TheCake

Afternoon all.

Bought my fantastic 2005 WRX Wagon PPP off here back in November from a member and it has been faultless. Just had new brakes all round and new tyres and totally in love with her. Fast enough, comfy enough and economical enough.

Except... a few months back I was enjoying a particularly spirited drive when a random noise started to either occur or become more noticeable. It occurs at all speeds above about 20mph, you can only hear it off-throttle and louder the faster you go. On throttle you cannot hear it and in fairness as soon as you lean on the throttle a very tiny bit it immediately stops.

It sounds likes something is dragging or like winding down. I've scoured YouTube trying to find something similar but no real luck and even tried recording it on my phone but thats so hard to do because of road noise etc.

Its booked into the garage this Thursday but wondered if anyone had any ideas.

My first thought was gearbox but the same noise occurs if it is in gear or out, clutch engaged or not and happens if you're coasting or slowing down in or out of gear. I'm fairly certain its diff-related and maybe will be helped with an oil change which is all I'm hoping it is.

Car has done about 58,000 miles and is mid-way between service intervals. Pulls very strong in all gears. Its not performance affecting and while you are on the throttle gently or hard you cannot hear it.

Puzzled? Me too.

Any ideas appreciated or tests I can do as I think I've exhausted my technical skills with it!

Car is lowered on coilovers, has uprated anti roll bars (ARBs) and droplinks if that helps any diagnosis.

Its done it for so long I've not worried about it but on a few long motorway journeys it has become a little tiresome to the point its irritating!

Cheers,

Si.

tubbytommy

iTrader: (20)

wheel bearing

TheCake

You reckon? I suppose there is no reason why not but I've had wheel bearings go in the past and this sounds a bit different.... but then maybe its only just starting...

I'm going to see if I can do a recording of it. Thanks for your advice.

tubbytommy

iTrader: (20)

had one go on mine in the past and it had same syptoms you describe.
jack the car up and see if there is any play in the wheels.
i.e see if it rocks top to bottom

TheCake

Thanks mate. Will check it out. Just been out for a drive and managed to capture some audio on the super smooth roads they've resurfaced for the road cycling olympic events so going to see if I can sample it off that for you to hear on YouTube.

carvolution

I'm getting the same noise but i get it on idle, sounds like somethings dragging!
Really don't know what it is and I'm really hoping its not the gearbox!

TheCake

Here we go: Thoughts?! The finger clicking is so I could find the audio in a 20min video, sorry not overly sure how to crop that out - however after 23seconds you can hear me accelerate, then lift off and decelerate and I do this a number of times and the noise is captured pretty well. Its sounds a bit like a rolling road/whine/clicky/fast tapping noise.. random...

P.s. I don't normally drive like this.. on/off/on/off - its just for the clip! LOL.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1of4mdNy3g

carvolution

can't view video, says its private?

TheCake

Oops fixed

TheCake

Emailed the clip to the garage today so hopefully they have a heads up beforehand.

Donz144

I think you're right, Diff...... I've just had all my interior out and I could faintly here it whining off thottle too. On a good surface in my last one I could also here it. Good luck with it.

TheCake

Yup it definitely sounds like diff as well in my opinion.

Will be interesting to see what the garage reckon. In fairness it's been doing it a number of weeks so less concerned about it although hoping its a cheap fix.

Donz144

car looks SWEEET by the way! Had a blob wagon myself before the hawk wagon.

TheCake

Cheers Donz. liking the hawk-eye wagon. Had the arches rolled a couple of weeks back so think we're good to go down another 10mm or so!!! :-)

TheCake

Well the plot thickens.... took it to my local garage on Thursday who dropped it back saying they think it is the turbo....

I have been advised to seek another opinion mind you.

Any further thoughts from those who've had a listen? WTF is it.....

Emmaroids

iTrader: (2)

surely if it was the turbo it would only make the noise on boost,off throttle the turbo wouldnt be spinning.
If it makes the noise in and out of gear and with no load on the engine surely its not turbo related
Sounds like diff related if it makes the noise in or out of gear when coasting as the diff would still be turning.

TheCake

Well, I'm no expert here but I left the garage concerned and worried about my baby.

Then I had a small idea... to prove a point, going down a nice straight hill off-throttle... I switched off the engine... it made exactly the same noise.

Its now getting to the point where I need a Subaru expert I think.

Emmaroids

iTrader: (2)

If the noise is there with engine off then its not turbo.
So id check diff,driveshafts,wheel bearings and possibly brakes.

TheCake

Yes it definitely is there with the engine off (at speeds over 30mph though so difficult to test obviously...)...

Brakes: Just had new disks, pads, braided lines all round - problem was there before and still there after
Wheel bearings: I thought this but applying some steering lock while its doing it does not affect the noise it doesn't get louder or quieter..
Diffs: Maybe?
Driveshafts: Maybe?

Emmaroids

iTrader: (2)

Well if you have checked brakes. I would deff say its drivetrain related.
Gearbox. Diff. Prop or driveshafts
Maybe try a well know specialist to take a look
Stupid question maybe but have you checked oil levels in the diff and box??
Might be worth changing rear diff oil as its easy to do.

TheCake

Yeah I need to find a specialist who will give an honest assessment.

Emmaroids

iTrader: (2)

Deff or your just wasting time and money with garage guessing

TheCake

Here here. Thankfully the garage which looked at it didn't charge me for Thursday investigations. As they honestly put it "We used some of your petrol and went for a drive".... fair enough I suppose!

Just in the back of my mind everytime I go out, is something serious going to happen like a wheel falls off or I have a massive crash.

TheCake

Hi Dave. Really appreciate your post. I am booked into see Dan at Surrey Subaru Specialist next Tuesday so will get another perspective on it. Hopefully its not serious. Will keep you all posted so when this thread gets archived and someone has the same issue they'll have an idea of what it might be.

TheCake

Dave - this is particularly relevant to you...

I've just got home this afternoon from seeing Dan at Surrey Subaru Specialist in Camberley. The outcome is as follows:

Dan took the car for a run, and came back 15mins later and said he thinks its definitely transmission related. He said its not the turbo, nor is it a wheel bearing and could be coming from the gearbox.

The car goes on the ramps, his other mechanic (sorry I did not catch your name - we met over an engine! lol) starts my WRX up and drives it up to 50-60mph on the ramp, Dan underneath and when he lifts off the noise is very prominent. Dan has a good listen underneath with the old screwdriver-to-ear technique and true enough the noise is coming from the gearbox and transmitted backinto the prop/transmission for us to hear. With the wheels of the ground the noise is very noticable and is a very distinctive whine/drone.

The end result is looking like an bearing failure in the gearbox. Dan is going to oragnise the removal, repair and refit of the box as soon as he can fit me in which is hopefully not too long. In the meantime I'll just be driving as gently as possible to avoid further damage.

Bugger.

TheCake

Seeing as this is now fixed, I thought I'd let you all know it was transfer box bearings which had failed. Replaced by Dan and team at Surrey Subaru Specialists. No more whines. Happy car.

Mr Windscreen

iTrader: (6)

How much did it cost you mate as mine is doing something similar?

TheCake

Hi mate. I had a service and MOT done at the same time (as it all seemed to be due together!) but I'd budget for £400 to get it done.

Tell Dan at Surrey Subaru that I sent you and you never know you might save a few quid. I see you're in Herts, they're down in Camberley so only a short drive away for a diagnostic.

Mr Windscreen

iTrader: (6)

cheers