Fault Diagnosis time.... (We all love this)

Welly

Welly

335D Driver :-)
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OK, so let me give you the basics...

Loud humming, grindy sound which gets worse with speed. Definitely a rotational noise.

Minorly affected by turning whilst driving. Not affected at all by dipping clutch, coming out of gear etc etc. If the wheels are doing over X speed, then she's humming.

Naturally, you would think wheel bearing, as I did. But it's not. Just changed the bearing yesterday and refitted to find the noise worse than before....

I know what I think it is, well, one of three possibilities. I just wanted other opinions....

Discuss.
 
Welly said:
OK, so let me give you the basics...

Loud humming, grindy sound which gets worse with speed. Definitely a rotational noise.

Minorly affected by turning whilst driving. Not affected at all by dipping clutch, coming out of gear etc etc. If the wheels are doing over X speed, then she's humming.

Naturally, you would think wheel bearing, as I did. But it's not. Just changed the bearing yesterday and refitted to find the noise worse than before....

I know what I think it is, well, one of three possibilities. I just wanted other opinions....

Discuss.
Click to expand...

CV joint perhaps? Driveshaft?
 
Eenie meenie... Outer!
 
W3STY said:
Have you checked the brake discs/pads for strang wear patterns?
Click to expand...

Yeah, but nothing unusual there. Brakes are old, and do need replacing however they shouldn't be causing the sort of din I can hear.

Dane said:
Eenie meenie... Outer!
Click to expand...

Hmmmm, 50% chance = no chance. It's more likely to be the inner I think...

If it is the inner CV though, I suspect it will fall apart upon removal, judging by the noise it's making.

Failing that, it could be an out of shape tyre, or the box.
 
Anything obvious on the propshaft? downpipe rubbing or anything?
 
Dane said:
Anything obvious on the propshaft? downpipe rubbing or anything?
Click to expand...

Not that I could see, that is however, a good point.

I must admit it doesn't feel like it's coming from that area, but I shall have a look none the less...

It would be sooooo easy to find on a ramp me thinks. All you would have to do is knock it into gear and drive it to like 40 mph in the air.
 
Nah that would be obviously coming from the back
 
get under it and wiggle some of that TT drive shaft, see if there is play.
I'd go for CV joint and i'd opt for outer as well, since its happening when turning.

Whats the 3 possibilities?
 
ScottB5 said:
I'd go for CV joint and i'd opt for outer as well, since its happening when turning.
Click to expand...

It's not just happening when turning dude, it's happening all the time. Turning, straight, simply all the time.

I mean this noise/vibration is enough to make the dash rattle at 50 mph...
 
Welly said:
I mean this noise/vibration is enough to make the dash rattle at 50 mph...
Click to expand...

Sounds a bit like a tyre fault.
jack one side up and check the tyre.
when you're at it check for any other play or movement.
I had a bad tyre on my A4 and it caused vibrations enough to make the satnav unreadable.
 
ScottB5 said:
Sounds a bit like a tyre fault.
jack one side up and check the tyre.
when you're at it check for any other play or movement.
I had a bad tyre on my A4 and it caused vibrations enough to make the satnav unreadable.
Click to expand...

OK, that's useful to know. I guess the easy test is to swap wheel front to back on the driver's side.

Ten min test.
 
W3STY said:
Try your S3 wheels on the TT mate. Might be wheel balancing issue?
Click to expand...

I don't think so mate, not with the level of noise it produces. Yes, vibration, but wheel balancing producing noise??

Out of shape tyres make a right din though.
 
I hate out of shape tyres.
Bought a set for the pug just before the MOT, nasty little rumble/whine, MOT guy advised me of a out of shape tyre, went back to tyre place and 2 new tyres fitted and balance. car drove and sounded so much nice.

and like you said, its only a 10min job and you can check other possible faults at the same time.
 
ScottB5 said:
I hate out of shape tyres.
Bought a set for the pug just before the MOT, nasty little rumble/whine, MOT guy advised me of a out of shape tyre, went back to tyre place and 2 new tyres fitted and balance. car drove and sounded so much nice.

and like you said, its only a 10min job and you can check other possible faults at the same time.
Click to expand...

Whilst I agree, and out of shape tyres are a pain, the volume of the noise being created is mad. I would expect the tyre to be square.

It is VERY loud.
 
Welly said:
Interesting... Based on symptoms, which CV would you think, inner or outer?
Click to expand...

outer (wheel side) if its on steering slightly. Any splits or anything on inner or outer?
 
Last edited:
I always thought outer cv's tend to make clicking noises when they're on the way out.
 
DaveA3 said:
outer (wheel side) if its on steering slightly. Any splits or anything on inner or outer?
Click to expand...

I guess I didn't explain very well. It's ALL the time, but the sound is altered very slightly by steering wheel adjustment. Only a slight change in the pitch.
 
Welly, I found a solution to your clunk and rumble

129206541580408380.jpg


I'll got back to the pub.
 
I reckon it could be 2 things

1. Dodgy tyre as mentioned

2. Power steering fluid ok?? Possible that the steering rack is leaking on the seals??? (you won't have any visible sign of fluid on the floor ;) )
 
Welly said:
I guess I didn't explain very well. It's ALL the time, but the sound is altered very slightly by steering wheel adjustment. Only a slight change in the pitch.
Click to expand...

now i see why it could be inner.

Also following the tyre thing sandip said above are the balancing plates still on there? Ive had some come off in the past that completely ****ed up everything
 
DaveA3 said:
now i see why it could be inner.

Also following the tyre thing sandip said above are the balancing plates still on there? Ive had some come off in the past that completely ****ed up everything
Click to expand...

I didn't really look at much else to be fair as I thought it was the wheel bearing.... D'oh.
 
s3dave said:
As the bearing gone in squarley, may be you damaged it putting it in?
Click to expand...

I didn't press it mate, I got my local VW Audi specialist (well, my mate who works there) to do it for me and bring it back.

He said it all went in fine with no problems.
 
Could it be the bearing on the opposite side ? I've been caught out before, sometimes noise carries across axles.
 
I have a really annoying squeaking noise from my passenger side wheel so be interested to see what cures your noise.
 
antwan said:
Could it be the bearing on the opposite side ? I've been caught out before, sometimes noise carries across axles.
Click to expand...

I'd be checking this. Its usually fairly obvious when its that far gone though simply by spinning each wheel and seeing which sounds rough.
 
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