Date: Fri, 22 May 1998 18:01:21 -0700
Reply-To: "Steven X. Schwenk" <sxs@SCHWENK-LAW.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: "Steven X. Schwenk" <sxs@SCHWENK-LAW.COM>
Subject: Re: syncro rumble....syncro whine
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Some new developments on chasing the cause of the rumble/flutter in my
drive line. A change in symptoms to report after some repairs.
I replaced the rear cv's...all four with new lobros. Also found a
little problem with the rear brakes. The adjuster tab riveted to one of
the new shoes had all but fallen off....causing one wheel to be over
adjusted and the other to be under adjusted. This in turn caused the
left wheel to bind or catch briefly once every rotation...on the
over-adjustred left rear brake shoe. I fixed all that and the wheels
now turn fine and the brakes are properly adjusted. The wheel bearings
are fine. The old cv's were still in fairly good shape and could have
gone for a while yet...but there was some marring and it seemed more
cost-effective to just replace them while everything was apart. I now
have two good spares ...and can surmise the fronts are in good shape and
will last awhile. (front & rears have been greased/maintained on an
equal basis.)
The "bad" rumbling/thumping-like sound/vibration between 2500 and 3000
rpm is now gone....but symptoms remain. There is still a gentle
"fluttering" like feeling in that rpm range...almost feels like the
motor and/or tranny are shaking/fluttering gently in their mounts, but
all the mounts seem ok. The fluttering is not always there...you can't
feel it in the lower gears so much. It is more noticable in 3rd and 4th
up a slight incline as you gently accelerate through that rpm range.
The road has to be smooth or else the sensation you feel gets lost in
the jostling caused by the bumps in the road.
I have no idea whether worn parts in the transaxle can cause such
symptoms. I am still concerned about the whine that you can hear only
over 60 mph and only when the drive train is loaded on acceleration.
The sound level is not so alarming. What bothers me is that the sound
is not a flat whine....there is a slight waver in it ... otherwise I
might just attribute it to normal drive line noise.
At this point, I feel like I am chasing phantoms but am too concerned to
continue driving it until I am sure the transaxle is ok. I am taking it
to Freds on tuesday for a diagnostic run with one of their mechanics and
their trans guy. Will report back afterward.
steve
1990 syncro westfalia
Jwilli941 wrote:
> In a message dated 98-05-21 23:28:27 EDT, you write:
>
> << At Bently, page 35.62, there is a picture of the differential...
> you can see a plate bolted to it...that plate. >>
>
> OK- will take a look at my Bentley tomorrow at work.
>
> Todd Hill