rear end noise (the car, not me)
 

(I had posted this in another thread but thought it might get overlooked, so I wanted to post it here too)

Just in the last couple of days I've had a strange thumping noise from my rear end too (okay, the car's rear end). It happens anytime I turn the wheel to make a roughly 90 degree turn. Low speed of course. It doesn't make it (yet) on slight turns, like a moving lane change type of turn of the wheel, or shallow turns.

The sound is a REALLY deep throbbing sound - like a car that's nearby with a big subwoofer booming (it sounds exactly like that actually - I have to concentrate to make sure I'm not mistaking my noise for a riced out Honda Civic with 15" subs blasting away). Also, if I'm sitting still and just turn the wheel lock to lock I get a very low continuous "subwoofer" sound.

I'm no longer a fan of crawling under the car and pulling wrenches (comes with age I guess), so I'm hoping it's nothing too expensive (or at least too involved for me if it's expensive).

Re: rear end noise (the car, not me)
 

Two things without getting under the car.

- Check the tension/condition on the PS/ALt belt.
- Check the crank pulley for separation. If it looks fine use a paint pen or white out to make a mark across the face. After running it again check to see if it's still lined up.

If it is separated, I'll meet you at the maintenance shed behind the general store at Fontana Village and I'll throw a couple spot welds on it ;)

Re: rear end noise (the car, not me)
 

sounds like rear axle noise to me, try putting it in fwd and see if the noise changes.

Re: rear end noise (the car, not me)
 

Just read you description again, it seems like you're describing two separate noises?

The one from the back end could be;
- Transfer clutch binding
- Bad U-Joint in prop shaft
- Bad rear diff
- Bad rear axle

The noise that occurs when the car is not moving and you crank the steering wheel would be tied to the steering pump and should be coming from the front?

Re: rear end noise (the car, not me)
 

Interesting about the crank pulley separation thing... when Huck came down in the spring and helped me out with the car he noticed my crank pulley was separating so we went and pulled one from a Legacy in a junkyard. Not the problem now as far as I can tell, but just thought I'd mention it to show that you're absolutely right about the pulley separating at this age. ;)

I've hit another snag with my SVX as of yesterday morning (and just getting around to dealing with it today)... now the damned thing won't fire up. It turns over just fine, but it won't fire. Timing belt is fine, so I'm thinking it's not getting fuel. Spoke to Huck and got some advice for things to check for and I'm going to do that in a second (had to stop to eat, etc., just now).

Once I get it running again, I'll be able to check out the rear end noise again. I like the idea of putting it in FWD only mode - hadn't thought of that. Not sure what it would tell me, but I like the idea. :lol::confused::lol:

Re: rear end noise (the car, not me)
 

It would eleminate an electrical issue with the front/rear clutch solenoid.
If the noise goes away, you need to replace your solenoid C, most likely.
Is that where you were going Dave?

Re: rear end noise (the car, not me)
 

I didn't mention the fuse, but that is one of the things I was thinking... Reading my mind again? Betcha can't guess what I'm thinking now??? :D

Austin, did you touch anything under the hood while trying to Dx the other noises? If so, look in those areas first. Disconnect and reconnect and wiring in those areas. Check for stored ECU codes just to see if it's throwing any.

Re: rear end noise (the car, not me)
 

[QUOTE=Hocrest;688864]I didn't mention the fuse, but that is one of the things I was thinking... Reading my mind again? Betcha can't guess what I'm thinking now??? :D

Austin, did you touch anything under the hood while trying to Dx the other noises? If so, look in those areas first. Disconnect and reconnect and wiring in those areas. Check for stored ECU codes just to see if it's throwing any.[/QUOTE]

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Re: rear end noise (the car, not me)
 

Actually I hadn't tried diagnosing anything with it yet... I'm still looking for my magic Quizno's cup!

(Don't worry, Dave gets it ;))

Basically it's like this, in just a few days a lot of things have gone wrong with the car...

• started leaking tranny fluid from somewhere up front near the cooler
• started leaking brake fluid internally somewhere
• developed this noise issue
• driver's side rear window came out of its track (held in place temporarily for now)
• fuel delivery issue (turns over but won't fire, no gas coming to fuel filter from tank, replaced FP relay, Huck says probably the pump)

I just haven't had time to check out the noise any further. Also, I found out yesterday that my tranny fluid leak has been going on for a while apparently and worse than I expected. I was pretty low on fluid (bought a few quarts last night). But I guess the noise is more related to the differential if anything. :(

I'll keep ya posted. You just let me know if you see my cup. ;)

Re: rear end noise (the car, not me)
 

Update:

Okay so I found out that the tranny fluid I've been seeing on my driveway was power steering fluid. Topped off the PS fluid and I *thought* I noticed that the weird noise *seemed* to go away, but this morning I was driving my daughter to school and ended up having to take a big detour back home due to an accident During that time I noticed my car shuddering going from 0 through about 15 or so mph. When I say shuddering, I mean it felt like the car was losing traction or something. The roads were wet so I thought that's what was happening, but then it got worse and worse. Now it's a pretty harsh vibration/shudder and I don't want to drive it.

I popped the hood, thinking I'd try that FWD thing, but I thought that involved removing the fuse - right? Or am I wrong about that? Reason I ask is that there is no fuse there. In fact it almost looks like something melted there or some brownish gunk got in there or something.

Also, recently I noticed that when I'd put it in reverse to back into my driveway¹ it has been making a metallic "clank" noise. I thought it was the broken window regulator mechanism in the back, but then I noticed that it sounded more "outside" than inside. In fact it's seemed a tiny bit louder each time too.

This is my daily driver, so I'm freaking out a bit. :(

____________________________

¹ we back into our driveway (and parking spaces) because, face it, you're going to back up at some point during the parking/leaving process so it might as well be while you can see all the traffic coming in both directions. Plus if your battery ever goes dead or something like that, you're already facing outwards where someone can pull right up to you for a jump. ;)

Re: rear end noise (the car, not me)
 

Ok, a bad/old/cracked O-ring between the power steering reservoir and pump will leak power steering fluid out of the car and air into the P/S lines. That would also cause shuddery steering, especially at low speeds, and I imagine it could cause some noises to go along with that. There are other places that it can leak, but that one is very common.

To put the TCU in FWD mode, you put a fuse into the spot for in the fuse box. Give it a try, if it helps, then that means that the trans is probably binding. Even if it doesn't help, it can help narrow the cause down.

Clunking when putting it into reverse or drive, or when letting on or off the gas while at speed, can be caused by a crappy trans mount, or, more likely, crappy rear differential mounts (search "rear diff mounts", it's been covered a few times), especially if the clunk seems to be coming from the rear.

If the trans has more RWD character, that clunk will naturally be a bit more noticeable, since the load back there is more, and it also goes along with the other binding symptoms. Basically, I think the trans is probably binding.

Re: rear end noise (the car, not me)
 

You need to add a fuse to make it FWD, the goop in there is to prevent the mostly empty fuse hole from corroding.

The clunk when reversing could be a lumpy driveshaft or bad rear diff bushings.