it's another. Finally got the car in a very decent shape, and all stoked about the upcoming breakfast. Driving it today on the freeway, and I hear a screech. then nothing. I thought maybe it was the radio. But on my way home on surface streets, the screeching is back, louder and much more frequent. I'd describe it like brakes that screech, but instead of it happening when I'm braking, it's when the car's going. I hear it in the lower 3 gears. But that may just be because the engine noise is too loud in 4 & 5 for me to hear. The screeching is repetitive, slowly at first, then more frequent the faster I go. Which makes me think it's something to do with the wheels. I've had bad bearings clunking before. This doesn't sound like it. This is like screech..... screech...... screech.....screech..screech.. screech. schreeeeeeeeech the faster I go. But it happens when I'm cruising up to a red light as well. I haven't been able to figure out if it's doing it during acceleration or braking. It's not favoring either.

Any ideas on where to start? I've checked the bolts to make sure they're on tight. Right when i got home, I checked each wheel for smoke or burning smells, etc.. Nada. Front wheels are hot, but that's the brakes, right?



Jen

It stays about the same pitch, but it just happens faster?



M

Yeah, same pitch. Think squeaky brake pads. But times 10.

Jen

If it is not when braking but accelerating, My first guess would be throwout bearing. Easy fix, just time consuming.

After a couple rainy days, my car does something similar.

Then it goes away.


M

How about a loose alternator belt?
I always forget, was Screech on "Saved by the Bell" of "Welcome Back Kotter"?

Mine sounds like a rear wheel bearing.

Saved by the Bell... I am pretty sure.


M

"Saved By The Bell"

My first thought was alternator belt, but it sounds like maybe she's describing a much louder sound. The key to the solution is figuring out was actions cause the screeching. Is it under acceleration or constant speed? Etc?

I want to say acceleration, but I also heard it while cruising up to an intersetion. Definitely not constant speed. The sound goes away then. But I hear it accelerating and braking.

Jen

If it's like mine, it happens even when the clutch is disengaged.. rolling..

If it's not like my problem, well hell, it could be nearly anything else.

Mine starts at around 30, and no matter how hard I run the car, remains mostly the same, maybe a little more frequency, until the car slows below around 30 again..



M

QUOTE (McMark @ May 24 2005, 09:20 PM)

"Saved By The Bell"

I knew that, I was just seeing if anyone was awake. Bueller, anyone?

QUOTE (redshift @ May 24 2005, 09:22 PM)

If it's like mine, it happens even when the clutch is disengaged.. rolling..

If it's the alternator belt then the noise will be there when you rev the engine with the car sitting still and the transmission in neutral, right? If that doesn't sqeek, then put the clutch in and try it again. If it sqeeks then, doesn't that make it the throwout bearing?

If it doesn't do it with either of these when the car is still then it sounds like something in the brakes or wheels because they are what move when the car is moving.

Well, then I guess it can't be the other things!

Jen, I dropped mine off with a rocket scientist, and told him about the problem, and he replaced my front wheel bearings, and the next day it was no different.

So, just to make that clear, the mechanic I used is a dope.


M

I know this sounds stupid but it happened to me .I'm in the audi it starts making this horriable noise that woud go away and come back. I'm thinking great I hate this f-ing car it always breaks and i'm with my girlfriend on a trip. So I think about it logically and take it to schwab as the calipers were just replaced. The girlfriend and I go run off and um pass the time you could say and when we come back I tell the guy I've got a white audi and ask if it's done. He throw's me the key's with this thing attached and says " your car got stoned". What? Well their is this little pebble attached to the paper which I guess got caught between the caliper and the rotor. What a relief, made a nice and shiney little pebble too Anyway I guess you never know and if it came on all of a sudden, could be something simple. Think positive right?
Eric

My gut tells me it's in my rear passenger brake thingy area...

Jen, get it making noise, and drive by a wall, or have someone listen for the noise... my friend told me it's from the rear end, he couldn't tell which side.

Excellent advice Eric! That could explain why mine seems to only do it after a couple rainy days.. my drive is covered with crushed stone about the right size to do that exact thing. I'll look.


M

It only happens when the car's in motion. So probably not the alt. belt, and probably not the throwout bearings (I don't even know what those do )

Brad didn't do any thing to my suspension or wheels, so this is probably a problem that's been building up over time.

Jen

sounds like the rear pass side to me, but I had the driver's side window down only. I'll try it tomorrow, but I'm hesitant to drive it and break it anymore than it's already broken!!

Jen

Or, it could be a rock, or some other debris, as Eric said..

The rear clearancing issues.. it could be something that was just waiting to happen..

If you worry about breaking the car, never drive!



M

QUOTE (Jenny @ May 24 2005, 09:33 PM)

not the throwout bearings (I don't even know what those do )

Applys and removes the pressure from the clutch via the presure plate. It's the thing attached to the other end of clutch cable basically. It's on the input shaft and the shaft spins around inside it. Could make a nice high pitched whine if it's wearing out or not properly lubed. I always thought that you knew when one was going if it whined when you engaged and disengaged the clutch. Is this true?
Eric

I've had Eric's experience with several disc brake cars. I've never had to have it serviced - the stone seems to just get dislodged and fall out. Take it out over a very bumpy road!

A-ha! Then it may be the throwout bearing. I'm still sorting out a leak in the tranny. It *should* have plenty of lube in it still. But I haven't had a chance to check. But I thought tranny whining was constant?

Jen

It could just be when certain area's of the input shaft rotate by certain areas on the throwout bearing that you get the whine creating that on and off effect. Hard to say. I'd check the easy stuff first though, because pulling a tranny is certainly dooable, but a pain in the ass.
Eric

Well, I hope you post what it is when you find out. Amazing how there are like 21 replies and not much help here. I said what I thought it was and I would almost bet on it.

that high pitched thing is usually bearings or brakes. belt problems can be identified by revving the engine and noting a pitch change in the "squeal". (sorry, just thinking about pigs.... i'm done now.)

brake squealing can be identified by either getting louder or more quiet by depressing the brakes.

front or rear bearings, in the beginning of a failure, make intermittent noise most of the time.
a sure-fire way to tell if it's them is once the noise starts, turn the wheel left and right hard quickly.
if the noise is dependant on going straight or in a certain steering position than it's most likely the bearings.

check the brake pads lately???

QUOTE (redshift @ May 24 2005, 08:18 PM)

Mine sounds like a rear wheel bearing. Saved by the Bell... I am pretty sure. M

Dude!!! I can't believe that you teed this one up for me!

3x is a charm!! And they're magically delicious!

Thanks for all the input, guys. As I'm not mechanically inclined, and don't have access to a garage & a slew of tools, I would prefer to trouble shoot (figure out the problem) over tearing into everything listed above. My initial reaction was bearings, but throwout bearings sounds reasonable as well. I may need to take it to a parking lot and test out some maneuvers. I've got a bad taste in my mouth still from seizing the motor in my 4Runner because I drove it more when I shouldn't have, and ended up getting a complete rebuild that cost more than what we bought the damned car for. I'm really afraid if I drive it more, I could do serious damage.

Jen

QUOTE (Jenny @ May 24 2005, 10:14 PM)

I'm really afraid if I drive it more, I could do serious damage.

just bring it to the breakfast!!!!

we'll fix it for 'ya right then and there ...

with all the "helping hands" available ...
Andy

QUOTE (swood @ May 25 2005, 01:12 AM)

QUOTE (redshift @ May 24 2005, 08:18 PM) Mine sounds like a rear wheel bearing. Saved by the Bell... I am pretty sure. M Dude!!! I can't believe that you teed this one up for me! 3x is a charm!! And they're magically delicious!

I am pretty sure it's Aaron's fault.


M

Make sure the e-brake is fully released. Try applying and releasing the e-brake while rolling to a stop and see if it makes a difference.

Does your car still have the dust shields on the inside of the brake rotors? If so one of those could have gotten bent and is rubbing on a rotor. It happened on our 74 when it was stone stock and sounds like the wear indicators on new brake pads. You could jack up the rear and run it in gear to see if it makes the noise? Good luck

Is the noise louder when turning one way or another? Sounds like maybe wheel bearings except wheel bearings usually make a lower rumbling kinda noise. Sometimes if the throwout bearing is going you can feel it through the cluch pedal. Trouble shooting this stuff on the internet is frustrating. You gotta post when you find out what the problem is. My curiosity is killing me.
Cheers, Elliot

Mine had the same issues when the alternator bearing went out. You could always drive it over to my place and I will take a listen. I can even fix it if need be.

-Britain

The day before the last lunch at Tied House, one the bolts that holds on the dust shield for the left rear brake backed out, and was rubbing against the rotor. It would make a horrible screeching noise when I was rolling at 5mph and was intermittent above that. Another thing to check I guess...

If Britain cant fix it bring it to my house and I'll try too.

Thanks britain & Jeff. It's really generous of you two to offer. I have it parked at my parents' in south san jose. I'll get in touch with you guys once I figure out when I can drive it over.

Jen

i had a squeely rear wheel bearing...

at a certain speed....
waaa waaa waaaa weee weee weeee iiiiii iiiiii as a roll to a stop without brakes

Don't pull the transaxle if you don't have to. If it's a throwout bearing the noise will change when you press the clutch. It may or may not go away, but it will definitely change.

Best advice I can give you Jen is to take it to the breakfast Saturday. At the very least by the time it's over, you will more than likely have identified the source of the noise. If you can get it fixed there too then that's a bonus.

try driving it till you hear the sound
then (gently!!!) pull the parking brake and see if the sound changes

or jack up the car and rotate the wheels by hand

sounds like you got sumptin' stuck in the brakes or brake covers (pebble or so)

call one of the guys and sweet talk them into checkin' it for ya
(I know I couldn't resist ya )

do you still have the brake "dust shields" ?

if one of those happens to touch a moving disk it'll raise a racket.
one (minor) reason i remove mine...

Jen,
I live off santa teresa and lean.If you like I could help you listen for the sounds that all of the guys have suggested.I am afraid i am not much of a mechanic.If it isn't one of the easy fixes that I could handle I could follow you to Britain or Jeffs to make sure you make it o.k. as long as the times work out between my work and kids.
Paul

Thanks guys. Brad PM'd me and he thinks it may be the throwout bearing as well. I'll try to drive it to Britain's for him to take a look.

Here's my question: Can I drive it 20 miles or so? I can go easy on her, but there will be freeways involved.

Jen

If the throwout bearing is failing it will become harder to shift since the clutch adjustment is changing as the bearings fail. There could be some damage with the bearing dragging on the pressure plate and it is possible to have it fail enough so that shifting would not be possible. If you drive it, I'd say try to minimize the amount of use you give it.

QUOTE (redshift @ May 24 2005, 08:18 PM)

Mine sounds like a rear wheel bearing. Saved by the Bell... I am pretty sure. M

Yep, Save by the Bell.

Well, I haven't seen anyone else post this so I will post my experience. I had a noise that sounds very similar to what you are dealing with. It turned out to be a warped rotor that was only hitting the pad at a certain speed. Once I put new rotors on the noise completely went away. The thing that made it hard to trace was that it behaved like a bearing going bad, i.e. starts after a certain speed, seems based on wheel speed, goes away after you slow below a certain speed. Good Luck.

QUOTE (redshift @ May 24 2005, 10:42 PM)

[/QUOTE] I am pretty sure it's Aaron's fault. M

Miles is back! I thought for sure someone was using your Identity here because you were too serious earlier in this thread.


Squeek and Aaron look errily familiar....


Jenny, sorry i'm not much help. I'm having a similar problem with my truck and its driving me crazy trying to figure it out.
Please let us know what it is when you find out.

Good luck.

Front passenger wheel bearing. I'm almost positive. The sound is loudest when driving surface streets, especially after a 10 minute jog on the freeway. When it started singing, I tried hard accelerating, braking, clutch in throttle, in and out of gear. It made no difference in the sound. Then I made a L turn and heard more screeching, then clunking. Made a U turn, and more clunking & screeching. I had Brian hang his head out the window and he said it's coming from the front. I don't think driving it is a very viable option at this point. So Britain's offered his help if I can get my car to his garage. From Mtn. View to Milpitas, pretty much the length of 237. Any takers? The apartment complex I live in doesn't let you work on your car. Not so much as an oil change. And to make matters worse, I'm less than 100ft from the leasing office. They've been showing apartments all month. I don't even live on Stanford!

Jen

lmao jenny....

bring it over here -- fuck 'em. my car is on jack stands right now anyway!

Wow...

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