I'm looking for anyone who has experienced these and for suggestions on how I might narrow the search before I give up and just start removing parts.

I have two noises, both seemingly from the rear. Noise only. No vibration or other feel through the body. No vibration in shift lever. Nothing noticeable at all driving normally. Diff and trans fluid levels are correct. Boots are intact. I have not been able to identify either one with car on jacks through inspection, hand testing cv joints for slop or by hand turning rear wheels. I did remove propeller shaft to inspect joints since it is relatively easy to do. Found nothing.

First noise is a rapid but quiet tick audible only at low speed. Most noticeable when coasting to a stop in neutral. Engine and road noise obscure it in normal driving. Occurs when moving straight ahead. I have checked axle nuts. Neither was loose, but would turn a face or less to bring up to 220 torque as suggested in various threads. I did not disassemble the axle from the hub.

Second noise is a clank noise that occurs only when turning tightly and only when the clutch is depressed or the transmission is in neutral. Much slower and also louder than the tick. Possibly same rate as road wheel rotation, although it is not absolutely regular. Interval between clanks varies slightly. But with clutch engaged and trans in gear no noise, not even a hint. Moving straight or turning slightly, again nothing. I notice it when I turn into a parking space coasting with the clutch depressed. I can recreate it by coasting in neutral or clutch depressed in a circle in a parking lot. While doing this an observer jogging outside the car said the noise does seem to be at the rear, but hard to be certain.

That it occurs only when turning suggests diff, but it's puzzling that only when not in gear. And the sound has more of a sheetmetal clank than anything I associate with gears or bearings. I originally thought it might be something caught under the car against an axle. And again, no transmitted vibration through body or shifter. I cannot produce any sound similar with the car on jacks either turning one wheel and letting the other reverse, or with only one wheel jacked so that hand turning the wheel forces diff to turn over in the case.

It's a mystery.

 

Your clunk while turning into a parking space it a sticking LSD unit. It is annoying, but no harm.

 

Your first noise could be a shifting hub, if the car went too long without performing the axle nut tub.

 

If its a shifting hub how would you go about fixing it? If you haven't done the axle nut replacement and retorque did it cause damage to the hub? Or will just replacing the axle nut now remedy it?

 

Thanks. I'll just wait and see what happens I guess. Any point to drain and replace the fluid?

 

I think I currently have the same issue as you with the clunk and ticking noise..
Im still trying to find whats up, I had my diff re-built the other day with new bearings etc and the noise is still there.
I'm led to believe the ticking noise is something from the diff forward because the noise is quicker than the speed the wheels are rotating at when coming to a stop...very similar i'd say to the speed the prop shaft is rotating.
Im going to check the universal joints on the propshaft in the next couple of days to see if there's anything up with them.

Let me know if you have any luck with yours.

Dan

 

Reviving an old thread. My old thread.

New question, but first the update as requested:

I cannot prove or disprove the sticking LSD suggestion, but an axle did fail a few months later. Noise didn't change that much, if at all, but a few months later one axle inner joint let go completely. The boot held it in place, but it completely lost connection from diff to shaft. Turned a corner and nothing. No grind or bang, just no power to wheels.

Since this is now a street car and doesn't get many miles, I tried an O'Reilly rebuilt driveshaft. Lifetime Warranty! About $60 with a core charge of about $90. It's still on the car. Noise was reduced but not gone, so later I also replaced the other axle. O'Reilly didn't have the other side at the time, nor did other parts stores, so I got one from RockAuto. That one lasted 13 months. Noise increased, clanked when I grabbed and shook it on the car. When removed, the outer CV joint was stiff, gritty, and would stick in some positions. Out of warranty, but O'Reilly had one this time. The O'Reilly one felt rather stiff on outboard end when it arrived, but it is quieter than what came off.

I could keep exercising O'Reilly Lifetime Warrenty as long as they have them, but I'd rather put in something that will last longer and is more likely to be reliable. And that I am sure is not going to be the source of any sounds that remain.

So, finally the question: Other than OEM ($484 each), and O'Reilly etc. rebuilt, what options exist that have worked well?

For example I found driveshaft shop, also sold by hpc, but only the left side.