Member
I have no idea what is going on. My car is making a noise that sounds like its dragging something but everything under the car looks sound. looked under the hood while the car was running and still no luck. granted it was at night and i just had a small flashlight. not really noticeable at speeds under 40 but definitely on the highway. Any ideas??
Member
If it only makes the noise when the car is moving then its probably a wheel bearing. Front ones are super easy. The rears are a different story. I swapped out one of my fronts in about an hour.
Member
BMW CCA Member
That happened to me once and it turned out to be i forgot to put the clip back in from side skirt where u jack the car up lol!
Member
\Originally Posted by flyfishvt
Can you burn one up? My friend swears he can smell his bearings. I didn't know what to tell him. He's definitely got the sound though.
Member
You can smell brakes, smell a bad clutch, you can smell oil burning and you can stop and smell the roses but Ive never heard of smelling a wheel bearing. LSD stands for more than Limited Slip Differential. I have a feeling your buddy knows that.
Member
hahahahaha typical honda drivers
Member
Not sure why this would change if you haven't run over anything or worked on it, but there is a heat shield that runs down the drive shaft tunnel shielding the exhaust pipes from the underbody. If the shielding falls down or is bent down onto the driveshaft, you'll get a dragging / scraping sound when moving. This sound would likely be reduced the faster you drove. It would come more from the middle of the car rather than the wheel as a wheel bearing going out would. Just a thought...
Last edited by fm325ic; 01-22-2011 at 12:36 PM.
1994 325iC "Sleeper"
Bored, Stroked, Schrick Cams, 3.5" HFM, Conforti/Turner CAI & Chip, 20 lb multi-port disc injectors (from 5L Mustang, check FiveOMotorsport.com), HD Clutch, Short Shift, M3 5 spd, M3 LSD, SS Brake Lines, Ceramic Pads, Bilstein Sports, H&R Springs, M Dbl Spoke 16", Michelin PilotSport AS
Member
Does it get more noticeable when you turn a particular direction? I had the passenger front bearing go out on my E30 and I only really heard it when I took a fast right such as when hitting an on/off ramp from the highway.
Member
i thought of that too. its definitely not my rears i just had those replaced.
no it does not make a difference if i turn a certain direction. the noise really doesn't get louder the faster i go once i'm over say 50 mph.. its so strange
This that the other thing
I recommend notifying little Timmy's family before they get any more worried.
@los_tho
Member
Double check the exhaust heat shields, those drag alot. I had something like this happen to me and it ended up being the sound deadening stuff above the guibo falling onto the driveshaft. If its only when you go fast, make sure its not door seals or something small. Does it sound like metal dragging specifically? And is it constant (doesnt change over bumps,etc?)
Member
I guess we all need more info as far as "what and when"
When do you first hear it? What speed? Does it do it standing still?
Does the sound change with the speed of the engine such as it shows up or gets louder just before I shift gears?
Does it change with the speed of the car? Such as it doesnt matter what gear Im in. It shows up at certain speeds and changes or stays the same no matter how fast Im going.
Does it change or go away when you press on the brakes?
Does it change or go away if you pull up on the ebrake?
Have you crawled under the car and physically inspected the padded heatshield that runs the length of the tranny, drive shapft and exhaust? (its not sound deadening its a heat shield)
My first guess is front wheel bearing. Very typical for them when they are first starting to go bad. You might not hear it at slow speeds but it gets louder as speed increases. The pitch doesn't really change, just how loud it is.
You could have a bent dust shield on your brake rotors or you could have a heat shield that is starting to fall down or the metal shield on the cats could be loose causing a vibration. Lots of thing to check and look at.
You could also try to get someone outside the car as you drive by in a parking lot and see if they can hear it or tell where it seems to be comming from. You should also jack up each wheel and spin it to see if you can hear any noise at all.
Last edited by flyfishvt; 01-23-2011 at 06:16 AM.
Member
flyfishvt: im answering your questions in order.
-i first start hearing it when i get up to a speed 50 mph or higher. it does not doi it standing still
-it does not change with the speed of the car at all once over 50.
-does not change when i press the breaks
-does not change or go away when i pull the ebreak
-i have not checked under the car at all. today the temp is at a high of 3 so its been way too cold.
my best bet is front wheel bearing and it seems to be the popular vote from everyone else too. once it gets warmer out im going to do a more in-depth inspection of the wheels, heat shields, dust shields, etc..
i hope this gives you a better idea
Member
I have a Subaru Impreza and when backing out of the driveway I heard metal dragging and while driving it makes an annoying metal to pavement noise but when i look under the car don’t see anything hanging. Freaking out wondering what it is but drove to target this morning it was fine
I'm lost
You're really asking about a Subaru on a BMW forum? And it's your first post? Try a Subaru forum....
Sent from the dark side of the Moon
Member
I don't see it mentioned, but the dust shields for the brakes can get bent up and make a horrible noise.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks