Question for 1 ton 3500 Chevy van owners.

[Tomcor]

I have a 2002 Chevy Express 3500 I bought awhile back. Van runs fine but there is gear noise from the tranny in First gear when starting out but the noise goes away after gaining more speed. Is this normal for the one ton vans. I was reading that it was? Heavy duty tranny model I guess. I hear no gear noise after 30 mph.

 

[SilverVoyager]

Is this during cold weather only? My van makes some noise first time I start up on cold mornings.

 

[JD GUMBEE]

I have a 2002 Chevy Express 3500 I bought awhile back. Van runs fine but there is gear noise from the tranny in First gear when starting out but the noise goes away after gaining more speed. Is this normal for the one ton vans. I was reading that it was? Heavy duty tranny model I guess. I hear no gear noise after 30 mph.

It stops as soon as it shifts out of first gear and is 100% normal, nothing to worry about. It is built right into those.


Think of it as your van telling you..."You have the strongest transmission GM installed in a van and I am going to prove it by reminding you with the first gear take-off whine."

Congrats!

 

[Tomcor]

Thanks JD for the info. My web search came up with other HD tranny owners saying similar.
Any other 3500 owners out there?

 

[B and C]

I have a 2000 Roadtrek built on the chevy 3500 chassis with a 454CI (7.4L) engine. It has a 4L80E 4 speed transmission with 456 rear end gears and weighs 9700 Lbs. I have never noticed a low gear whine (hot or cold) in mine but it shifts well before 30 miles an hour unless I am pushing on the GO pedal pretty hard. Not in that much of a hurry anymore. I'll roll down the window and mash the pedal next time I take it out (probably Summer before that happens :-( ) Just my experience.... Could be the first gear pump. Not sure what other gears it operates. I know power steering pumps whine when they are going out.

 

[Grizzly708]

I just looked at options for your 3500.
The only transmissions listed is the 4l80e,  pretty much a bullet proof trans.
If it's whining in first you could well have a problem developing in it or more likely the torque converter is locking up when it shouldn't be. 
The longer you listen to it the more $$$$ to make the noise go away.

 

[Stanvan]

Think of it as your van telling you..."You have the strongest transmission GM installed in a van and I am going to prove it by reminding you with the first gear take-off whine."

Congrats!

So, what you're saying is that the 4 speed trans is a bit braggadocios?


My 3500 has the 6 speed, so I don't have the noise.  But I do love it.  And it loves 70mph.  It's been a few years since I had a V8.

 

[John61CT]

That's not a word

 

[highdesertranger]

sure it is. although Stanvan spelled it wrong,

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/braggadocious

highdesertranger

 

[Stanvan]

I really spelled it wrong, but spellcheck "corrected" it for me. And it is a word. It's just not the word I wanted to use.

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/braggadocios

 

[JD GUMBEE]

Maybe we need to do an intervention with these L80's.
Tell them to stop being so damned proud of themselves.

(Then again, when your parents are Turbo 400's, in the light truck world, you need not be humble. LOL )