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240 Sound of failing driveshaft carrier bearing?

Gussie

Gussie

New member
Joined
Mar 30, 2004
Hi all,

After a couple of years with a slightly noisy exhaust, I just had the exhaust system replaced on my '93 245 and --- even though I'm a bit hard of hearing --- I hear a nasty new sound. It's directly proportional to vehicle speed, sounds a bit like a turbine, is louder on deceleration than acceleration, and happens mostly during the first couple of minutes driving in the morning. Automatic transmission (sadly). Roughly 500,000 miles but still doing 600-900 miles per week no problem. Reasonably maintained. Does this seem likely to be the driveshaft carrier bearing?

Thanks

Marty
 
Gussie said:
Hi all,

After a couple of years with a slightly noisy exhaust, I just had the exhaust system replaced on my '93 245 and --- even though I'm a bit hard of hearing --- I hear a nasty new sound. It's directly proportional to vehicle speed, sounds a bit like a turbine, is louder on deceleration than acceleration, and happens mostly during the first couple of minutes driving in the morning. Automatic transmission (sadly). Roughly 500,000 miles but still doing 600-900 miles per week no problem. Reasonably maintained. Does this seem likely to be the driveshaft carrier bearing?

Thanks

Marty
Click to expand...

What you're describing sounds exactly like what my drive-shaft bushing sounded like when it went bad. Jet turbine noise...mostly noticeable on deceleration from around 40MPH, etc.
 
Gussie said:
Hi all,

Roughly 500,000 miles but still doing 600-900 miles per week no problem. Reasonably maintained.

Marty
Click to expand...

Forgive the thread-jack, but I never cease to be amazed at the longevity of these cars.

500k miles, and still doing over 30k a year? Truly amazing.

Now back to the subject...

-Tom in SoCal
 
I'll third the bearing-mine started doing that and I thought something was wrong with the transmission. You might be able to peel the seal back with a flathead screwdriver and get some grease in there to get you through another few weeks/months, until you've got time/parts to deal with it.

Marty-I'm curious-is that 500k on the original auto trans? That's very cool!
 
Thanks all for your ideas. I'll do the bearing and report back.

This car is on its first engine but its third transmission. The original owner (a Psychiatrist) had the first transmission replaced somewhere around 100,000 miles, I bought the car at about 120,000 miles and the transmission failed at about 160,000, and the one I had installed has been going great since then. I flush the transmission roughly every 25,000 miles using 11 quarts and the hose from iPd.
 
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Success!

Hi all,

In the car, I inspected the driveshaft carrier bearing and found it stiff but not 'broken' so I lubed it up and went for a test drive. Not only was the 'turbine' sound gone, but a whistle/squeel I've been chasing for a few years is gone too. This whistle/squeel was also proportional to vehicle speed but always came on at around 60 mph and would frequently start and stop like it was switched. It seemed to me and others to be coming from the right front wheel assembly (like a brake squeel) or the engine compartment (like a vacuum leak). I am super happy!

Thanks for your help.

Marty
 
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