97 camaro horrible vibration and howling noise

[JeffP1167]

This started yesterday on the way home as a taping noise the quikly turned to a horrible vibration and howling noise that seems like it is coming from everywhere in the car. It immediately starts the noise when you get near 10mph and the vibration get extremely bad over 35-40mph.

Now I have had a 3rd gen f-body driveshaft fo out of balance but this is easily 10 times as bad as anything I have ever seen. I'm hoping this not to be to expensive to fix so have any of you ever heard anything like this from a 4th gen f-body?

I don't know really anything about this car since it has always gone to chevy for any work ... my favorite dealer is no longer there (kinda broke my heart) but anyways by comparison which I will try to describe the best I can

Howling noise stereo s overwhelmed by this sound alone

vibration sounds like the floor pans are vibrating but vibrates the whole dam car but seems much worse in the trunk area .... Oh and no vibration is felt in the steering by the way.

I have had bad U-joints in other cars but this is nothing like any that I have had go bad.

thanks for the help

 

[Twin_Turbo]

Sounds like something in the diff

 

[JeffP1167]

I wouldn't think it would have the power to damage anything, are these rear prone to failure at 100k? Could the posi be the issue?

 

[Twin_Turbo]

Is it a 10 bolt? Zexel Torsen??

 

[JeffP1167]

I'm not sure what the carrier is. it did have the G80 option with 4 wheel disc brakes.

 

[mrvette]

Only when driving, not a idle??

brakes dragging?? hung up brake hose??

had one on the front drivers side on the vette here, cost me a front brake overhaul....:hissyfit::ill:

 

[JeffP1167]

Only when driving, not a idle??

brakes dragging?? hung up brake hose??

had one on the front drivers side on the vette here, cost me a front brake overhaul....:hissyfit::ill:

Sitting still the car is fine revving it up it is fine doubt brakes could be dragging car slows down normally.

at like 90mph last night maybe a little more just out on the highway is when all this started. made a very fast tapping noise then progressed rapidly.

Oh and this car has never been abused in it's life and all suspension bushings were done a few months back.

 

[mrvette]

Only when driving, not a idle??

brakes dragging?? hung up brake hose??

had one on the front drivers side on the vette here, cost me a front brake overhaul....:hissyfit::ill:

Sitting still the car is fine revving it up it is fine doubt brakes could be dragging car slows down normally.

at like 90mph last night maybe a little more just out on the highway is when all this started. made a very fast tapping noise then progressed rapidly.

Oh and this car has never been abused in it's life and all suspension bushings were done a few months back.

WHEEL BEARINGS MAN....jack that puppy up and flip everyone....bet it's in the rear....listen with a stethescope or a screwdriver....rear hub??

maybe the hub froze and the axle is spinning in the hub, making the extreme noise???

man you gotta find that ****, something major about to hurt BIG TYME....

:tomato::suicide:

 

[JeffP1167]

Only when driving, not a idle??

brakes dragging?? hung up brake hose??

had one on the front drivers side on the vette here, cost me a front brake overhaul....:hissyfit::ill:

Sitting still the car is fine revving it up it is fine doubt brakes could be dragging car slows down normally.

at like 90mph last night maybe a little more just out on the highway is when all this started. made a very fast tapping noise then progressed rapidly.

Oh and this car has never been abused in it's life and all suspension bushings were done a few months back.

WHEEL BEARINGS MAN....jack that puppy up and flip everyone....bet it's in the rear....listen with a stethescope or a screwdriver....rear hub??

maybe the hub froze and the axle is spinning in the hub, making the extreme noise???

man you gotta find that ****, something major about to hurt BIG TYME....

:tomato::suicide:

Car doesn't have hubs, it has a solid rear.

 

[mrvette]

Only when driving, not a idle??

brakes dragging?? hung up brake hose??

had one on the front drivers side on the vette here, cost me a front brake overhaul....:hissyfit::ill:

Sitting still the car is fine revving it up it is fine doubt brakes could be dragging car slows down normally.

at like 90mph last night maybe a little more just out on the highway is when all this started. made a very fast tapping noise then progressed rapidly.

Oh and this car has never been abused in it's life and all suspension bushings were done a few months back.

WHEEL BEARINGS MAN....jack that puppy up and flip everyone....bet it's in the rear....listen with a stethescope or a screwdriver....rear hub??

maybe the hub froze and the axle is spinning in the hub, making the extreme noise???

man you gotta find that ****, something major about to hurt BIG TYME....

:tomato::suicide:

Car doesn't have hubs, it has a solid rear.

Yeh, U right, I was thinking vette....still??

 

[MYBAD79]

could be the driveshaft U-joints, maybe a clip broke and one cup is missing ????

If it turns out to be the U-joints: I have two brand new solid U-joints for a 99 F-body (LS1 with aluminum driveshaft) - if these fit your 97 you can have them.

The differentials on these cars are not very strong but I put some 130K miles on my '99 Z28 and it took a lot of abuse - never had a problem with it.... I doubt you can break something back there with a stock LT1

 

[JeffP1167]

could be the driveshaft U-joints, maybe a clip broke and one cup is missing ????

If it turns out to be the U-joints: I have two brand new solid U-joints for a 99 F-body (LS1 with aluminum driveshaft) - if these fit your 97 you can have them.

The differentials on these cars are not very strong but I put some 130K miles on my '99 Z28 and it took a lot of abuse - never had a problem with it.... I doubt you can break something back there with a stock LT1

Mine isn't a LT1 it has the 3.8/auto

 

[MYBAD79]

Mine isn't a LT1 it has the 3.8/auto

Now THAT is not breaking a diffy....

Not easy to diagnose vibration, could be many things but I've had a tire damaged once: the tire wasn't round anymore and the whole car was shaking from 10mph up, didn't make it past 30mph with that tire

 

[JeffP1167]

Mine isn't a LT1 it has the 3.8/auto

Now THAT is not breaking a diffy....

Not easy to diagnose vibration, could be many things but I've had a tire damaged once: the tire wasn't round anymore and the whole car was shaking from 10mph up, didn't make it past 30mph with that tire

did the tire cause a loud howling noise

 

[mrvette]

Jeff, the modern diffys are not strong like they used to be, all that MPG crap....I dunno your Camaro specifically, but be surprised if it had a heavy diffy in there....

I bet it's diffy....

:suicide:

 

[JeffP1167]

Jeff, the modern diffys are not strong like they used to be, all that MPG crap....I dunno your Camaro specifically, but be surprised if it had a heavy diffy in there....

I bet it's diffy....

:suicide:

Man that is so not what I wanted to hear! V-8 guy beat the living hell out of there cars and mine never gets so much as abused and it can't handle it. Go figure LOL.

My camaro specifically .. owned since new, always maintained, never beat on

 

[JeffP1167]

kinda off topic but why would my original deal just pack up and close. the crappy local dealerships are still around but this particular one was the best dealership I have ever had a car serviced at and it's the one that closes it's doors.

 

[mrvette]

kinda off topic but why would my original deal just pack up and close. the crappy local dealerships are still around but this particular one was the best dealership I have ever had a car serviced at and it's the one that closes it's doors.

Because the owner donated to the R party, that's why, it's bee all OVER the net with that ****.....

I had a '85 Dodge 3/4 ton van...8.25 rear, **** the bit...blew out BIG TYME me sliding to a stop and the van rang like a bell, locked up tight, almost got rear ended....I slowly backed it up, figgering there is only ONE thing that can lock a rear that tight in a micro second....and sure enough the damn cross shaft bolt was gone and the cross shaft swung around into the pinion and busted it off but good into the teeth....

nursed it home making the WORST ******* vibration and bitchpissmoaning like a little girl.....

went to a 9.25 Chrysler rear.....posi, still under there parked in front now....

:lol::lol::club:

 

[Twin_Turbo]

Jeff, the modern diffys are not strong like they used to be, all that MPG crap....I dunno your Camaro specifically, but be surprised if it had a heavy diffy in there....

I bet it's diffy....

:suicide:

if he has the 10 bolt zexel thorsen, it's about the same strength as the large gear earlier 10 bolt. Nothing wrong with it and the ZT is a very nice diff much nicer than the eaton plate diff.

Jeff, what's your axle ratio? G80 is perf. axle, do you have G92 also? J65 would be 4 wheel discs

 

[MYBAD79]

did the tire cause a loud howling noise

not that I remember, I had a loud exhaust and a pretty good stereo at the time :lol:

Just saying, before you start taking stuff apart check the tires - sometimes it is easy to overlook the easy stuff....

Don't these F-bodies from 93-02 all have the same axle/diffy except maybe different gears for the V6 vs V8 ???

I bet you can find the entire axle for cheeap on a local junkyard if you need one....

 

[Twin_Turbo]

Well, not exactly. They are similar but not the same. the 4th gen rear is 2" wider, the control arm setup and all is the same. The later ones have the zexel diff, the 3rd gens never had that. The perf. axle for the 3rg en up to 1990 was the BW 9 bolt.

 

[JeffP1167]

Jeff, the modern diffys are not strong like they used to be, all that MPG crap....I dunno your Camaro specifically, but be surprised if it had a heavy diffy in there....

I bet it's diffy....

:suicide:

if he has the 10 bolt zexel thorsen, it's about the same strength as the large gear earlier 10 bolt. Nothing wrong with it and the ZT is a very nice diff much nicer than the eaton plate diff.

Jeff, what's your axle ratio? G80 is perf. axle, do you have G92 also? J65 would be 4 wheel discs

The car has a perf. axle ratio option. believe it is a 3.42 the car had some optional performance package on it that gave it all of this along with dual muffler outlets etc.

 

[MYBAD79]

That's what I thought: 4th gen (93-02) (LT1 and LS1) all the same rear axle... as I recall mine had the 3.42 axle....
If that really is your problem it's cheap to replace.... doubtful that you can break it with a stock V6 though....

i'm very curious to hear what the actual reason for the vibration was....i hope it's sumthing that can be fixed cheap but I kinda doubt it's the diffy....not with a stock 3.8

 

[JeffP1167]

That's what I thought: 4th gen (93-02) (LT1 and LS1) all the same rear axle... as I recall mine had the 3.42 axle....
If that really is your problem it's cheap to replace.... doubtful that you can break it with a stock V6 though....

i'm very curious to hear what the actual reason for the vibration was....i hope it's sumthing that can be fixed cheap but I kinda doubt it's the diffy....not with a stock 3.8

It's a stock 3.8 only thing ever changed on it was plugs and plug wires. I sent it to a local shop late yesterday but really not sure when they will get to it since I told them no rush on the car.

 

[JeffP1167]

Y87 = 3800 V6 Performance Package

Auburn or Zexel Torsen Limited Slip Differential
3.42 gears Auto/3.23 gears Standard
14.4:1 Sport Steering (same as Z28)
Four-Wheel Disc Brakes
dual muffler outlets

It lists it could have come with either differential, mine is a late build car since it has a digital odometer and early builds had mechanical odometers.

 

[JeffP1167]

It is the driveshaft causing the problem. This repair is going to hurt! I am at this time taking donations lol.

 

[mrvette]

It is the driveshaft causing the problem. This repair is going to hurt! I am at this time taking donations lol.

Universals not so bad, a 20 buck part.....or is it CV joints for some odd reason??

wooden put it past them.....

wooden put it past ME to change it over to universals either....:club::stirpot:

 

[JeffP1167]

It is the driveshaft causing the problem. This repair is going to hurt! I am at this time taking donations lol.

Universals not so bad, a 20 buck part.....or is it CV joints for some odd reason??

wooden put it past them.....

wooden put it past ME to change it over to universals either....:club::stirpot:

It's going to cost right about 950.00 to repair not a 20.00 universal joint repair LOL. They are going to look into a cheaper alternative for me though, they are going to call a place and see about an aluminum driveshaft for the car.

Was told it is a non serviceable throw away driveshaft because you can't buy just the bearing for it.

 

[MYBAD79]

You can have a custom driveshaft made for less than that.

Buy a used driveshaft and two U-joints at the "zone" and swap it yourself, piece of cake... $100 total.....

 

[MYBAD79]

Was told it is a non serviceable throw away driveshaft because you can't buy just the bearing for it.

bearing ???

I remember the factory U-joints on my aluminum Z28 driveshaft were NOT held in place with a clip like most other U-joints, a plastic pin had to be melted with a torch, then the U-joint could be removed... the replacement from the 'zone' came with standard clips

MAYBE that is why they think it's not replaceable.... just guessing here...