"Growling" @ 1,700-2,000 RPM

[LuvDaDiesel]

Here's the story, had the passenger side cv axrl fail. Replaced both sides. Now I have a noise that I will refer to as "growling" between 1,7000 - 2,000 rpm when under load. Free rev produces no issues, so I was wondering if anyone experienced something like this following a similar replacement. Rotating tires didn't change a thing. 192,000 miles '06 BRM, SMF, new front bearings, no other significant alterations. - Perplexed Any help or insight would be appreciated.

 

[A5INKY]

What kind of axles did you buy, parts store? OEM? Did you torque the outer axle bolt before taking the car off the jack stands? Those hub bearings can be damaged by the weight of the car without the axles torqued down. They need the preload.

 

[LuvDaDiesel]

OK, busted me out on that question - got them from AutoZone. Yes I know. I drive about 200 miles a day and had a small window of opportunity. Don't remember the Chinese (just guessing) manufacturer. However, the the outer axelbolts were torqued prior to removing jack stands. No other noticable issues, no humming, no vibrations, nothing but the growl in the previous mentioned rpm zone.

 

[A5INKY]

With new front hubs/bearings that were properly installed, along with the fact or the noise starting with the new axles, not likely it is anything else.

I am about to be replacing mine at 225k miles. Raxles will be getting my business. If not for them I would be going OEM.

 

[LuvDaDiesel]

The bearings were replaced previously, so logically I would surmize that it has something to do with the CV axles as well, but there lies the question........"What could it be." - Have a 2 hour meeeting, will return later to see any additional suggestions that you might have. Thanks in advance.

 

[A5INKY]

You mention an RPM range for the noise, I would think axles/bearings would be more road speed dependent. If it is truly RPM dependent I would be looking at what anchors the eng/trans (mounts). That said, the fact that it developed with the axle change is hard to ignore. Another root cause would be quite the coincidence.

I have a vibration at speed under acceleration. I strongly suspect inner CV joints but am replacing a soft tranny mount and even sloppier LCA bushings first just to be sure. They need it anyway, process of elimination.

Edit: Just had another thought, what kind of hub/bearings did you go with? Again, OEM or parts store? Some have had issues with non-OEM assemblies failing prematurely.

It is a shame there is so much demand for cheap parts motivating the inferior parts market. Sometimes it is hard to know what is good and what is not. In college I drove an old Ford van. I replaced the failed starter with one from Autozone with a lifetime warranty, total crap. It got a free replacement about every 6 months after that for the rest of the time I owned the van. At $20 a pop I actually carried a spare in the van and just rotated the free replacements as they failed.

 

[LuvDaDiesel]

Bearings were OEM from dealer as I was concerned about "inferior" product, although you can see my most recent activities do not support my thought process. First the front driver's side went around 130K and then replaced both as I only wanted to deal with it (hopefully) one time and thought that I would maybe get myself ahead without having to deal with it in the future. - Meeting was longer that I expected. What is most curious to me is the the "mystery noise" seems more engine RPM driven than mph. Mph (axel speed) doesn't seem to be involved whatsover as I can replicate and experience the noise at that rpm band regardless of any gear chosen.

 

[D-Cell_Mekanick]

I'm probably way off base here, but have you looked at the alternator pulley yet? Seems they fail regularly. Might be worth a look if the sound is RPM dependent not speed dependent. Also does it make this same noise in all the gears at that RPM?

 

[LuvDaDiesel]

Haven't investigated that yet, but I am open to options. Just pull the sepentine belt and check for play in the alternator bearing?? Yes, it is always the same RPM band regardless of gear selection or MPH. I am open to any suggestions............(about the growling issue)

 

[A5INKY]

Yeah, sounding more and more like the axle change was a coincidence and it is something else. Anything in the driveline will be road speed dependent, not RPM.

That alt pully sounds like a viable place to start.

 

[LuvDaDiesel]

Thanks guys!!! I start there next and update with what I discover.

 

[MyAvocation]

If the problem is a clutched pulley on the alternator, just watch the tensioner arm, which will wobble in concert with the growling noise.

 

[LuvDaDiesel]

Didn't get to look at it last weekend, spent time changing the oil pump on a 2004 Ford Taurus. I will confirm / deny thoughts and proposed suggestions next weekend.

 

[LuvDaDiesel]

Changed the alternator pulley - noise still there ARGH!

 

[beckmand78]

Changed the alternator pulley - noise still there ARGH!

Ever figure out what this was? My car is having similar symptoms

 

[SyNtAxx]

Same issue...

I normally do all the work on my car, but with the birth of my first child I hadn't the time to work on the car before state inspection. I've been nursing my passenger side Inner CV Joint boot for years. I'd clean it up/degrease and black tape wrap to sneak past inspection. Didn't do that this year, and I failed.

They replaced the original Axle (221k miles on it) with a cheap ass "Tough One' Axle. I now have HUM at 1700-2200RPM under load/ No load.

I know my car inside out. No noise prior to shop replacing, now there is noise. Doesn't take a neurosurgeon to figure it out. I swore there was a thread about axle hum and tough one axles, but I am still searching to find it.

I would have preferred they replace the boot, and I knew the axle wasn't failed. I have to wait until Monday to see what if anything they are willing to do.

*Edit* Sorry just realized this is MKV Forum, regardless issue is the same.

-Syntaxx