It sounds like a bearing noise, and since the car has just turn over 100.000 kms, I decide to change all 4 wheels bearing (did some pictures that I still have to post). But guess what?: when I test drove the car yesterday the noise still there.

It comes from the rear (I believe that from the drivers side). It changes depending on if you are on the gas or just let the car goes. Clutch is original and everything else runs very smoothly.

I do not think that my wife would let mi keep on changing bearings until I find the one… Another option would by the drive shafts.

Any input on diagnosis would be much appreciated.

 

Need a little bit more details...

I would first clean the rear end of the car completely, check for stupid things like a nut shell stuck in a brake caliper (don't ask...)... and then I would put it up on a lift to listen for the noise...

Check conditions of the drive shafts to rule out CVJs. Listen closely to see if it is the heater fan, fan bearings (alternator bearings going...), chains...

It will take some troubleshooting to narrow this down before you start replacing parts...

 

yes, details, please...
C2/4? year? standard transmission?

 

Well, let see if we can track this down together:

Cleaned the car last week (was very dirty).
It’s a C2 with manual transmission
It varies with the speed of the car, not with RPMs, so I assume the following:

It’s nothing related with the engine.
it’s either some bearings inside the transmission (itself or the Drive shafts.

Since I dismantled everything to change the wheels bearings, I checked everything around and all looked correctly.

 

100,000km is a bit early to be replacing these components unless you tore a boot that went unattended, or run it really hard.

What condition are your tires in? Worn or hard tires can make some pretty weird noises in these cars. You might want to take a look or swap the rears out before you start on the harder stuff.

A halfshaft will make more noise in a turn or under accel/decel, if you get up to speed straight and level and put the clutch in does the noise change?

Do you have a limited slip?

What happens when you jack the car up and spin the wheel?

If you grab the halfshaft and twist do you get some play or is it tight?

 

Try an old mechanic's trick. I have a car stethoscope that has a stout wire probe at one end... and it allows me to listen to components by touching them. It telegraphs the sound very well, and can help you isolate sounds easily. If you can't find one of those, you can get close with a very long handled screwdriver. Put the tip on the part you suspect of making the noise (safely please) and put the handle to your ear. You will be surprised at what you can pick up. You can also do this with a length of small hose.
This of course won't work on a tire... but on anything you can rotate while the car is safely up on jackstands.

 

It’s a looong shoot, but I had this very annoying sound coming from the rear off the car. I tried to located it, but without any success. When I was mounting my new Dansk twin exhaust system, I had to take off the bumper to mount a new left bumper corner….Then I finally found it! It was a metal thing with a rivet that was worn out…the thing was just hanging there…swinging free to hit the body and to play with my temper !!

 

It's been a long time since I open this post but I just did some findings on it.

Been using the car regularly with no problems, but the noise is there and keeping up.

I made myself with those things that doctors use to listen to our bodies and listen to engine, gear box and transmission.

Never ear it before, but noise is not very nice: there is a metallic noise that goes on and on as the car is idling with a gear on (wheels rotating on air). Like a metallic grouching. Is’t not easy to locate, but it’s seems to be coming from the differential housing. Same noise in any gear.

Another thing that I noticed is that the transmissions oscillates sideways: while rotating, they move longitudinally about 3-4 millimeters. Is it normal?

My bets are:

- Take out the differential, check it and change it’s bearings.
- Dismantle transmissions, clean them and put some fresh grease.

Can I remove the differential assembly with out removing the engine and gear box using the round cover on the drivers side of the differential housing?

Any inputs?????

 

I replaced my rear wheel bearing 2 weeks ago and still had noise! I went to mechanic and he said rub your hand on the inside corner of your rear tires.....yup..........wump wump wump. The tires have plenty of tread but are "chopped"? New tires and alignment tomorrow. I cannot wait to see before and after alignment specs. Current tires are cheap Yokos that have horrible ratings on tirerack.com..........
I could not believe how the tires looked decent but are so ffed up?

 

out of interest - what tyres are you running?

with my R888's on, it constantly sounds like wheel bearing noise...

on the conti's it doesnt...

 

Tires are Bridgestone Potenza SA02 and really doubt it is a matter of tires.

 

My tyres never sounded the same after a TD around Spa, thought the bearings has shot it but it was just tyre noise.

Never heard it prior to that, sounds like a droning sound.

 

Never raced the car or been at Spa (unfortunately....)

Can I remove the differential assembly with out removing the engine and gear box using the round cover on the drivers side of the differential housing?

 

LOL... Funny how little things can make so much noise and bug the heck out of us... I can relate... I found that the rear license plate frame is doing the same... I need to place some double face tape to avoid the noise/vibration coming from there... drives me crazy.

 

Hey, I picked up my car this morning. New Bridgestone Potenza SA02s and proper alignment and noise is GONE! I am not sure how tires get "chopped" but my alignment was fubar. My car handles so darrn nice now!!!