additive that I was told makes it work for LS400 TIV etc. 2 months after the flush I had my car fan assembly on my motor replaced and they check all fluids, the guy said that the transmission color was orange?? and it had a strong odor. I said don’t worry about it I just had it flushed not to long ago. 3 1/2 months later when I started having tranny problems I took it to a transmission shop and they checked the fluid and again this guy said it smells like a detergent because it had a very strong unusual odor like a cleaner detergent etc. I had him remove the Transmission pan and he showed me and he was impressed that there were no metal flakes or particles that he could see, he still replaced the filter put it back together but same inconsistent sounds and shifting. I took it back to the place that flushed it and the manager said that he too could smell a strong odor in the fluid. I bought the TIV correct fluid and did the flush for free. The car seems to work better but after 2 weeks it is really bad on shifting and getting stuck in gear when I come to a stop until it forces itself to be normal. Still have some occasional whining not as much but still shudders etc. Any suggestions? Also the manager at the lube shop that flushed my transmission for the second time after I complained he used the wrong fluid according to my reciept and what Lexus was telling me, he then showed me their maintenance book and the manager said that the Lexus 300 says to use Dexron but he then showed me that the Lexus LS400 which I have says to use TIV period in his manual! He said his rep said with this additive it makes the Dexron work in the TIV required Transmissions. Any suggestions?

 

A year later and the noise has re-appeared -- it seems to be related to colder weather (california style -- e.g. 40-50). It's always really loud when I start off in the morning but then disappears after I accellerate and decelerate 4 or 5 times. There also seems to be 2 stages of the whine:
- 20-25 whistle that increases in pitch as I accelerate (decreases as I decelerate), and then dissappears outside of 20-30 mph
- 40-45 whistle that sounds the same
The noise doesn't seem to be related to gears and seem to be worse when I'm coasting rather than accelerating or decelerating.

When it's really whining badly there's also a much quieter associated whiring that seems to increase with speed. It's as if there's always something rubbing, and very occasionally it hits a harmonic pitch and creates the loud whine (sounds like a whistle increasing in pitch).

---

I dont really hear of stock SC's blowing diffs left and right, or having problems with them leaking all over the place and locking up. It could be just a worn bearing...could be many things!

Rule out the smaller items first--

When was the last time you serviced the tranny and diff gear oil?
- Around 12 months ago for each (last time I was having this problem I asked for them both to get replaced/topped up). They redid the diff oil when they replaced the diff

When was the last time the clutch was replaced? Were new bearings and seals installed? Are they leaking?
- Not sure, it's an SC400 so no clutch.

Does the car shift properly? Is the shifting notchy, or occasionally grinds on either upshift or downshifts?
- Shifting seems fine

Do you do a lot of standing drag launches, or tail-out drift jackassery?
- No, unless my car is whining -- then I go nuts.

Don't spend thousands on a hunch that may wind up not fixing anything.
- Great advice. Advice to live by with the local lexus mechanics.

 

I had the same thing on my SC400, Same whinning sound from what sounded like the center console, and it changed with speed.
it was the spyder gears in the diff that went.
when they broke, they locked up the driveshaft, and broke the imput shaft of the trans, and the sprag inside the trans.
Also i broke it when the car was stock. only an exhaust.
Forget the stock SC400 diff. Suprastore.com has torsen LSDs for $199.
If it breaks, it will destroy the trans too.The torsen diff is very strong

 

Huh -- perhaps I should get the diff looked at again too. I'm a little doubtful it's the diff again though. This is the second stock diff I've had in this car in the past year (I replaced it with another second hand diff a year ago to try and fix this problem).

While the swap in differential seemed to help the problem for around 8 months it seems to be back again *exactly* the same as it was before.

t.

 

WOW- I wondered what that noise was.. It's like a whirring that happens at low RPM's and sounds like it's coming from right under the gear shifter. The tranny shifts fine, makes no other noises.. in fact, I just had the tranny serviced ( actual pan drop service, flush, refill and new gasket ) and even those guys said everything looked good. So, is this common? I hope nothing is wrong...

 

I have a very loud at times whirring noise coming from the transmission, but I've been told that its the planetary gear and is normal for these cars. The transmission shifts buttery smooth so I'm not worried about it. I wouldn't worry fooldall.

Scott

 

i have a 92sc400 and the whirring sound that i hear occurs when the car is slowing down, especially almost to a stop, u kind of hear it downshifting from 2nd to 1st gear as it whirres and the sounds die down as the car stops. imagine the sound as something like a turbo spooling sound but in reverse so it gets softer and slower as the car stops.

the sound is most noticiable when the car is probably travelling less than 15mph and coming to a complete stop.

or u can also hear it if u are in D and then on level ground take your foot off the brake, as the car moves forward by itself (u don't have the push the gas) it starts making that whirring sound.

can anyone explain where this sound is coming from?

i looks like many ppl have brought this problem to the dealer but they did not post a reply as to the solution or where the sound was coming from.

thanks