DrIvEsHaFt.. . ???

[James Scott]

WELL.. . My driveshaft (I guess) is now starting to creek/"high-pitch rumble"? when even just accelerating from a stop (without turning). It is really bad (worse) when accelerating AND turning now. It was just doing the noise when accelerating/turning for the last few months, but now even going straight. When I went under my SVX when this first presented then, I found the sheet metal cover over the driveshaft (and under the exhaust pipe) was bent by the muffler guy installing my new CAT. When I bent it back slightly/moderately, it definitely helped. NOW it's making that same sound again.. . sometimes for several seconds.. . up to 40 or even 50 MPH! My mechanic looked at it, couldn't diagnose the problem.. . thot it wasn't the driveshaft center bearing failure we thot it might be. MY question is: WHAT IS CAUSING THE INCREASING BANGING OF MY DRIVESHAFT ONTO THE SHEET METAL COVER? DOES ANYONE HAVE HISTORY WITH THIS TYPE OF NOISE FROM THE DRIVESHAFT? IS IT THE CENTER BEARING? .. IS IT THE TRANSMISSION OR ENGINE MOUNTS? SOMETHING IS ALLOWING THE DRIVESHAFT TO MOVE OVER NEXT TO THE SHEET METAL COVER, CAUSING THIS CREEKING, GURGLING, RUMBLING SOUND.

I opened a previous thread or two about this when I thought it was my axles (I replaced them, to no avail), and then couldn't trouble shoot.. and just gave up.. . until it got worse [that's NOW].

THANKS for any HELP you are willing to offer! Jim

P.S. Maybe just (removing and) bending the sheet metal piece would solve this problem, but I wonder why it is getting so bad upon turning/accelerating? It seems like there is something loose that allows the drivetrain to shift .. and pushes the driveshaft into the sheet metal. Like a mount...or something allowing the driveshaft to wobble itself, like the center bearing? Hmmmm?

[svxfiles]

The rubber mounting around the center bearing is made of REALLY soft rubber and it allows lots of movement.
Remove the aluminum heat shield and see if the noise goes away.

[James Scott]

Can I run my SVX any distance without the heat shield?. . . Like to work and back 59 to 60 miles? Also.. . So, the driveshaft is supposed to wobble some normally? I mean.. . If I take the heat shield off, and it doesn't make the noise.. . Then, you're saying any wobbling that caused the noise before is reasonable..and healthy.. . It's just the heat shield was too close?

THANKS, Jim

P.S. I seemed to be able to shake the driveshaft only about 3/16 inch (diameter) when under the car before.

[svxfiles]

Originally Posted by James Scott

Can I run my SVX any distance without the heat shield?. . . Like to work and back 59 to 60 miles? Also.. . So, the driveshaft is supposed to wobble some normally? I mean.. . If I take the heat shield off, and it doesn't make the noise.. . Then, you're saying any wobbling that caused the noise before is reasonable..and healthy.. . It's just the heat shield was too close?

THANKS, Jim

P.S. I seemed to be able to shake the driveshaft only about 3/16 inch (diameter) when under the car before.

Some of the racers have removed the heat shield permenantly.
No, its not suposed to wobble at all.
But without the heat shield, and the car in the air you,
(IE, all four wheels off of the ground)
or your mechanic can see what is actually happening.

[ShiuludeSVX]

No. A wobble is not right.
Mine got that way, and then the front joints detonated.
I have since had the ends replaced and the drive line is now balanced. It was well worth the effort.

I have driven several thousand miles without the shield on.
It does get hotter on the bottom of the car, but I have not noticed any problems because of it being gone.

[James Scott]

WELL.. . I installed the ball joints I bought a while ago.. Better ride actually! Yea! I also removed the sheet metal cover for the driveshaft. The noise is gone.. . and I think I can see where the U-Joint protrusions (just posterior to the center bearing) were slightly hitting the sheet metal!

Now, the question is whether or not the center bearing needs replacement?! The soft bearing mount rubber that SVXFiles mentioned earlier here is allowing the driveshaft to fall to a low position. The shaft is about 1/4 inch from the bottom edge of the mount rubber, but over 1 1/4 inch from the top edge of the center bearing mount rubber! IS THAT OK? [Maybe it's just cuz the car is jacked up (on four jack stands) with the rear diff and driveshaft hanging down.]

I saw a small but definite spray pattern on the bottom of the car (above the driveshaft) next to the u-joint just rear to the center bearing.. . and also above the center bearing??? I don't know if that's normal.. or enough to even be remarkable?

I left the cover off, but confident I can bend it so the driveshaft won't hit the sheet metal .. if put back on.

THANKS.. . Jim

P.S. I also tried to get a better adjustment on my AT linkage (gear positions don't line up precisely with the shifter positions).. . Got it better (tried once before, difficult to get position and start/park inhibition to all work good!) Let me know if there is a trick! . . .

[SoCal LS-L]

Does anyone know if the SVX driveshaft matches up with any year legacy or impreza? I need one badly so it would be great if ours was compatible with a more common car so I can yank it from the local pick n pull. Thanks yous

[James Scott]

SPOKE TOO SOON! Started to make the noise again,but at a much reduced level???

I thot I had the entire issue settled.. . After thinking about the situation, with the driveshaft hitting the sheet metal cover.. and seeing how low (1.25" rubber above, 0.25" rubber below the shaft) the driveshaft center bearing section was positioned in the rubber mount area of the center bearing (assuming they are connected) when the SVX was on jack stands (rear wheels/suspension hanging to the lowest point), It seemed very reasonable that the noise occurred when turning mainly cuz as the car turns, the rear position of the driveshaft drops slightly to allow the driveshaft to hit in that area I mentioned by the center bearing (small marks on sheet metal)!

Now that I'm getting a slight similar noise ("growling") on turning.. . I wonder if the engine or AT mounts are involved again.. . actually making the sound.. with the sheet metal scraping just accentuating or worsening it??

Please keep your comments coming.. . Jim

[Blacky]

Originally Posted by SoCal LS-L

Does anyone know if the SVX driveshaft matches up with any year legacy or impreza? I need one badly so it would be great if ours was compatible with a more common car so I can yank it from the local pick n pull. Thanks yous

It's got a different part# so I assume it is not a match. I haven't done a side by side comparison though to see the difference.