Howling Noise

**Packer Fan** · 12-27-2011

I have a 2003 GP SE w/ a 3.1 L & an automatic transmission. I just replaced both cv shafts, the driver's side was leaking & the passenger side was vibrating and making a howling noise (it actually came out in 2 pieces). The vibrations are gone now but the howling noise on the passenger side is still there. It gets louder with increased speed. The noise started a couple of days before I replaced the cv shafts. I think it is coming from where the cv shaft connects to the transaxle and I'm pretty sure that it is not the wheel bearing. Anyone that can help I would really appreciate it.

**Fivefingerdeathpunch** · 12-27-2011

sounds wheel bearing related to me.

If you under torqued or over torqued the axle nut which preloads the wheel bearing, you may have damaged it. Or it could already have been on its way out. Jack it up and check for play at 12 and 6 and trying spinning by hand really fast and hold the spring with your hand to feel for a vibration.

**BlackGT97** · 12-27-2011

with my experiance with wheel bearings. If it sounds like the passanger side wheel is howling, it is usally the drivers side that is bad, and vise versa.

**Explicit_Spade** · 12-27-2011

^This.

Wheel bearings are best replaced in pairs anyway, so get both fronts and your howl will go away.

**Packer Fan** · 12-27-2011

I will take the advice that you all have given and check the wheel hub but I guess I should let you know what I have already done before I posted this question.
I had the car on stands (wheels off), disengaged the traction control ran one side at a time under idle with no noise. I repeated this and increased the acceleration and the noise came back. I never heard anything when I had the drivers side rotating only the passenger side, keep in mind that I only let one side spin at a time. I got as close as I dared possible to passenger side hub while under acceleration and I believe that the howling sound is coming from a different place closer to the transmission but it is hard to tell. When I installed the new cv shafts I torqued them to spec (159 ft lbs). I was wondering is it possible that the original cv shaft damaged the transmission in some way beacause of the vibration that it had?

**Explicit_Spade** · 12-27-2011

I am not sure what kind of test you did, but I've never heard of checking a wheel bearing like that, nor would I reccomend it.

Jack the car up, with the car in park and see if there is play in the front wheels. If so the hub is bad.

You could have damaged the differential, but that's highly unlikely. Hums and Howls are noises that don't come from where they're coming from.

**Packer Fan** · 12-27-2011

I agree; not the safest way to search for the noise, I guess I got a little desperate because I don't think that it is the wheel bearing but I really hope that it is and I am going to recheck it tomorrow with the tips that you all have provided. I would never recommend that anyone search for a noise in the way that I did either however I was in a safe enviroment (my shop) and the car was tied down but I did put myself in harms way by getting my body close to a moving part and I should not have done that. I really don't want to swap parts for the sake of eventually discovering the problem and I am sure that most of you understand that.

**BlackGT97** · 12-28-2011

if they are bad enough, you can jack it up and spin the wheel with a drill motor to see if its making noise. Thats how my dad did his.

**Packer Fan** · 12-29-2011

I was already thinking about doing that. I just have to get a socket adapter. I wasn't able to check anything yesterday but maybe today I will get a chance. I will post my findings when I get a chance.

**Packer Fan** · 12-29-2011

I checked the wheel hubs for excessive play and everything seems to be okay. The noise is still there but now it becomes more prominent when cornering to the left. I am completley stumped. Somebody please HELP!

**BlackGT97** · 12-29-2011

I belive that just because there is no play in the wheel hub, it doesnt mean its not bad. Usually when you start to hear the howling, they are just starting to get bad. and you could drive on it for quite a long time. The excessive play should be when they are really bad, then you should replace them.

**Packer Fan** · 12-30-2011

Thanks BlackGT97,

Now that makes some sense to me and I am starting to think that more than likely it is the wheel bearing. The cornering noise that I wrote about earlier is making me think that, along with everything that I have read from everyone. I guess I will give it a little bit longer and see if there are any progressions and if so I will bite the bullet and put a new hub on it. In the end if that is not the problem at least I tried every effort I could.

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