This is a toughy. I have a growling kind of noise coming from the rear when I am in a left hand curve. If I let off the gas a little it can get worse. If I then put my foot on the gas softly, I get a little thunk. If I put it in neutral, brake slightly, let off the brake and brake again, it thunks. I jacked the car up and spun the rear wheels by hand and there was no roughness that I could feel. Halfshaft joints felt ok. I did feel some roughness at the flange on the transaxle, both sides. This seems to be new and would like to take care of it soon. If only because it's annoying. Any ideas?

 

Thunking, braking.... let's see. Could the torque of brakes on the axle assembly be making your axle housing hit due to a broken front diff mount? If you say the bearings have checked out, but you are getting a thunk under the listed conditions, that would be my guess.
How about under these conditions: Going stright, on brake, in 1st gear, and then floor it?

 

No noise, it just accelerates. Its not a growl like a wheel bearing in a solid axle. No metal tube to resonate? Driving to work today it was more of a low frequency rumble. I'm thinking a halfshaft joint or maybe differential (LSD? side bearings?)
The on brake- off brake thing kind of reminds me of a bad driveshaft or a broken 'rotoflex' joint (for those of you who know about those).
I'll try to check the diff mount tonight.
Thanks.

 

Found it. Differential failed. Needed halfshafts, too. Thank god for partscars. The shop I use put in the differential I took to them and used the halfshafts from a car they had for $200.

 

ok let's bumb this up and figure out why my car howls in first gear....only first gear and it sounds like it is coming from the rear end? Sounds kinda like a winded out piece o crap car taching redline......wheeeeeeeeeeee

- D

 

That sounds like your first gear is going out. Are you sure the noise is coming from the rear? At the right frequency, it could be your driveshaft is resonating, it is a big hollow tube. Trying to find noises can drive you nuts because they can bounce around and be louder three feet from the source.
If you can get either a mechanics stethescope or one of those electronic versions it makes it ALOT easier. They're cheap, too.

 

damn i sure as **** hope it's not first gear going to hell....mechanics stethescope check now to hunt down that damn noise....

- D

 

There are worse things than switching transmissions.
Those stethescopes can be found in JC Whitney's (cheap, but usable), but I like the electronic kind and they are about $30-40.