I'm not whining....but

[Ozark Marauder]

I just bought my Marauder last week, 59000 miles, and while driving (60 mph) I noticed a faint whining sound. It sounds as if its coming from the right rear, but not sure. As I accelerated (75 mph) the pitch got higher, not louder. I just put on new BFG KDWs all around, aligned to Carfixers specs. When I let off the gas the whine disappears. Rear end?, axles?, tires? tranny?

I'm taking it in next week for total fluids and filter changes. Any suggestions?

[SC Cheesehead]

May be rear gears. Do you know if the PO installed 4:10's?

[fastblackmerc]

I just bought my Marauder last week, 59000 miles, and while driving (60 mph) I noticed a faint whining sound. It sounds as if its coming from the right rear, but not sure. As I accelerated (75 mph) the pitch got higher, not louder. I just put on new BFG KDWs all around, aligned to Carfixers specs. When I let off the gas the whine disappears. Rear end?, axles?, tires? tranny?

I'm taking it in next week for total fluids and filter changes. Any suggestions?

I vote for rear gears & maybe axles.

[Pat]

Some early builds had a TSB on rear axels/bearings. Do a search on this, get the TSB # and find out if it applies to your car. If so, find out if it was complied with by doing an OASIS check.

Good luck

[Glockafella]

Does the sound go away when you take your foot off the gas? if so it may be the exhaust...You will be able to hear a distinct howling from the rear at high speeds if your axles have gone caput.

[Ozark Marauder]

Found the TSB, Article No. 03-5-5 AXLE - REAR AXLE SHAFT AND/OR AXLE BEARING PREMATURE WEAR - VEHICLES PRODUCED BEFORE 1/1/2003 ONLY

Mine built 01/07/03, so.....guess not

[Ozark Marauder]

Have oasis report ....no mention of it

[Ozark Marauder]

The sound does go away when I let off the gas.

[Glockafella]

yeah the axle problem is all 2002 build MMs...mine has brand new everything on the rear...still makes noise, but only when my foot in into it...so I assume its the exhaust.

[Glockafella]

The sound does go away when I let off the gas.


Mine does the exact same thing...it has all new rear end and axles installed by dealer 5 months ago...

[Ozark Marauder]

Don' know about 4.10's, was a doctor's wife's car...so I'm assuming stock. His numbers unlisted, so I can't get a hold of him

[Ozark Marauder]

Guess it must be exhaust....or typical sound of the drivetrain, never drove one before so I can't make a comparison.

[Glockafella]

I think your assumption is correct on the rear end gear ratio...heres a trick.

[Glockafella]

Block your front wheels
On level ground, put the rear of your car up on jackstands (good ones). Make sure that your car is stable.
Put the transmission in neutral.
Chalk mark the pumpkin and the driveshaft.
Chalk mark a wheel where it will be visible.
TURN THE DRIVESHAFT.
Count the number of turns of the driveshaft it takes to turn one wheel one time.
The number of times (including fractions) the driveshaft must turn to turn the wheel onetime is roughly your gear ratio.

[Blackened300a]

I was having this issue before I pulled my rear apart this week. Turned out to be a worn axle.

[justbob]

My bad axle changed in pitch when I let off, but the sound did not just go away. While you have the rear jacked up, hold onto the tire and try to move up and down. Mine had alot of play but no leaks.

[Big Black Beast]

While it's jacked up and in neutral, couldn't you just spin the wheel and listen? Or am I being stpid here. It's happened before.:banned:

[Big Black Beast]

Oh, the irony of spelling "stupid" wrong. Damn, it happened again!

[DEFYANT]

Sounds like the reason why someone else sold it. I vote axles also.

[MrBluGruv]

I'm having similar issues, sound is only present when I get on the gas to any degree, but disappears when I let off the throttle. Don't recall this always being the case, but I have about 90k miles on the vehicle now. ('03 300A)

If the problem is indeed worn axle, what will happen in the long run if unattended-to?

[justbob]

Don't worry, the noise will get loud enough at 65 that you will be afraid of driving it till you fix it. Mine whined for about a year. Also, I managed to get the Ford parts guy down to about $295 from the list of $420 simply by asking nicely. In the kit is bearings, seals, axles, oil, new diff tag, everything you need except friction modifier. I did mine in two hours, in a non heated garage, on my back in January. Very easy job.

[MrBluGruv]

Hmm, at least it's cheap...kinda...that's a whole paycheck for me. :(

Would the whining only appear at certain speeds? seems to only appear at like 45 to 50.

[justbob]

If it is the axles then no, the noise only worsens as you go faster. Depending on severity, mine started howling at around 30 and at 80 you were afraid, very afraid. Due you have any leaks?

[MrBluGruv]

Not that I can see, plus it's audible at 50 and that's about it. I've gotten to 120 or so without scaring myself into slowing down from the noise. In fact I can't seem to hear it at all, by then.

I'm beginning to think I'm a hypochondriach of automobile problems. :(

[Ozark Marauder]

The whine starts at 60 and goes away above 75, only when cruising on the highway, nothing up to 60 and nothing over 75, The drive train guy at the speed shop told me it was "harmonic resonance" I'm thinking "yeah right" Another guy said it was O/D whine in the transmission. Like I said it's a faint whine (not howling) that increases in pitch. I guess I'll just keep driving it and see if anything changes.

PS I was driving in the rain for the first time and when I turned on my wipers, about 30 seconds later my headlights came on, when I turned the wipers off about 30 seconds later the headlights went off. Hmmm A feature I didn't know about, I love this car.

[RacerX]

Yup! Lights come on with the wipers. Try those speeds with the OD off, see if the whine is still there.

[Glenn]

Driveshaft may be unbalanced. If costs only $35 in Atlanta - off the car.

Glenn Ford

[Blackened300a]

The whine starts at 60 and goes away above 75, only when cruising on the highway, nothing up to 60 and nothing over 75, The drive train guy at the speed shop told me it was "harmonic resonance" I'm thinking "yeah right" Another guy said it was O/D whine in the transmission. Like I said it's a faint whine (not howling) that increases in pitch. I guess I'll just keep driving it and see if anything changes.

PS I was driving in the rain for the first time and when I turned on my wipers, about 30 seconds later my headlights came on, when I turned the wipers off about 30 seconds later the headlights went off. Hmmm A feature I didn't know about, I love this car.

I had the same issues, I was fearing for the worst when I pulled the diff cover off. My ring and pinion were set dead on and I had plenty of fluid in the rear.
Our vendor Sparta sells the complete rebuild kit which includes all the races, bearings, shims and seal's. Make sure you get a axle bearing puller or else it will be a hell of a time to pull the bearings out.

[Marauderman]

I vote for rear gears & maybe axles.

+1 as they were bad from the Factory--ref-TSB below



Found the TSB, Article No. 03-5-5 AXLE - REAR AXLE SHAFT AND/OR AXLE BEARING PREMATURE WEAR - VEHICLES PRODUCED BEFORE 1/1/2003 ONLY

Mine built 01/07/03, so.....guess not

Personally--it was close enough that its within the bad group--a 6 day difference could have been on the lot anyway---I would consider it



Have oasis report ....no mention of it

It won't as its a factory issue that may not have been corrected yet to show on it.



The sound does go away when I let off the gas.

An indication that it is the axles bearing from some previous owners with same issues.


As for it already changed out on Clocks, and still doing it--it could be with wrong material as its been 5 years since it was produced.

[Blackened300a]

Heres what my axles looked like after 67K miles.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/blackened300a/axlewear1.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/blackened300a/axlewear.jpg

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

I posted this recently on someone else's thread but to reiterate:

some noise is inevitable from a gear driven unit. The factory service manual for these cars even says that some noise is acceptable and normal from the rear ring and pinion. If you have really good hearing and a stock exhaust, like I do, you are probably hearing normal ring and pinion noise. It should be very faint but at certain speeds you are gonna get some harmonics that will be audible. It will vary with speed and load. I have gone through 3 sets of Ford gears and I have a Rotunda set up kit and no matter what you always end up with some faint whine. My car had some faint whine stock 55/65/75 mph and 3 perfectly set up gear seats later (with all new bearings) it still sings slightly. No one else notices it but I have good hearing and it annoys me a little. If you search the web for 8.8 gear whine you will come up with a lot of reading material.

[Ozark Marauder]

Well, I had a few friends in the car with me and asked their opinion, It goes as follows:
1. A recording engineer friend from a local recording studio "Yeah I barely hear it"
2. A BMW motorcycle mechanic friend, "That's normal drive train noise, I wouldn't think much of it unless it gets louder and is apparent at all speeds."
3. A friend with a 03 cobra SVT, " Mine is a little louder than that, been like that since new, the Ford mechanic at the dealer told me it was normal."
4. My girlfriend, singer in a country band and studio back-up singer, "What noise I can't hear anything"

[SWOOSH]

Block your front wheels
On level ground, put the rear of your car up on jackstands (good ones). Make sure that your car is stable.
Put the transmission in neutral.
Chalk mark the pumpkin and the driveshaft.
Chalk mark a wheel where it will be visible.
TURN THE DRIVESHAFT.
Count the number of turns of the driveshaft it takes to turn one wheel one time.
The number of times (including fractions) the driveshaft must turn to turn the wheel onetime is roughly your gear ratio.

Hmmm, interesting!!!

[Ozark Marauder]

I'll check it out and the 8.8 gear whine on the net

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

You aren't gonna learn anything from google, what I meant to point out is, if it makes you feel better, you can take consolation in the fact that you will find a lot of mustang guys with 8.8s that are so noisy they can't stand them. Your very faint gear whine is normal and is just a characteristic of a gear drive.

[Ozark Marauder]

google directed me to the Mustang sites, been reading them since 11:30, as you say stranger, them dudes have a lot worse problems than me. Thanks

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

^no problem, see you can take consolation in others' misery (that doesn't sound very nice when put that way now that I think of it)

The first time I had my gears re done by the dealer while I still had a warranty, I got the car back and they were so loud I couldn't tolerate it, so I gave up on the dealer and I started doing gears myself. I managed to make the car as quiet as it was stock, which still had the very faint whine under certain throttle at 55/65/75 mph, after wasting a lot of time and money. I even talked to the guys at the gear plant in Dearborn who make and install the gears for Ford, on the phone.