davidnavin
New Member
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2011
- Messages
- 8
G’day.
I’m currently driving between London and Cape Town. My 1994, manual T diesel VX is making a horrible noise and I cannot diagnose it. Best way t describe it is a medium pitched groan. Sounds like the noise made when a big boat is up against a dock and the hull slides up/down a pile or buoy. Characteristics as follows:
• Comes from up front possibly more towards passenger side
• Causes some vibration in the floor.
• Mostly happens when changing gear but sometimes when not changing gear, mostly on downhills, sometime flats, never on uphills.
• Often at low revs e.g. when on freeway in 5th and gradually slowing down for an exit i.e. slacking off the accelerator.
• Doesn’t seem to happen when driving it hard
• Very unpredictable. Don’t hear anything for a day or two and then it will start up and happen on and off for hours.
• Normally only for a few seconds or less.
• If it is happening then it will happen a number of times. Generally until the car stops for a while.
• Don’t lose any torque/power when it happens
Once on a long downhill it started groaning and would not shut up for 20 seconds or more, even when rolling in neutral. Finally stopped when we turned steering wheel and pulled into side street. We sat and swore at it for half and hour while we had lunch then got in, drove off and did not hear the sound for days.
Have had mechanic look over it but of course when he was in car it was silent. He put it up on lift and together we gave it a fairly minute visual inspection. Nothing out of place. Rocked all 4 wheels and bearings sound fine. Mechanic was a cruiser fanatic and seemed to know his stuff.
The problem with it is that because it is unpredictable/sporadic we cannot time the noise with a visit to mechanic. Whenever it is happening we look for mechanics but don’t find any. Unless we can get a mechanic to drive the thing when the noise is happening our only option would be to get a mechanic to start pulling open clutch, diff etc which I am not keen to do. Any thoughts would be much appreciated. I’m particularly keen to ensure that we are not wrecking the vehicle by driving it.
Thanks
I’m currently driving between London and Cape Town. My 1994, manual T diesel VX is making a horrible noise and I cannot diagnose it. Best way t describe it is a medium pitched groan. Sounds like the noise made when a big boat is up against a dock and the hull slides up/down a pile or buoy. Characteristics as follows:
• Comes from up front possibly more towards passenger side
• Causes some vibration in the floor.
• Mostly happens when changing gear but sometimes when not changing gear, mostly on downhills, sometime flats, never on uphills.
• Often at low revs e.g. when on freeway in 5th and gradually slowing down for an exit i.e. slacking off the accelerator.
• Doesn’t seem to happen when driving it hard
• Very unpredictable. Don’t hear anything for a day or two and then it will start up and happen on and off for hours.
• Normally only for a few seconds or less.
• If it is happening then it will happen a number of times. Generally until the car stops for a while.
• Don’t lose any torque/power when it happens
Once on a long downhill it started groaning and would not shut up for 20 seconds or more, even when rolling in neutral. Finally stopped when we turned steering wheel and pulled into side street. We sat and swore at it for half and hour while we had lunch then got in, drove off and did not hear the sound for days.
Have had mechanic look over it but of course when he was in car it was silent. He put it up on lift and together we gave it a fairly minute visual inspection. Nothing out of place. Rocked all 4 wheels and bearings sound fine. Mechanic was a cruiser fanatic and seemed to know his stuff.
The problem with it is that because it is unpredictable/sporadic we cannot time the noise with a visit to mechanic. Whenever it is happening we look for mechanics but don’t find any. Unless we can get a mechanic to drive the thing when the noise is happening our only option would be to get a mechanic to start pulling open clutch, diff etc which I am not keen to do. Any thoughts would be much appreciated. I’m particularly keen to ensure that we are not wrecking the vehicle by driving it.
Thanks