Just curious if this is a common thing or something I should have checked out. When my ’02 manual transmission is in neutral and the car is idling, the vehicle makes a rattling sound that is pretty loud. It seems to go away once the car is put into gear – even if the clutch is depressed. Seems like it only happens in neutral – regardless of the clutch position.

Anyone else hearing the same thing??? Thanks.

_________________
2002 Jeep Liberty Renegade
3.7L V6 4x4, 5-speed manual
*Draw-tite class IV hitch
*Mopar rock rails
*Clear turn signals
*Mopar mud flaps
*Husky cargo liner
*'Trial Rated' and 'Renegade' emblems
*Bazooka 200 watt subwoofer

Is it a rough idle?

Maybe, your tailpipe off of your skid plate?

_________________
-nate
LOST#NL068123 - 2005 Renegade 3.7L 4x4, Off-Road Package, Rock Rails, Skids, Command-Trac, Trac-Loc LSD, Light Bar, K&N Drop in Filter, AMSOIL LUBES, RRO's Diff Guard for 8.25", Frankenlift, & Goodyear MT/R's
Cardomain

Idle seems okay. If it only makes the sound in neutral, doesn't that eliminate the possiblility that tailpipe vibration is the cause?

I've heard this sound described by others as having "marbles in the transmission". Kind of has the sound of marbles being banged around by a fan or something.

I don't know. It's not that big of a deal, just wanted to see how common it is.

_________________
2002 Jeep Liberty Renegade
3.7L V6 4x4, 5-speed manual
*Draw-tite class IV hitch
*Mopar rock rails
*Clear turn signals
*Mopar mud flaps
*Husky cargo liner
*'Trial Rated' and 'Renegade' emblems
*Bazooka 200 watt subwoofer

Don't know about the Jeep tranny. I wanted the CRD and it only comes with the 5-spd auto (I would have loved a 6-speed with this motor). But my Ford Ranger used to do the same thing. Rattles in N, but only when the clutch is not depressed. Used to drive me up the wall when I was sitting in line at fast food restaurants (where there's a wall right next to your head), so I stopped going to fast food drive-thrus.

Had that truck for 95k miles and took it to probably 10 different service stations over the years and no one could ever "fix" that noise.

God speed in your search!

_________________

_______________________DogDomain_______________________

i have the 5 speed and mine does the same thing. just the nature of the beast

_________________
2003 Renegade 4x4
Rustys 2.5 spring and cleavis lift
Moabs and MT/Rs
Auburn LSD
Lots of other goodies.

OK, sounds like I'll just have to live with it. Thanks for the info.

_________________
2002 Jeep Liberty Renegade
3.7L V6 4x4, 5-speed manual
*Draw-tite class IV hitch
*Mopar rock rails
*Clear turn signals
*Mopar mud flaps
*Husky cargo liner
*'Trial Rated' and 'Renegade' emblems
*Bazooka 200 watt subwoofer

It's an NVT 3550. They rattle like hell in Neutral. You should hear one when it's bolted to a diesel engine. I have a 2.5CRD with this tranny and it's rattled since new. The 2000 model XJ diesels with this tranny were even worse as they didn't have the dual mass flywheel to dampen the engine vibration.

_________________
'04 KJ Cheokee CRD Pioneer Van
'06 Grand Cherokee 3.0 CRD Limited
'91 XJ 4.0 2Door Sport 4"lift, 31s, ARBs + other mods

Sounds like the clutch throw out bearing to me. As long as the clutch doesn't chatter, it's no big deal. It's not uncommon among manual transmissions.

_________________
'04 Liberty 4x2 Sport 5 speed. Added Trac Loc, front skid, Renegade wheels, Draw-Tite hitch, EVIC, RB1 nav. radio, courtesy lights, vent visors.