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Help with knocking sound in neutral


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Noticed while out today s slight knocking type sound occasionally and only while in neutral. Sound instantly goes away when put in gear. Goes into and out of gear easily and not thud or noise.

I have a 05 VLX (400 hours) and have read up on the damper plate issue but not sure if this is the same thing, also saw a few threads about lose coupler bolts. Any other ideas or things for me to check.

Thanks,

Norm

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One way to determine if you may be having a damper plate failure is to pull your starter and stick a flexable shaft magnet down into the bottom of your bell housing on both sides of your flywheel. If you come up with spring chunks or other shrapnel, break out another thousand. When my plate began to fail, it made a scratching noise like a pop can on a grinder, but another poster on this forum had his fail this past week and said that it didn't make any noise at all. Anyhow, I hope that you have some good luck with that, and it turns out to be something cheap and simple.

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This is absolutley no help for your stated problem, but for many years my father, who spent his enitire career with Chrysler, said the best fix for mysterious noises in cars is to simply turn up the radio.

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From reading a ton of threads on here seems most say they hear the sound only when in gear and a thud when putting it in and out of gear.

Mine only happens sometime in idle. Quite when in gear (fwd or reverse) and goes in gear smoothly.

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Noise can happen either way. But the noise in neutral can be expected also as the input shaft is not loading the damper in neutral at all.

Where is the noise loudest from when listening to it? Pull all your seats up and look. You can also see the coupler bolts at that time at the back of the v-drive. if the noise sounds loudest near the bell housing, you know what it needs.

If I had an 05 , I would be putting a damper plate in it as we speak , noise or not.

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Yes, only hear the noise when in neutral. Sounds just like my old 2000 VLX when in gear.

You think should change the damper plate either way? So it isn't a IF it is a WHEN on failure?

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Yes, only hear the noise when in neutral. Sounds just like my old 2000 VLX when in gear.

You think should change the damper plate either way? So it isn't a IF it is a WHEN on failure?

Yes, only hear the noise when in neutral. Sounds just like my old 2000 VLX when in gear.

You think should change the damper plate either way? So it isn't a IF it is a WHEN on failure?

My .02: I think that at the very least, I would pull the starter and go fishing with a magnet. The whole process should take less than 30 minutes. The '05s have a reputation for busting plates, and better to find out about it in the driveway than on the water under a load.

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So had one shop checking out and said couldn't say if it was the plate or not. Said to just roll with it and listen to see if noise gets worse or other symptoms.

Had another mechanic I used previously tell me the same thing but said if it was him he would change it over the winter to just avoid the big failure. Quoted me $700-800. Sound reasonable price wise?

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So had one shop checking out and said couldn't say if it was the plate or not. Said to just roll with it and listen to see if noise gets worse or other symptoms.

Had another mechanic I used previously tell me the same thing but said if it was him he would change it over the winter to just avoid the big failure. Quoted me $700-800. Sound reasonable price wise?

It cost me $1280 to have mine done, and I pulled the back seat and sun deck. It would have been another hundred to have the mechanic pull them. In hind sight, it would have been a hundred well spent. That back seat is a bugger. If your guy will do the whole thing for $700 - $800, that's a smokin' deal.

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