Et3rNaL

iTrader: (17)

Well, I have done some searching and can't figure this out, neither can anyone I know or have talked too.

The noise sounds like a metal on metal contact, strangely is not constant but seems to just come out of no where. It is difficult to describe but sounds like a metal on metal knocking with some rub. Typically happens when there is absolutely no load on the car, ie. neutral coming up to to a stop. Noise completely stops when the breaks are applied but immediately comes back when released. It then makes the noise to about 30mph where it goes away again until I roll to another stop (but doesn't always do it 50%ish of the time.

Any ideas would be extremely helpful, I have pulled everything out and gone over it with a fine tooth comb, and have removed any possibility of it being transmission, driveshaft, differential, or bushing related (all new bushings w/ less than 200miles on them)

I hate to be a bother but I am losing my mind trying to figure this out!

Coverhag

iTrader: (15)

Have you gone through the wheel bearings ? When you say you eliminated the rear diff, what exactly did you do ?

When the noise is present what is the frequency of the sound ? Can it be related to the speed of the 1/2 shafts or drive shaft ? Does it change depending upon gear selection ? Can you make it go away by cornering ?

Good luck !

Et3rNaL

iTrader: (17)

Well the diff can be ruled out because I replaced the whole pumkin with another, known working one, same noise persisted. The bearings have the slightest amount of play, but nothing that would cause this kind of noise- and I would think that the noise would always be there if that was the case. It really only makes the noise when there is no load and I am just coasting and continues usually through 2nd gear where it drops off - so low speeds is the commonality. Cornering seems to have no effect, I have corrected tightly back and forth while going straight as well with no relief.

My only thoughts are the bearings like you said if possible, or something to do with the breaks. I have checked all the heat shielding and there is no issue there either. Could it be the axles? The splines looked perfect with no noticeable issues when putting them back into the diff/ and no leakage of any kind.

Coverhag

iTrader: (15)

Okay, if the diff was swapped out then how are the joints on the driveshaft ? Do you have another driveshaft that you can try as well ? What shape are the universal joints on the drive shaft ?

What shape are your boots on the CV joints on the half shafts, do you have any signs of losing grease in one of them ?

sc_frontier

iTrader: (3)

I had a whirl noise coming from a front wheel drive car I had. Thought it was a bearing in the transmission, rebuilt that. Thought it was drive axles, but they were perfect and new. Finally, I jacked the car up, secured it very well, and put it in 5th gear while the engine was running. Even then, it was hard to tell but sure enough it was one of the right wheel bearings. The culprit wasn't even in that bad of a shape, but the noise from it would travel through the whole car.