Whining noise; Diff?

[v8_steve]

My Chimaera started whining when driving in second gear, could it be the diff? If so, is it a very urgent fix?

[Cider Andy]

If it only happens in second gear, it's more likely to be the gearbox, not the diff.

[JonRB]

Could it be the wife / girlfriend / significant other?

[v8_steve]

Could be, wanting me to go faster.

[socr8s]

JonRB said:

Could it be the wife / girlfriend / significant other?

Wouldn't that be more of a nagging type sound?

[tahiti450]

Cider Andy said:

If it only happens in second gear, it's more likely to be the gearbox, not the diff.

Quite! diff noises will not be gear dependent but will vary with road speed and load (so it is concievable that, if the diff is audible only through a speed range associated with one particlular gear, then there could be a false impression that its gear related) It would also be torque related, i.e vary with throttle position / load or occur on overrun etc. Identify the speed range and load at which it is occuring and then repeat the process in 3rd gear, if it doesnt happen in 3rd then its probably the gearbox.

[Phil Durn]

As cider says, most likely to be gearbox, probably lay shaft bearing, have you checked the gearbox oil level lately?

[v8_steve]

The gearbox oil may have been checked during its May service as Austec. Thanks all for your replys.

[jacko lah]

Ignore it til it goes bang.

I ignored my Cavalier's drone for 60K before it finally decided 4th was the only gear it would have. Lucky that GM boxes come free these days (I was given 2 by friends that heard the old one - one was in need of a rebuild and I gave it to another friend and the other is now in place and not droning at all.