Bevel gear noise and now a clunk when stopping?? Help, I am 500 miles from home!!

**krazzz** · 10-22-2009, 09:21 AM

Hi guys, I'm really in a bind on this one. Due to an unexpected death in the family I had to hop in the car and make a 500 mile trip to my hometown without bringing any of my tools along. This is my wifes car and I haven't driven it in a while. On the way I noticed a bit of a "drivetrain whine" around 65 mph and it seemed more noticeable while coasting or decelerating. I'm not sure if I am being paranoid because of all the things I have read on the bevel gear or if it is really starting to go. Now today my wife ran to the store about 2 miles away and said the car is making a loud thud/clunking noise when she stops. I took the car around the block and sure enough there was a very pronounced thud/clunk when I stopped It seemed to happen around 5 mph when I was nearing a complete stop. The harder I stop the louder it is. If I did an excruciatingly sow stop it didn't do it. The noise is not coming from the brakes but rather the drivetrain. I can feel it my seat and it seems to be coming from just behind me. Is this due to the bevel gear or maybe an transmission mount or something. I don't think it is a u-joint because it seems too loud for that and it doesn't make any noise while accelerating. I will be going over to my dads house soon to use his garage.

I really appreciate everyones responses and could really use the help. If someone is intimately knowledgable about this I wouldn't mind a phone call to throw some ideas around.
Thank you!!

**forbinnie** · 10-22-2009, 09:46 AM

I guess you have already checked the upper engine stabilizer rubber bush? When it finely give out it can give symptoms of clunking.

**krazzz** · 10-22-2009, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by forbinnie

I guess you have already checked the upper engine stabilizer rubber bush? When it finely give out it can give symptoms of clunking.

I haven't checked that but I will. I am going to give the whole car a "once over." I really felt it coming from under the car but it is possible that it came from the engine compartment. Stranger things have happened. Wouldn't that also clunk under acceleration too?

**BillR** · 10-22-2009, 02:04 PM

There a center hanger bearing on these cars. It might have gone and the sound you're hearing is the drive shaft coming to rest as you stop.

I had one go on my old 140, and it thumped around a bit but didn't leave me stranded.

I hope it's as simple as this.

Bill

**krazzz** · 10-22-2009, 02:58 PM

I looked at the upper engine mount/torque strut and found that it is starting to go. It is cracked most of the way through but not all the way. Could this worn bushing cause the drivetrain to get out of whack far enough to cause a clunk under the car? I ordered the rubber bushing and it will be in tomorrow. I did a little more testing and here are my results:

When I start driving and get about 20 mph I hear a whirring/whine type of noise. This noise persists as speed increases until I can no longer hear it due to road/engine noise. When I slow back down to about 15 mph it makes a major clunk and then it is fine and the whirring/whine noise stops at the same time. This clunk is bad and it is the kind that makes you cringe. I tested using the brakes to slow and also coasting to a stop and the results are the same. I can do hard acceloration without any noises other than described above. It doesn't matter if I increase speed rapidly or slowly. I also kept it in first gear and tested it that way to see if it had anything to do with the transmission shifting and it did not. I took a look at the driveshaft and it seemed to be ok however I'm not sure what to look for on a bad one. The U-joints were tight and there was only a little play moving it front to back. Here are the conclusions I have made thus far:

1. It is not the transmission, keeping it in 1st gear didn't change the noise.
2. It is not the brakes, coasting has the same results.
3. It is speed related and not engine/transmission rpm related.
3. Acceleration either slow or fast doesn't change anything.
5. Cornering doesn't change anything.

So does this help anybody? Does it sound familiar?

Can I easily disable the AWD so that I can at least make it home?

What should I try next?

**JRL** · 10-22-2009, 03:48 PM

When I start driving and get about 20 mph I hear a whirring/whine type of noise. This noise persists as speed increases until I can no longer hear it due to road/engine noise. When I slow back down to about 15 mph it makes a major clunk and then it is fine and the whirring/whine noise stops at the same time.

COULD BE THE VISCOUS COUPLING IS GOING (OR THE BEVEL GEAR)

This clunk is bad and it is the kind that makes you cringe. I tested using the brakes to slow and also coasting to a stop and the results are the same. I can do hard acceloration without any noises other than described above. It doesn't matter if I increase speed rapidly or slowly. I also kept it in first gear and tested it that way to see if it had anything to do with the transmission shifting and it did not. I took a look at the driveshaft and it seemed to be ok however I'm not sure what to look for on a bad one. The U-joints were tight and there was only a little play moving it front to back. Here are the conclusions I have made thus far:

A CRACKED TORQUE MOUNT WOULD NOT MAKE THIS NOISE, BESIDES THE WHINE IS MECHANICAL.
ALSO POSSIBLE WHEEL BEARING?

**krazzz** · 10-22-2009, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by JRL

When I start driving and get about 20 mph I hear a whirring/whine type of noise. This noise persists as speed increases until I can no longer hear it due to road/engine noise. When I slow back down to about 15 mph it makes a major clunk and then it is fine and the whirring/whine noise stops at the same time.

COULD BE THE VISCOUS COUPLING IS GOING (OR THE BEVEL GEAR)

This clunk is bad and it is the kind that makes you cringe. I tested using the brakes to slow and also coasting to a stop and the results are the same. I can do hard acceloration without any noises other than described above. It doesn't matter if I increase speed rapidly or slowly. I also kept it in first gear and tested it that way to see if it had anything to do with the transmission shifting and it did not. I took a look at the driveshaft and it seemed to be ok however I'm not sure what to look for on a bad one. The U-joints were tight and there was only a little play moving it front to back. Here are the conclusions I have made thus far:

A CRACKED TORQUE MOUNT WOULD NOT MAKE THIS NOISE, BESIDES THE WHINE IS MECHANICAL.
ALSO POSSIBLE WHEEL BEARING?

I suspect that the bevel gear might be going but does that explain the clunk? I could drive the car from a stop to highway speeds and back down to a stop and it will only clunk one time and it is always around 15 mph when decelerating.

I realize the whine is mechanical. I guess what I was thinking is that it might be possible for the mount to cause the engine to flex more than usual thus causing the drivetrain to get out of its normal alignment causing the clunk.

**krazzz** · 10-22-2009, 07:09 PM

Lets just assume it is the bevel gear. What can be done so that I can make the 500 mile trip back home? Can I just remove the whole bevel gear housing? Can I leave the driveshafts in place? I am only going to have basic hand tools like wrenches and a socket set at my dads house.

Basically, what do I need to do to get this thing home without causing anymore damage?

**JRL** · 10-23-2009, 05:10 AM

Unfortunately no

**BillR** · 10-23-2009, 06:28 AM

How about just removing the driveshaft? I don't know if you'd need special tools for that.

Make sure that you mark the orientation of the shaft before you take it off so that you can put it back on the same way. When I had my bevel gear lubricated a couple of years ago they put the shaft back on 180 degrees out and it vibrated quite badly.

I hope you can resolve this for your trip home.

Bill