1993 Loyale wagon, 5spd 4wd. E82. SPFI.

 

1st, 2nd, and 3rd gear have a strange growl. It's more noticeable in 1st and 2nd, and might still be there just covered up by road noise in 3rd. No other issue that I can tell, except that merging on to the freeway is a religious experience, but that might just be the 4 cylinder more then anything else.

 

So... thoughts? What could be causing the noise? Check the gear oil, it's clean, doesn't smell funny.. no idea what maintenance has been done, but overall the car is extremely clean and gives the impression of being well taken care of.

Does it continue while coasting in neutral at the same speeds?

 

Does the sound change as you shift or just continue as you accelerate?

yes, it continues in neutral.

 

it just continues during acceleration.

could be tire noise or wheel bearings. If it's the bearings it'll eventually get louder than your radio.

To test the bearings, jack up each corner of the car and wobble the tyres, they shouldn't wobble on the bearings if they are good.

they had a tsb long ago about noise through the gearshift... something about the cup the shift rod goes into...... i cant remember now, but i know that mine does it also

yes, it continues in neutral.

 

it just continues during acceleration.

 

Then it is not likely you're trans.

 

Probably a wheel bearing.

 

Let me ask, does the noise change when you make a turn? Like when the car leans for the turn, does the noise go away momentarily? one side only?

 

Which ever wheel is on the inside of the turn when the noise goes away is the one with the bad bearing.

I know it's not tire noise, I just bought a new set of snow tires the week before christmas. I also replaced the wheel bearing on the passenger side not too long ago as well.

 

I'm going to go for a drive today and confirm my answers.. i.e. continues with clutch in, while moving forward, etc.

 

I'm not sure that it is a wheel bearing, since the noise seems to go away in 3rd gear and up.

Clarify: Does the noise continue in neutral (IE: not in gear)? Not just when the clutch is in.

Great question Mike, and this may be critical. When the gearstick is not in a particular gear, it stops. This eliminates the wheel bearing theory right?

 

So now I'm really confused.

I get kinda a whine when in 4th gear during acceleration, any ideas?

Kick the wife out?

Put some fresh gear oil in there and keep driving? As long as there is no leaks or vibrations it may just be noisier than most trannies. My loyale's tranny makes enough noise for me to hear it. I just ignore it now and it hasn't changed in the 60k miles I've put on it.

Well, the gear oil appears to be new, or at least clean. No grittiness, appropriate level, etc.

 

I guess I can keep driving it while it's making the noise, but since it's my daily driver and wife and kid hauler, I'm concerned about it breaking down in the middle of nowhere because of something I should have fixed. I have located a donor transmission, but I wanted to get a second (or third, or fourth) opinion before I swapped it out.

Possibly a bad bearing in the trans, might not be as noticeable in higher gears because of different rpm's, road noise etc.

I was thinking about this more, and I was wondering if aftermarket CV's could cause this? The previous owner told me that he had recently replaced a CV, but I sincerely doubt that he replaced it with one of decent quality. :-\