Noisy Rear End

[Marauder42]

Looking for possible causes to my noisy rear end. Car is an '89 325i Auto with 4.10 open dif. Noise gets louder the faster I drive. Have a receipt from previous owner for both rear wheel bearings being replaced Feb. 2011. Changed the dif lube out yesterday with Swepco 201 (80w/90), but made no difference. Actually the lube that I drained from the dif looked pretty clean. Any thoughts?

[jlevie]

That rather sounds like tires or wheel bearings.

[Marauder42]

That rather sounds like tires or wheel bearings.

Wheel bearings were my first thought, but if they were replaced 1 year ago according to the receipt... isn't that too soon for them to be failing?

[Cabriolet]

that sounds like my old 4.10 open those things are loud. does it get worse if you take out the lower back seat? 100% bet its that 4.10 open. all the 4.10s even LSDs are louder than the lower ratios.
my wheel bearings are shot and squeak at 1-2mph and sounds nothing like the video.

[Cronopoulos]

Sounds like tires to me.

[Marauder42]

that sounds like my old 4.10 open those things are loud. does it get worse if you take out the lower back seat? 100% bet its that 4.10 open. all the 4.10s even LSDs are louder than the lower ratios.
my wheel bearings are shot and squeak at 1-2mph and sounds nothing like the video.

I got a 4.10 in my 318 and it sounds nothing like this. In my 318, if I get up to speed and then put the trans in neutral to coast it's very quiet. In the 325i it doesn't make a difference whether in neutral or drive.

Sounds like tires to me.

Tires are BFG Touring t/a 195-65-14 with more than 50% thread. It might not sound like it in the video, but it's pretty loud. I'd be surprised if it were the tires.

[ak-]

sounds like ocd to me.
swap tires with your other car and see if it changes?

[Marauder42]

sounds like ocd to me.
swap tires with your other car and see if it changes?

lol... wish it were ocd, but the wife is the one complaining about it. i'll switch out the tires and see if it makes a difference. you live close by, you're welcome to come have a listen. :)

[ak-]

Oh hey, yeah Diamond Bar.
Yeah the video sounded like regular road noise to me.

Hm

[Marauder42]

Ok, swapped the tires and it made zero difference. Seriously, it sounds like it's getting louder.

[Marauder42]

So, I'm leaning towards a dying diff. Anybody local willing to give second opinion? Diamond Bar, Ca

[ak-]

I can come some time.
Usually a whiny noise that gets louder and louder is the diff and/or rear bearings. But you've got proof for that soooooooo.

[Marauder42]

I can come some time.
Usually a whiny noise that gets louder and louder is the diff and/or rear bearings. But you've got proof for that soooooooo.

Thnx, PM sent

[Marauder42]

Update

I think the noise I was hearing may have been coming from the transmission as suppose to the differential. Drove the car about 100 miles today without any issues other than the noise when suddenly the car pops out of drive and won't re-engage. Luckily I was only a block from home when it happened. Got it back in the garage on stands and took a short video from underneath. There's a grinding sound when the engine is shut off. What do you guys think?

[Quadrajet]

I bet you lost the clutch in the Torque converter. That would be my educated guess. You might ask Jlevie on the board here to listen/watch your vid to be sure though.