varkwso

What does a bad halfshaft sound and act like on a C5? Anyone have the experience they would like to share?

CHJ In Virginia

I have not heard of many half shaft or constant velocity jount failures on the Vettes, the half shaft assemblies are really strong. It could start by making a regular ticking noise as you roll forwards or backwards slowly. The noise will be much louder as you turn a corner. It will be regular - tick - tick - tick or clunk - clunk - clunk depending on how bad the bearing in the CV joint has gotten. More noise as the suspension is compressed causing movement in the CV joint. Failure is usually caused by the boot splitting and road sand and trash getting into the joint. Once trash is in the grease life expectancy is in the hundreds of miles. Also check the hub for a bad bearing - I would bet on this before the half shaft failure. Also check on the lube on the splines of the half shaft where it goes through the hub - they can dry and cause all kinds of aggrivating noises.

varkwso

Thanks - I have a friend with a bad noise in the rear of his C5. You describe the noise I had in the 944 with a bad halfshaft/CV joint.

This noise is loud and does not cause any feedback through the drivetrain at all. It is not the "tick" I experienced before in the 944 or my parent's Ford Tiempo (Tempo?). He is trying a fluid change with posi clutch lubricant to see if that helps. It did not sound like gear noise either - but I have not failed a C5 third member, yet.

The bearings felt good - but that could be the source of the noise. Near as I can tell he has original bearings with 60K on them.

CHJ In Virginia

The best tool I have found to diagnose a mysterious noise is a very large screw driver or socket extension and your ear. Raise the car up on a lift. Start it and let it idle in gear. Place the screw driver against the diff and your ear on the other end. It acts like a doctors stethascope ( sp?) and amplifies sound. Do it on the hub, then move to other locations, etc till you find the source of the nasty noise. ( Now for the CYA statement ) Be very careful of rotating items - don't want to get snagged.

beerkat

Question:

Wouldn't running the car in gear with all the wheels in the air cause problems with the ABS or computer?

96CollectorSport

Not much different than running the car on the dyno, just be sure to turn off the traction control. The system isn't happy but as soon as you go back to normal operation everything is back to normal.

96CollectorSport

A bad bearing will make more of a thumping sound that increases with speed, you should almost be able to feel it when you go over that part of the bearing.
I would highly doubt that it's a 1/2 shaft more likely it's a wheel bearing (especially if he tracks the car) or it may be something in the driveline, with the torque tube things that are in the front of the car (like a throw out brearing) may sound like they are coming from the rear. I use a mechanics ear to find sounds like this, but it's not like everyone has one laying around.
Joel

racerwannabe

rear bearing failure.....noise speeds up with the car...both sides on my car so far...... 10,000 miles allmost all track miles....
Johnny
but i carry a spare 1/2 shaft also...

beerkat

I replaced the left rear hub/bearing this morning and the noise is GONE. I will replace the front left tomorrow when the part show up. Now I need to find out why my instrument cluster went dead.

I now have an extra hub/bearing for the front and rear for when the right side goes out.

Falcon

Good to hear that took care of one problem.

varkwso

It was not a torque tube problem - that one I have already had and dealt with...took me a while (and some key insight from Danny Popp...)..and some parts from Phoenix

Running my FRC on a jackstand made the ABS/TC go nuts - not like the dyno where there is some resistance.

It did not sound like the bearing noise, or feel, I have had on the bad C5s bearings to date. But it did sound like a bad bearing I had on my 1969SS Chevelle...

varkwso

check your fuses and ground wires on the right side of the block....

beerkat

I checked the fuse #25 which is suppose to control the gauges. I also checked to see if any codes were thrown. Both check out OK.

You got a picture or page on number on the ground you want me to check?