Curious Wheel Whine

[gcerbera]

Ok folks, open to ideas on this.

Had a real wheel whine increasing in noise the last few weeks.

Basically, sounds nothing like the diff (had that before) and the whine got to
the point of being louder than the engine at a steady 70mph and I can only liken it to the
whine you hear when sitting on a train, high pitched.

Dropped out of gear and left to free wheel, the whine drops away and at a walking pace
sounds like a light grinding.

Wheel bearing is the obvious, but these have now been checked twice...no play what so ever.

Today though, out in the rain for the first time in weeks, suddenly the noise all but vanishes.

Ideas?

[Extra 300 Driver]

Check the CV gaiters and make sure that the joints are well lubed up. Also that there is nothing on the hub.

Have you also checked the front wheels? When a bearing goes it can often throw the sound, just a thought mate.

Other than that I am stuffed!

[t8rus]

it's not the release bearing on the clutch???? hope not though

[GCerbera]

t8rus said:

it's not the release bearing on the clutch???? hope not though

Would it make this noise when not in gear, just free wheeling?

[Extra 300 Driver]

GCerbera said:

t8rus said: it's not the release bearing on the clutch???? hope not though Would it make this noise when not in gear, just free wheeling?

It would do it at idle in neutral and change pitch when you put your foot on the clutch.

[GCerbera]

Extra 300 Driver said:

GCerbera said: t8rus said: it's not the release bearing on the clutch???? hope not though Would it make this noise when not in gear, just free wheeling? It would do it at idle in neutral and change pitch when you put your foot on the clutch.

Ok, test drive tomorrow...up date to follow.

Cheers guys.

[GCerbera]

Extra 300 Driver said:

GCerbera said: t8rus said: it's not the release bearing on the clutch???? hope not though Would it make this noise when not in gear, just free wheeling? It would do it at idle in neutral and change pitch when you put your foot on the clutch.

Not had a chance to post before, but it's not this (thankfully!) so anyone else got an idea?

[methodwares]

gearbox. taking it out of gear, the only thing that is no longer spinning as fast is the input shaft and the gears are no longer putting load on the output shaft. everything else is still spinning at the same speed.

[Katanarog]

Sounds like a wheel bearing to me , can still make quite a noise even if there is no play. Get the car up on jacks and give the wheels a spin , listen and feel for a rumbling, they a lot of noise if they run dry. (Maybe the water lubed them slightly somehow??)

Good Luck

[S-X-S]

CV joints playing up?
Power-steering assembly?
Rear brake drums?

have you checked the passenger seat? Could be the missis?

Sorry not very helpful, its a diagnosis thing, probably best bet is to give it a chance to get worse? Otherwise can be expensive business ripping her apart tracking the noise down....

[kevin63]

I had a similar problem on another car and it ended up being a faulty tyre, the noise also was less when it was wet. Changed tyres and noise went.
Also could be a tracking problem causing the tyres to scrub which would also give less of a problem in the wet.
Good luck Graham.