brharris27370

I have a 99 TA A4 3.23 gear with 34k miles on car. Car is out of warranty and dealer won't fix it with big $$. I have owned it since it had 16k miles on it. I replaced the original tires at 32k so it hasn't been abused too much and has never seen the track or had any slicks run on it. My problem is the rear wails like a banshee and you can't hear yourself think at 70mph. The noise is completely speed related and on and off the throttle has no affect. So I figured, wheel bearing. So I replaced them. Fluid looked normal with only minor metal shavings and the gears and differential appeared normal. Still screams all the time. I would think that if it were pinion or differential bearings that the tone would change with the load on them. What about this traction control mess can one of those sensors cause this mess. Since I don't plan on running this car at the track or with drag radials, I don't really want or can afford to spend $2500 on the 12 bolt that gm should have put in the car to begin with. Plus I don't want to go an buy a bunch more stuff to throw at this problem. I have taken it to a trusted local shop and they concurred with my wheel bearing assessment and now they don't know what is wrong either. Car drives completely normal other than this gosh awful whine. I expected that a 6spd car might toast the rear by 34k miles but a stock automatic! I have refrained from putting the torque converter in it because I thought that 3000 rpm stall might trash the rear. Note that this problem has gotten considerably worse over the last 2k miles.

Any thoughts out there.

Constrictor98TA

Have you tried changing the fluid? With the Torsen rear end, you need to use the limited slip additive and NON synthetic fluid. You would be surprised at how much of an effect the fluid can have.

brharris27370

Yeah, you kind of have to change the fluid to change the wheel bearings. I did use the limited slip additive even though I hear that its not necessary. So fluid had no effect at all. Also the noise is not the worm sound that the torsen makes going around corners. My TA never did that but my I use one in my 91 Camaro and I can hear that noise in it going around corners. Speaking of corners turns have no affect on the high pitched whine either. I know once it finally breaks that I will know what the problem is and can fix it but I am concerned about what will happen when it breaks and I don't want to be 200 miles from the house either.