****** trouble and mysterious rattling

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KJ zGal

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So, let me start by mentioning that my KJ has been to THREE different mechanics and nobody can tell me what the noise coming from the back of my Jeep is that sounds like I am dragging a ten foot chain across pavement. It seems to be coming from the passenger side drum brake, which is pretty rusty, but all mechanics have said the drums are fine. It tends to happen going down hill and at slow speeds, but it doesn't do it all the time. Sometimes it even clunks like something had gathered momentum (from spinning?) and then lost it and clattered to a stop. Anyone else have this problem ever?

Anyway, poking my head around underneath the thing trying to find anything remotely loose or rattly, I noticed there appears to be lubricant leaking from my ******. This is the second transmission I've had in this Jeep, and when the pilot bearing broke in the first one, it trashed everything. I was also told that one was leaking. It was swapped out almost exactly 20,000 miles ago, so the "new" transmission has just about 100k miles on it. The last one bit the dust at 149k.

I looked in my Haynes manual to find where the plug was to do a lubricant level check but can't seem to find the damn thing. Book says it's on the passenger side and I'm small enough to climb under it while it's parked and I still can't find it. I'm assuming it's under the skid plate since that is the only place I can't really look. Does anyone have a photo of where it is on a 2002 5 speed? I'm really hoping it is just a slow leak and I can monitor it and refill it as needed since the last transmission swap cost me $2500 and at this point if they tell me it needs another one, I'm looking at getting another car which I desperately do NOT want to do.

Is there anything else it could be? I know my washer fluid reservoir is cracked (thank you cheap Walmart fluid for freezing), but it only leaks when I try to wash the rear window which I haven't done in several months, so I'm assuming it's not that having gotten onto it. Whatever is leaking is clear and oily.

Sidenote--At idle in neutral, there is a lovely rattling sound coming from under the dash. If I push the clutch in it goes away. Throwout bearing or something of the like? Letting the clutch out going from first to second gear while driving lately it is sporadically and abnormally "lurchy," if that's the word. Is this a symptom of a clutch slipping?
 
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k99jk99j

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the noise in neutral is pretty common and seen as normal for the nv3500. it is the reverse idler gear, and all i have seen have the noise.
 

MTN GTO

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5 speed problems....

Hope you can find out what's causing that problem. I have a 5 speed also, and I'm not looking forward to replacing a ****** anytime soon. I've already incurred quite an expense to keep my KJ on the road.(Now have 161K mi.) I'm currently on my second engine, and just installed another rear axle. The ****** would just be the straw that broke the camel's back, at this point. The axle problem was something I had for a while. It just got so bad that a mechanic took it for a test drive and noticed a loud clunking when either accelerating or decelerating. Also made a hell of a racket over any bumps under acceleration. What was found was the pinion gear broke loose and would wander across the surface of the ring gear under positive or negative load. Diagnosed as "trashed", the entire axle was replaced. The whole time I was imagining my ****** about to fall out! Now runs like a new Jeep...I just hope it stays that way.
One way to really get a good idea of where that noise is emanating from is to lift the Jeep off the ground, and use a plastic mallet and start tapping surfaces and listen for a similar sound to what you hear inside the KJ. This can really narrow down the possibilities.
 

KJ zGal

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Just an update--turns out it was the heat shield on the front passenger side. Not sure why it sounded like it was coming from the rear, but it solved the chain-dragging sound issue.
 
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