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Car Problem - Grinding From Rear?
AbsoluteZero
The new film by Quentin KoopantinoRegistered User regular
The new film by Quentin KoopantinoRegistered User regular
Hello all.
Once again my poor '97 Chevy Cavalier has a problem that's difficult to diagnose.
There is a rather pronounced grinding sound coming from the middle to rear of the vehicle at low speeds (say 20-40mph) that tends to go away at highway speeds. This sound only occurs when I am putting pressure on the accelerator, if I brake or coast the noise stops, though occasionally it does not if I am taking a sharp turn (say at an intersection).
The only mechanic I've taken it to said "oh it's probably just ending out" whatever the hell that means. It's gotten worse. I'd like to have some idea of what might be wrong with it before I take it to another shop.
Any ideas?
Once again my poor '97 Chevy Cavalier has a problem that's difficult to diagnose.
There is a rather pronounced grinding sound coming from the middle to rear of the vehicle at low speeds (say 20-40mph) that tends to go away at highway speeds. This sound only occurs when I am putting pressure on the accelerator, if I brake or coast the noise stops, though occasionally it does not if I am taking a sharp turn (say at an intersection).
The only mechanic I've taken it to said "oh it's probably just ending out" whatever the hell that means. It's gotten worse. I'd like to have some idea of what might be wrong with it before I take it to another shop.
Any ideas?
AbsoluteZero on
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But.
Your thread title is full of win.
That's what I thought, but I wouldn't think that would go away at highway speed.
Try one of the "free inspection" places and just keep an eye on the car to make sure they're not dicking with anything they shouldn't be.
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I'm basing that on FWD car, so what else back there would make that kinda noise, and speed might just make the noise too high pitched to hear.
Also check for air in the tire and/or the possibility of having the wrong tire on the vehicle because having the wrong speed rating on the tire will cause vibration/grinding noises.
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I third the axel bearing diagnosis. It sounds eerily like what I had on my taurus. If it is a bearing, be careful, the wheel can seize up on you if you don't get it taken care of.
Is it more of a grinding or a squeak?
I would guess it's a balance/alignment problem with the rear tires. If one of the wheels is slightly bent, you'll hire some odd noises from the tire at low speeds that you wouldn't notice at higher speeds. Is there any vibration to accompany your rear grinding?
This will be a huge indicator of a bearing problem. A wheel bearing gone bad will cause the tire to vibrate back and forth as much as 10 degrees, and there is no way you'll fail to notice it. (If this happens, get your car to a shop ASAP, as that wheel might decide it doesn't want to be along for the ride anymore)
If there is no vibration, I would suspect a brake problem. Usually problems related to bearings and wheels get worse with higher speeds, not better, whereas the reverse is typically true with brakes.
I think I'm going to see if I can get it in at Midas on Friday.... if anyone has any other ideas please do share! I want to be able to point the mechanic in the right direction when I bring it in.
However, yes, get into the ship ASAP. There's also the fact that your alignment being off for too long will cause your tires to deform, which will have you tossing out some decent change to replace them.
New question! I'm taking this thing to Midas... if I need to have the wheel bearings replaced, how much should I expect that to cost?
Maybe 2 hours labour and 150.00 or so parts. And thats probably on the expensive side. BTW, that's per side.
Mechanics use one of 2 guides to estimate labour, so if anyone has access to those they could tell you how much time exactly, but 2 hours or more would surprise me.
They might recommend an alignment too, which 100 bucks CAD is one of the expensive places around town. So if thats recommended, about 50-75US I'd guess.
Edit: Oh, and there might be a diagnostic charge.
A wheel bearing won't be more than a grand and any shop will diagnose before doing any repair. At least they should.
Don't let my numbers scare you. The wheel bearings would probably be a lot cheaper and I'm Canadian and in a bit of a larger city so some costs might be inflated because of that.
You can also supply your own parts, so if you call like pep boys or autozone or whoever else you have down there you could find out how much the wheel bearing would be and if Midas tries to charge you a huge chunk for that wheel bearing, just supply your own.
Alignment... Well, after the work is done you can test drive the car to see if it's driving straight, it's not the best test, but it'll tell you if it really NEEDS an alignment. Its not like you must get this done and even if they say you should you don't have to get it done then and there.
But, I also live on a remote island and don't have many other options. Definitely have the shop at least take a look at it and give you an estimate.
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If you are in the US then it is illegal for them to charge you for work unless they get your approval for it and provide you with an estimate for all costs involved, fyi.
I honestly did not know this! I always just thought the local mechanic was being nice by calling me and giving me an estimate before he fixed my car.
Serpentine belts, other bearings, transmission issues, sensors, alignments.
I had those all happen in succession in my car, as soon as I hit transmission I said fuck it and got a new car.
Bearings, belts, and sensors are easy enough to replace. It's not like changing a tire or a bulb, but you can rent/borrow the necessary tools and do most stuff in an evening or a weekend at worst.
Once you hit "transmission" though, it's probably time to throw in the oil-soaked rag, especially so if a new gearbox is worth more than the car.
And really, a grand for a fucking wheel bearing is insane outside the realm of German cars. See the "$85 for bearing, $7 for wrench" that Uncle Long posted. Throw in repairshop mark-up and a half hour of labour, it should be like $150-$200 depending on the car.
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If you have no knowledge of cars or anything, why did you post out here on an auto forum ?
What does "full of win" mean ?