EA S

Slight noise on drive, a bit worse on coast, in 1988 EA S 3.9mpi T5 2.92 diff. Not serious and hard to describe. Sort of whop- a whop-a whop-a. Bit like brake rotor run out hitting pad on seized piston or slide. Speed related and more noticeable at 70+. Frequency is much less often than wheel or tailshaft rpm. Seems to be coming from left of car, or at least left of driver, but hard to pick up whether front or rear. Not worse on left or right curves. Doesn't sound like bearings. Sounds like there's something rubbing slightly in suspension/brake/ wheel area right through the range, but don't know if it's related. Probably not metal to metal as no squeaks or squeals. Doesn't seem to be related to brake temperature or travel - it's there regardless of how short or long the trip.

What it isn't:

Suspension - professionally checked and OK

Tailshaft out of balance / bent - professionally balanced and straightened by Ken Hastings, who knows what he's doing (which reduced but didn't entirely cure same or related noise)

Unis - also replaced by Ken Hastings before balance

Seized brake pistons or slides - all checked and greased by me & OK. Both front lower slides were seized and freeing and greasing them (copper grease) made no difference to noise.

Seized handbrake - checked by me and OK

Wheels unbalanced - all balanced and no effect on noise

Fluid levels in diff and trans checked by me and OK

Alignment - dynamic alignment and no effect on noise

Tyres - new tyres and no effect on noise.

Brake pads - Bendix Ultimates replaced whatever was in it before and no effect on noise.

Ball joints - one replaced and other OK by professional and no effect on noise.

I haven't checked rotor run out, but it shouldn't matter if the slides and pistons aren't seized as the rotor should knock the pads back in anyway.

Just thought - I didn't put adhesive on pads to hold onto pistons, and there wasn't any before. Could it be pads wobbling in guides and hitting piston?

I sort of suspect the diff as it makes a bit of noise (like there's a bit of slack or teeth not meshing accurately) when a wheel is turned on jack with both wheels up, but I don't have enough experience with diffs to know what is abnormal.

There's also the T5 rattle I've mentioned in a separate thread.

I can't think of anything else it might be.

Any clues would be appreciated.

 

Jase_ELXR8

Is it the same sound on all road suraces???

It does sound like a bearing somewhere though.....

EA S

Doesn't seem to make any difference what sort of made road surface it's on.

Didn't check wheel bearings as didn't sound like them, so I'll do that.

Jase_ELXR8

yeah, start with the easy cheap ones first. I did rotors on my EL on the the weekend and the inner front wheel bearings were so dry they were rattlling when you shake them....

EA S

Jase

Looks like you were on the money again.

No movement in either wheel, but pulled bearings out and outer ones a bit worn but both inners pretty sloppy. Not a lot of grease on the inners. Repacked all bearings and quietened things down a bit, especially the constant rubbing noise, a lot of which must have been from dry bearings. Maybe it's the worn bearings that are causing the basic noise. I'll replace them at some stage and see how it goes.

Thanks.

Jase_ELXR8

Good stuff, glad to see you got it sorted out..

EA S

There's another simpler and cheaper solution. I'll just let those bloody Pirelli Dragos continue to get noisier and noisier and pretty soon I won't even hear the clutch fan over the tyre noise. Why I bought them a second time is beyond me.