N8dawgSMU

I am no car expert and i have done some searches on this but it seems like most people hear a howling or growling sound when a differential is broken or on its way to being broke... my symptoms seem to me like a diff but i don't really hear those sounds as described in previous post. here are my symptoms:

1.under acceleration it feels like the car is jerking and not smooth, stronger under harder acceleration

2.the same feeling but 10 times worse accelerating out of a corner

3.to some degree i feel a jerking or nocking while decelerating in gear.

4. there is no jerking or nocking or noises with the clutch is in or the car is removed from gear.

5. the noise i do hear isn't a howling or growling it is a definite nocking and i believe i occasionally hear it when the car is stopped and turned off and i turn it on.

6. Finally the motor seems like it is dragging bad, not missing, not the clutch slipping, just a lack of power.

Does this sound like a diff or is there somewhere else i should look?

thetz99

If it's a vibration under accelleration or accellerating out of a corner, it's your rear CV joints. You can have someone swap the cups from left to right as detailed in another thread.

Changing your diff fluid would be a first step to seeing if there is anything in your diff to worry about.

Your other symptoms are different issues.

stitos2k

When your diff goes, it tends to go completely. You get some noise... then bang. IE you wouldn't be moving.

First thing I'd do is pull your plugs and see what they look like. Usually you will get a CEL if its misfiring, but you never know.

When is the last time you checked your oil?
When is the last time you changed your transmission fluid?
When is the last time you changed your diff fluid?

Where is the knocking noise coming from, front or back? If I had a crystal ball I'd wonder if you sheered some teeth off some gears in your tranny. If your getting this problem while maintaining your speed, but it goes away with the clutch depressed its probably not your diff. The diff is going to rotate anyways, and should continue to make noise.

You could also put the back of your car on stands, leave it neutral, and then rotate one of your rear wheels. You'd probably feel it if the diff was shot.

But my last piece of advice is QUIT DRIVING THE CAR. Since you admit to not being an expert its going to a shop for repairs anyway. Have it towed in and let them find the problem. About the only thing I can guarantee, is driving it in its current condition will do more damage, making your repair bill bigger by the minute.

Oh, and when you get it towed get a flat bed. If the rear diff is shot, dragging the rear around town probably wouldn't help.

Could be the cv like thetz99 said, but they wouldn't stop being a problem just because the clutch is depressed or the car is in neutral.

N8dawgSMU

all good points, i already stopped driving the car and have been riding my bike, i plan on taking it in tonight to a shop and will use a flat bead as suggested. I doubt the symptoms are all unrelated b/c they all came about with a day or two, then i stopped driving it. the motor is def. not misfiring b/c it revs perfectly when in nuetral. I think i might agree with you on the tranny. I think i spent a few to many hours at the drift course. oh well cost money to have fun.
Wouldn't the CVs make noise if i were not in gear?

stitos2k

Yes, yes they would. They might make MORE noise under load, but would probably still make noise.

Personally I'd hope it really is just severe case of bad CV's from drifting, since it would be much cheaper

N8dawgSMU

That is my point though, it does NOT make noise when its not in gear or when the clutch is pushed in.