• From: Ontario, Canada
  • Registered: 2005-06-11
  • Posts: 266

Topic: Vibration and Whirring sound

I'm trying to diagnose a sound in my 74 Bug that seems to occur only when the tranny is in gear and I'm not giving it much gas.  When in neutral I can hear a slight whirring sound as well as a vibration that seems similar as the vibration/sound when in gear and decelerating.   When I engage the brakes, it seems to go away.

The problem is that the vibration (or the "sound" of the vibration) seems to come from the front of the car.  Could this be a wheel bearing issue?  Why would that change when the tranny is in gear?

Any ideas where to start looking?

-biggie

thebignic's Website

  • From: Portage, Indiana
  • Registered: 2004-03-27
  • Posts: 454

Re: Vibration and Whirring sound

Is the noise dependent on the position of the clutch?

  • From: Ontario, Canada
  • Registered: 2005-06-11
  • Posts: 266

Re: Vibration and Whirring sound

Does not appear to be dependant on the clutch position at all, and now (upon closer listening) it seems to occur as long as the car is decelerating, regardless if it is in gear or not.

-biggie

thebignic's Website

  • From: Colorado Springs, CO
  • Registered: 2004-03-27
  • Posts: 3,622

Re: Vibration and Whirring sound

Biggie: Could you be hearing a faulty CV joint? Yeah, it's in the rear, but from inside the car it is sometimes difficult to precisely localize the sound. Can you walk along side the car as someone else drives by? Bad front wheel bearings usually make either a "click-click-click" sound or something like "whirrrrrr". Have you checked the adjustment on the front wheel bearings?  Have you felt the wheel hubs after driving for a while for unusual warmth (HOT!!) condition (which might indicate dragging brakes)?

Let us know what you find.

Clancy