And then came the nasty squeaking sound...

[jpyke]

I'm a little worried; I took the car out for a drive on friday and noticed a nasty squeak, it's hard to describe exactly but the sound rises and falls in volume and is therefore definitely coming from a rotating part. From inside the car it sounds like it's coming from the front, but when outside the car I think it comes from the rear. It is very pronounced when reversing slowly but has got worse over the last few days and does it when running forwards - particularly noticeable when coming up to junctions. Initially it stopped as soon as I put the clutch pedal down but this may be a red herring as all parts of the clutch would still be rotating when drifting along in neutral. It has done it with the clutch depressed but much less pronounced. On sunday I put the rear axle up on stands and slid under the car with the engine idling and reverse selected. It definitely comes from the drive train and I'd say it probably came from the rear axle but with the prop shaft being hollow I just can't be sure as I think it is amplifying the sound. I've tried the screwdriver to the ear trick on the diff and gearbox but that didn't really help. I've checked the oil level in the axle (fine). The squeak happens once per rotation of the prop-shaft, and sounds for all the world like there is something rubbing against it, but there definitely isn't. Its a modified rover V8 propshaft feeding a cortina rear axle.

Any suggestions as to what to do next would be gratefully received, otherwise I may have to put it in the garage as I don't fancy trying to squash a diff rebuild into a few weekends and I'm supposedly going to France in it at the end of July. Ooh err, this wasnt on my grand plan!

James

[Clive]

Hi James,
Sorry that I can't shed any light on your problem, but an old mechanic once told me that squeaks were nothing to worry too much about. But bangs and knocks were!

[wilf]

UJ's need greasing? Bolt coming loose from the 'box or diff flanges?