Brian, I just went through this ordeal on my Spitfire. The diffs really
are not that noisy (the fact that it only sits two feet from your ears vice
the 6 to 8 in other vehicles probably affects it) I had an incredible
noise in my rear end and was convinced it was the diff. It was just as you
described. What it ended up being was the u-joints! One of them was so
dry (actually I blew the rusts dust out upon final removal) that it had
gouged into the journal of the u-joint, making a deep ripple around the
journal. As I accelerated or drove I assume the needle bearings would jam
into the gouges and others would slide over them making a horrendous noise.
Hope I helped.
Patrick Bowen
At 08:01 AM 1/7/99 EST, Brian Furgalus wrote:
>I am going to be making a gentleman an offer on a 1980 Spitfire. The car is
>in nice mechanical condition, but the rear end concerns me. At speed,
>something from the rear tends to make an intermitant whining noise (like
gears
>in a gearbox, but it's definitely NOT that!).With the clutch disengaged, the
>noise disappears. The car only has 34,000 genuine miles, so I really don't
>see how there could be a diff. problem, but I could be wrong! I'm
inclined to
>think it's a diff. problem, because if it were anything else, the noise would
>be evident on decel., regardless of whether or not the clutch was
disengaged.
>I don't know how to describe the noise. It is, I think, most definitely from
>the diff, but I know the diff is noisy in the spitfire. What is considered
>normal? It's not so loud as to not be able to talk over it, but it sure is
>annoying after a while, top up!
>
>Thanks!
>
>Brian Furgalus
>
>(BTW- This list is the greatest thing since sliced bread! I happily read
>people's stories. They're fun!)
>
>
Patrick Bowen
'79 Spitfire
Jacksonville FL
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