Differential noise
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,965
Likes: 419
From: Melbourne FL
Differential noise
I've got a noise coming from the differential that I'm trying to decide if its gear whine, or bearings. Both sets of wheel bearings were replaced not long before it got parked and this noise definitely seems to come from the differential (it's a coupe).
My first hunch was gear noise as it will go away when coasting. Acceleration or deceleration is noisy. My mechanic who is a long time Chevy roundy round racer said he thought it sounded more like bearings as the pitch wasn't as high as gear noise would be. I always thought the difference (other than the frequency) was whether or not it occurred only under load or not.
I'm sure that once I get into it I will find out for sure, but was just wondering in the meantime what I'm dealing with.
My first hunch was gear noise as it will go away when coasting. Acceleration or deceleration is noisy. My mechanic who is a long time Chevy roundy round racer said he thought it sounded more like bearings as the pitch wasn't as high as gear noise would be. I always thought the difference (other than the frequency) was whether or not it occurred only under load or not.
I'm sure that once I get into it I will find out for sure, but was just wondering in the meantime what I'm dealing with.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,965
Likes: 419
From: Melbourne FL
Originally Posted by 67L36Driver
Bearings or gears either way it'll have to come out to fix. 
Hope it's the bearings. Shelf item.
Hope it's the bearings. Shelf item.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
I just replaced my gears this winter due to a bad set of gears. I bought a used 3.70 rear and put in new bearings about 3 years ago. It made noise from the time I installed it. I tried everything. Finally took it out and checked the pattern. The pattern on the drive side was not bad but the coast side was horrible. It only made noise while coasting. Any throttle light or heavy it was quiet. I put in a new set of 3.70 US Gears. I took my time setting the pattern up and now all is quiet. I don't know what the old gears previous life was so they were probably worn out when I got it. Not what the seller told me. Now everything is new and quiet. Good luck, rear noises can be tricky. I would pull it out and check the pattern of the gears.
