Drive train noise

wold racing · #1 03-14-2008, 09:12 AM

I bought a '92 SVX in FL. Clean car, no rust and only 45,000 miles on it...

I haven't picked it up yet.. My dad is keeping it for me at his place until I can bring it to MN.

The car has not been driven much the last few years.... Maybe 1000 miles in three years...

When my dad (91 years old) went to move it the other day, he said that it made a horrible drivetrain noise. I wished I was there to hear it. He took it to a local garage where they drove it, verified the noise, then replaced a fuse (a $20 total service charge) and said it was fixed!. My dad also said it no longer makes any noise...

Any ideas here on what the fuse might have been and why it was making a noise? DOES ANY OF THIS MAKE SENSE??

huck369 · #2 03-14-2008, 10:36 AM

They put a fuse in the "FWD" slot, to dissengauge the rear wheel drive...
the noise was probably some "AWD binding" in the rear transfer clutches...

Which may just be sticking from sitting so much, will probably go away after it's driven some...but make SURE all 4 tires match, and are similar in wear...very important on a AWD car

dennyo · #3 03-14-2008, 02:11 PM

make sure to buy your dad a beer.91 and can still get in and out of an svx.my hats off to him

SVX92-97 · #4 03-14-2008, 05:45 PM

Wow, 91 and all his senses. Kudos to you Dad!

wold racing · #5 03-16-2008, 06:54 PM

Thanks for comments on Dad... We are a genetically defective lot because we got the car guy gene from him.... We grew up with Morris Minors and Mini Coopers because of him..

Anyways, did a fuse blow and they replaced it or did they put a fuse in somewhere where it doesn't normally belong???

I want him to go out and thrash it around a bit before I go to pick it up to make sure everything else seems to work, but don't want him to do so until I understand what this might be....

Thanks

techy101 · #6 03-16-2008, 07:25 PM

If you need anything, I'd be more than happy to offer a hand. Since I live just a few minutes south of you (Plymouth)

The fuse being talked about is a fuse that normally is NOT installed. Without that fuse the car is like normal (all wheel drive), but when you install that fuse it disengages the rear wheels and turns the car into a front wheel drive.

wantafastsvx · #7 03-16-2008, 07:31 PM

This is a fwd fuse port in the junction box underneath the hood that is generally used for diagnostics only. With this fuse in no power goes to the rear wheels and all goes to the front. I would imagine as stated earlier that there was binding going on and making some noise so they just put the fuse in to "patch it" and stops the sounds. When i had my auto in my car the solenoid that controls torque to back wheels was bad i believe as i only had fwd in my awd svx. Driving like this eventually led to the front diff blowing a hole in the side of the case of the tranny. I would suggest not getting on the car with this fuse in and not abusing it until you have solved the binding or noise issues and added a tranny cooler and did a trans flush if the fluid is burnt or old. Just my .02 take it for what its worth to ya

Where is the car located in florida? Im in clearwater/tarpon springs area. I would be happy to take it for a drive and see whats going on for you if it was close. Im ASE certified tech and have had my svx torn apart and put together many times. If i can help let me know.

wold racing · #8 03-16-2008, 09:29 PM

Dad lives near Wikki Wacchi (sp?) right off of 50 in a retirement community called Highpoint... Not too far away from you...

I plan to pick the car up 3/25 and head north to MN...

I don't know if the fuse was left in or not and my dad doesn't know what they did...

Any help would be appreciated..

techy101 · #9 03-16-2008, 09:33 PM

Let me know when you get the car up here. Nice to have another SVX on this end of town.

wold racing · #10 03-27-2008, 02:27 PM

With the help of several excellent people on this network, I was able to determine that when a fuse is installed in the car the the Front Wheel Drive position in the fuse block, it will make the car into a front driver only.

This was needed because the Florida car I bought with low miles... you can read below.

So I am now in FL ready to drive north and removed the fuse to make it a all wheel drive ride and indeed there is a tremendous rear diff noise when turning.... Straight line is okay..

Only 47,000 miles on the car...

Grease level okay in the diff.

When I put the fuse in for front drive only, the noise goes away again..

Two questions?

Is it okay to drive in front drive only to MN from FL??

What is wrong with the rear diff?? Is it possible a different diff was put in the car and it is the wrong one? The previous owner who had the car since new has gone crazy and can't communicate with us to let us know where he got the car serviced...

I am headed out tomorrow morning.... THoughts or ideas???

huck369 · #11 03-27-2008, 02:43 PM

You'll be fine to drive it home with te FWD fuse installed....

I don't think it is the incorrect ratio from teh front to the back, as you said it is fine in a straight line...if the ratios didn't match, it would bind all teh time.

The reasons for the binding could be a number of things....

Could just be the plates are"Stuck" from not being driven very much.
Try finding a big empty parking area, and take the FWD fuse out, and run "Figure 8's as tight as you can, backwards....if they are just stuck, this might break them free...

If not, you'll probably have to get the rear transfer clutches replaced, so just drive it home in "FWD" mode untill you get them fixed.

Some people even have had luck adding a "LSD" additive to the "Tranny fluid" (not the Tranny Grease)to let the transfer clutches "slip" like they are supposed too.

Just some things to try....

dcarrb · #12 03-27-2008, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wold racing

Is it okay to drive in front drive only to MN from FL??

I drove one of mine regularly (10-20 mile trips) for weeks with the FWD fuse in place. (That's not to say this is recommended.) If you must go this route, be conservative and don't spin the front wheels.

Turn that car in sand or wet grass I'll bet you won't hear the noise. With the fuse out, the drivetrain is basically locked in 4WD and binding-up on dry pavement. Good luck.

dcb

kwren · #13 03-27-2008, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wold racing

Dad lives near Wikki Wacchi (sp?) right off of 50 in a retirement community called Highpoint... Not too far away from you...

I plan to pick the car up 3/25 and head north to MN...

I don't know if the fuse was left in or not and my dad doesn't know what they did...

Any help would be appreciated..

and just inquire about what they did???

wold racing · #14 03-27-2008, 03:50 PM

I tried running figure 8's already and didn't seem to do anything. We did these in drive, we'll try reverse and hope for the best. Thanks!

kwren · #15 03-27-2008, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wold racing

The previous owner who had the car since new has gone crazy and can't communicate with us to let us know where he got the car serviced...

THoughts or ideas???

Many of us have been driven crazy with our SVX's

I know the feeling!

Keith