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whining noise, need help ASAP

CStamm

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Leeport, PA
ok, so I'm still looking for the culprit here. After I get the XJ good and warmed up, I get a whining noise that seems to be coming from the front of the vehicle. I drove down the road nice and slow, put it in neutral, and shut it off while coasting. Noise was still there. So, I suppose this rules out anything under the hood. I have a new AA SYE and Tom Woods DS, so I think that is ruled out. What could it be? Front DS? Front T-case output? Wheel bearings? Maybe in the front diff?
It's weird cause I can only hear it after I drive a good 10 miles or so. Any suggestions on how to pinpoint would be greatly appreciated.
 
My experience is that the wheel bearings make more of a "growl" than a "whine" when they go bad, but describing an automotive sound is problemmatic at best. One person's growl may be another person's whine. If it's still there with the engine shut off, that elimintaes a lot of things. Next, try removing the front drive shaft and see if that makes a difference.

Check front wheel bearings. If okay, consider front pinion bearing or carrier bearings.
 
Thanks a lot Eagle, I will try yanking the front DS tomorrow. Does any of this make sense due to the fact that the noise only occurs when everything warms up? I would have assumed it would always be there.
 
Gear oil is like any other oil -- it's thicker and stickier when cold.
 
i just took it for a drive with my father who is a mechanic. The whining does not change pitch with speed. So, how could it be a wheel bearing, or any bearings in the front diff.? I would assume if it was a bearing, the whine would change pitch as the vehicle went faster or slower.
I still have to pull the front DS tomorrow morning to rule that out I suppose. My father thought it could possibly be something in the trans.
 
I yanked the front DS, and the whine seems to be gone now. The joints seem fine in the DS. So, what is left, the centering pin and the front T-case output right? Could this type of noise be caused just by the center pin in the DS? Any suggestions EAGLE and others???
 
Gear whine often changes pitch when turning, carrier bearing whine, often is worse at some speeds or when coasting. Had one whine that drove me nuts, turned out to be worn spider gears.
Putting in a dose of liquid Moly gear additive, will change (lessen) the noise, one way, to isolate it to the diff or diff. oiled bearings.
The front driveshaft U-joint, bearings seldom get greased.
Drivetrain noise is hard to nail down, it travels. I´ve sometimes had to put it up on a lift, run it (with a little brake to load the drivetrain some) and check everything with a stethescope. Carefully being careful, of hair and loose clothing.
One guy changed his wheel bearings, turned out to be his rear tranny bearing, sound travels.
 
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