Hi all,
A few weeks ago my 330D (SE Manual Saloon 54 reg) started making a drumming noise - probably coming from the rear, but only after having driven a few miles and only on smooth road surfaces. Its not loud - but audible and bordering on the irritating.
The noise gets quicker the faster you go.
Spoke to BMW - suggested getting tyres checked out - which I did - all ok - and had the fronts & rears swapped over. Seemed a little better for a few days but is now back as before.
If it helps - the fronts have done 10k and are Michelins (were the rears which were replaced @ 30k), the rears are the original fronts and are Conti's and have done the full 42k.
Both sets of tyres are in good condition and have 4/5mm of tread.
The car has done 42,000 miles and will be going in for its 2nd service in 10 days time. Any ideas as to what it could be?
Thanks in anticipation.
Robert
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Does the noise increase when going around a corner?
If so, left handers or right handers? Could be a wheel bearing on it's way out.
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I think it's the wheel bearing.
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Hi,
Difficult to say as the car has to be moving @ 40+ to induce noise - & by 60 its still there but masked by wind/road noise.
I'll see if I can experiment & see.
I guess they can check anyway when the car is in being serviced?
Thanks
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Get someone to follow you, it may be a bit of loose underbody trim. I saw a near brand new BMW with its underbody engine tray fluttering around like a birds wing.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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If it helps - the fronts have done 10k and are Michelins (were the rears which were replaced @ 30k), the rears are the original fronts and are Conti's and have done the full 42k. Both sets of tyres are in good condition and have 4/5mm of tread.
I had an untraceable noise like this on a car and it did turn out to be the tyres - became more noticeable as the tyres wore.
Slight side issue - that's staggering life you've had from the Conti's, especially if even now they're still only as worn as the 10K mile Michelins on the front.
Also, it's generally accepted that new tyres should go on the back.
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My first choice would be tyre followed by syuspension bushings. When you say the tyres were checked, what exactly did they check?.
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Conti's all round from new - rears needed replacing @ 30k
Had the front & rear swapped recently so the current rears have done 40+ k even though they have only recently become the rears - if you see what I mean.
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when you say you had the tyres checked out,did they rebalance them and measure the tread depth ALL around the tyre,in case they have worn out of round.I had similar problem on my previous passat.I was convinced it was a wheel bearing,so i changed both rear bearings-no difference.fitted new tyres-silence.
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Only a visual inspection I'm afraid ............
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its a 54 reg and its done 42k.. being serviced in a few days... its called warrenty dude!... feathered tyres can often create a humming noise.. mistaken for a wheel bearing.. its unusal for those wheel bearings to fail at 42k
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I wouldn't rule out a noisy diff. I had this happen on a 2 year old 325, and the whole diff assembly was replaced under warranty. The way I diagnosed the problem was to sit in the back with someone else driving. The noise was a sort of thrumming sound which incresed with speed.
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>>I wouldn't rule out a noisy diff.
from whats been said I would agree,though without hearing its hard to say,but would go for diff
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Steve
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Difficult without hearing it, but I would also say the diff. Can you 'play' the noise on the throttle? (i.e. does it vary if you gently alter the load with small movements of the throttle - that would be the clicher).
I have had problems with BMW diffs in the past - pinion bearings and incorrect crownwheel-pinion tooth contact pattern. Had even more problems with MB diffs - they have a right reputation for whining.
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Talk about a jinx, but I am experiencing something similar (I would call it a humming though), on my 330D. Only noticed it after a heavy impact with a curb...or maybe after the impact I was listening for any noises that could point to suspension damage etc and noticed the noise that was always there. In any case when going around left bends the noise diminishes or goes completely, but around right bends its more pronounced.
I had the wheels off today trying to see if it might be the bearings, but couldn't tell by usual methods i.e no play in the hub or notchiness when spinning the disc.
I had brand new tyres and alloys put on a few days ago and the noise is still there so I don't think I can point the finger at those. It seems to get louder when off the throttle and decelerating in gear from high speeds so, as aprilia says, it might be the diff.
Would the impact with the curb cause diff issues?. Its quite possible the noise was there before the impact, but I never noticed it, but of course if you hear the noise once, thats all you hear.
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Pretty certain this will be a wheel bearing damaged by the kerb impact.
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I hope it is a wheel bearing too. Any way of checking this before I change them?. I can detect no play in the bearing when moving the wheel sided toside/up and down. and there is no roughness or notchiness when spinning the wheel.
I also noticed that the control arm bushing on the same side was a bit oily, well I didn't think it was oil at the time, thought it might have been that oily spray you get when roads have been gritted, but after doing some more reading apparently the bushings are oil filled so I am wondering if the bushing has perished and the oil has leaked out. Another possible source of the noise?.
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I would say its a wheel bearing on the LHS of the vehicle. Often there is no feeling of roughness or play - they're only noisy when under load. What I normally do is use my infra-red non-contact thermometer to read bearing temp after a good run and compare it with the bearing on the other side - a bad bearing generally runs warm. The best thing though is 'substitution' - i.e. change the bearing. If that gets rid of the noise you know you were right!
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Thanks, I know it would be best to just change, but wanted to try everything else first.
I was all set to "substitute" the power steering pump on my Wife's Fiesta, until I tried another tack (with help from the backroom) and solved the problem for considerably less cash. Probably not going to be so lucky two times in a row. 8-)
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Resolution!
Had the car serviced - BMW say the car is perfect but arn't happy with the 2 original tyres - the Conti's that have done 42k with still 4mm left on them.
Two new tyres later - perfect - 300+ miles done and total silence.
Interestingly the tyre tech said that this was a common problem with high mileage Conti's and showed me that the internal tread blocks were unevenly worn.
So, - a result!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Good for you Robert, just hope your solution cost you less than mine.
"How much for one wheel bearing??"
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Well - mine is a company car so no actual "additional" cost -over above the tax bill and personal use contribution that it!
So how much does one wheel bearing cost then?
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"£122...plus VAT, Sir"
And you need special pulling tools to remove/replace it so that puts it out of the realm of this DIYer. Only about £50-60 labour from an independent) to fit it though
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Trancer
Get the number off the side of the race from the bearing and get onto your local bearing stockest (form your friendly village garage).
Ask them for a quote.
IIRC each bearing is standard and can be sourced from a bearing stockest - much cheaper than going to the main dealer.
H
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Interestingly the tyre tech said that this was a common problem with high mileage Conti's and showed me that the internal tread blocks were unevenly worn.
I mentioned tyres earlier and that's exactly what happened with my car, which had an untraceable noise.
The tyres were Firestone, and had a 'blocky' tread. The wear pattern was bizarre - on the inside band of tread, every alternate block was worn to chamfer.
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This seems to be very common my last 5 series M reg on Contis had a weird du-du-du-du-du noise at wheel speed and the blocks were champhered exactly as "Bill Payer" described. I never found the cause but my present 530d 2003 E39 on dunlop sport 8000E,s has just started a similar noise. They've done 25000, the rears are nearly at the limit on the centre of tread but the fronts have a good 5mm left.There isnt any unusual wear except the centre wear, I always suspected BMW's recommendation of 38psi for rear pressures was too high but what do I know! I'm going to change them all (when I solve the load index problem mentioned in the post on ZR rated tyres). I'll be interested to see if the noise disappears or if I'm in for a bill. Keep you all posted and thanks for the replies. I was thinking of Dunlop SP Sport Maxx but no one seems to stock them yet, might have to fork out for Michelin Pilots; Any thoughts?
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I took H.J`s advice & fitted Michelin Pilots to my 320d Touring after Pirelli P 6000`s and can`t believe the difference in road noise transmission. The tyre pattern is not blocky at all and the car now runs so quietly, you would think it was a different motor. I would add that I have no connection with Michelin whatsoever, but merely a happy customer.!!!!
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Chamfering of tread blocks is down to wheel alignment.
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Chamfering of tread blocks is down to wheel alignment.
I am not sure that is is soley, I had it on a V6 Vectra and the alignment was spot on. I was advised to regulary change the wheels front right to rear left etc, cant do this with uni-rotational tyres though.
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Chamfering of tread blocks is down to wheel alignment.
Possibly,but usually caused by weak dampers/springs
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Steve
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I didn't mean wheel alignment in the sense of it being 'wrong', I meant 'alignment' in the sense of the settings that the manufacturer has used. BMW's have a fair bit of rear toe-in and this may be what is causing the chamfering.
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Just to add more "mystery" to this Coni puzzle .......
A few years ago I had an Omega MV6 - had EXACTLY the same problem - again caused by Conti tyres. That time it was my own money and pressed Conti - ended getting some new tyres from them. They took the old set away for tests.
My new 330D tyres are Michelins ......... :))
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Hope robert doesn't mind me updating this thread with off topic info.
Just got the wheel bearing noise sorted at an independent today. Turns out it wasn't just the wheel bearing that was damaged in the impact as the control arm also got bent slightly (car still tracked true though??). Bearing was only £45+VAT (don't know where they got it), control arm was £171+VAT 8-O (Dealer item only) and control arm bushing was £21+VAT. Another £60 for labour and today has turned out to be quite an expensive one.
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Good Lord, that's expensive for a control arm and bushing! What car was this?
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Good Lord, that's expensive for a control arm and bushing! What car was this?
A 330d as well.
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That price didn't include the bushing!!
The car is an 02 330D Sport. The control arms are specific to the Sport models as they have the "M Tech" suspension package, so no doubt that bumped the price up even more.
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That's certainly expensive. I've paid about £100 for a Merc control arm in the past (dealer price) inc bush, and I thought that was dear!
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Well I need to get used to the price as the ball joints are only available with control arms, so when the ball joints go the entire control arm has to be replaced and the E46 has a fondness for ball joints from what I have gathered..
I have seen pattern (German manufacture) control arms on US Ebay and they are alot cheaper at $199 for a pair, but I don't know if they will fit my car because of the Sport suspension etc.
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