Recently my84 started making rararararara kinda hum like noises coming from the left rear (or so i think).i have checked the fluid level in the trans and engine (both good) and the adjustment of the parking brake - the lever hits the stop on the caliper when brake disengaged. Where do i go next to figure this out? i don't wanna drive and be left stranded or make a small problem into a big one. jon
------------------ Astronomy says we will find a coded signal from outer space. Then we'll KNOW that life exists there, for coded signals aren't by chance.
Biology says there are coded genetic signals in every cell, but we KNOW that no intelligence created life.
I'm the original owner of a white ' 84 2M4 purchased Dec 10, 1983 from Pontiac. Always garaged, no rust, 4-wheel drifts are fun!
Might be a wheel bearing. Does the hum change with the car speed? How are the brake pads & rotors? Rust buildup on rotors can rub on pads.
i thot about a wheel bearing. The rararararararara does change with speed, getting worse on the freeway. It begins at say 40mph. Can i just grease it? Other wheel bearings that i had that went bad on my old Mazda squeeled not rararararara.
The pads were fine, until i drove with the ebrake on for several miles. They were HOT! The exterior pad is worn more than the interior pad. Hmmmm . The rotors look good.
jon
------------------ Astronomy says we will find a coded signal from outer space. Then we'll KNOW that life exists there, for coded signals aren't by chance.
Biology says there are coded genetic signals in every cell, but we KNOW that no intelligence created life.
I'm the original owner of a white ' 84 2M4 purchased Dec 10, 1983 from Pontiac. Always garaged, no rust, 4-wheel drifts are fun!
Hit any potholes lately? A broken cord in a tire will rararaa sometimes.
My rear tires are SHOT! Almost bald. So bad that i won't drive in the rain as the rear gets squirrly. i will be taking her off the road this Oct 31 and getting new tires first thing in the spring. i'll check the tire for visible problems. jon
------------------ Astronomy says we will find a coded signal from outer space. Then we'll KNOW that life exists there, for coded signals aren't by chance.
Biology says there are coded genetic signals in every cell, but we KNOW that no intelligence created life.
I'm the original owner of a white ' 84 2M4 purchased Dec 10, 1983 from Pontiac. Always garaged, no rust, 4-wheel drifts are fun!
Depending on the miles, it could be a wheel bearing. But 80's GM wheel bearings from my experience easily last 300,000 KM or more. I think you hit the nail on the head when you mentioned the tires. It is amazing how a new set of tires quiets a car down.
[This message has been edited by wftb (edited 10-06-2018).]
Depending on the miles, it could be a wheel bearing. But 80's GM wheel bearings from my experience easily last 300,000 KM or more. I think you hit the nail on the head when you mentioned the tires. It is amazing how a new set of tires quiets a car down.
Yep, lol! Only one has been replaced on my three Fieros; the right rear on the '84 SE at 372,300 kilometers.
Worn tires and/or alignment issues can certainly result in humming noises. I'm not exactly sure what 'rararararara' sounds like... Maybe like big lug off-road tires on pavement? Bearings are more rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr with the pitch depending on speed.
My rear tires are SHOT! Almost bald. So bad that i won't drive in the rain as the rear gets squirrly. i will be taking her off the road this Oct 31 and getting new tires first thing in the spring. i'll check the tire for visible problems. jon
Bald, round tires can still be quiet; cupped tires or mis-aligned tires make noise as the tread hops when it loses contact with the road as the wheel turns. Put your hand across the tire tread and sweep your hand around the tire. You should be able to feel if the tread is cupped or lumpy versus smooth and round. Protruding edges of the remaining tread caused by misalignment could make road noise.
If you ate crossing around 55 or so and then put the clutch in does the sound stop? Or put it in neutral, any difference? If so, out could be something trans or clutch related. One of mine had a wrong size tob installed that would rararararara as it shook around on the trans spline. But no sounds when putting the clutch in since it would be held in place between the pressure plate and fork.
i'll go down Monday and get new tires. i don't want to miss the last three weeks of driving and i was planning on getting new tires in the spring anyway. If its NOT tires, then i will want to repair it this winter.
thanks guys
jon
------------------ Astronomy says we will find a coded signal from outer space. Then we'll KNOW that life exists there, for coded signals aren't by chance.
Biology says there are coded genetic signals in every cell, but we KNOW that no intelligence created life.
I'm the original owner of a white ' 84 2M4 purchased Dec 10, 1983 from Pontiac. Always garaged, no rust, 4-wheel drifts are fun!
[This message has been edited by longjonsilver (edited 10-07-2018).]
Also check if your dust shield isn't rubbing your disk. Just have to bend it a little to get it to quit.
My dust shield has rubbed in the past - i noticed it by the echo bouncing off the buildings and railings by the side of the road. Dust shields make a high pitched squealing sound. This is more of a rararararara or a rrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, and it gets louder as i drive faster. It starts about 25mph and by 60 its loud! jon
------------------ Astronomy says we will find a coded signal from outer space. Then we'll KNOW that life exists there, for coded signals aren't by chance.
Biology says there are coded genetic signals in every cell, but we KNOW that no intelligence created life.
I'm the original owner of a white ' 84 2M4 purchased Dec 10, 1983 from Pontiac. Always garaged, no rust, 4-wheel drifts are fun!
I'm wondering if you swapped the rear tires for the front tires, would the rararararara move to the front as well.
Note,, I'm not suggesting, just wondering.
Spoon
------------------ "Kilgore Trout once wrote a short story which was a dialogue between two pieces of yeast. They were discussing the possible purposes of life as they ate sugar and suffocated in their own excrement. Because of their limited intelligence, they never came close to guessing that they were making champagne." - Kurt Vonnegut
I'm wondering if you swapped the rear tires for the front tires, would the rararararara move to the front as well.
Note,, I'm not suggesting, just wondering.
Spoon
i'm running 16s on the rear and 14s on the front. Kinda funny to swap them, but i guess it would allow me to tell if the rararararara comes from the front. jon
------------------ Astronomy says we will find a coded signal from outer space. Then we'll KNOW that life exists there, for coded signals aren't by chance.
Biology says there are coded genetic signals in every cell, but we KNOW that no intelligence created life.
I'm the original owner of a white ' 84 2M4 purchased Dec 10, 1983 from Pontiac. Always garaged, no rust, 4-wheel drifts are fun!
You could try switching the wheels from one side to the other side to see if it makes a difference. The opposite rotation could affect the noise as well.
[This message has been edited by David Hambleton (edited 10-08-2018).]
Is the sound with vibration or does it just sound like a grinding noise?. Get the tire off the ground, support it by the suspension arm if possible, and block the front wheels. . With the car in neutral turn the wheel by hand and listen for noise. Possibilities could be tire, wheel bearing hub, CV axle, grabbing brakes or even a transmission shaft bearing. .
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, P-log Manifold, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, Champion Radiator, S10 Brake Booster, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
Is the sound with vibration or does it just sound like a grinding noise?. Get the tire off the ground, support it by the suspension arm if possible, and block the front wheels. . With the car in neutral turn the wheel by hand and listen for noise. Possibilities could be tire, wheel bearing hub, CV axle, grabbing brakes or even a transmission shaft bearing. .
This is why i want to nail down befor ewinter if it is the tires or not, because if it is more serious than tires, then i want to do the work this winter when i have it off the road. There doesn't appear to me when i drive it that there is vibration. It is more like a grinding noise. I got the wheel off the ground and the ebrake is not dragging, so i guess the hydraulic brakes are not dragging as well.
quote
Originally posted by David Hambleton:
You could try switching the wheels from one side to the other side to see if it makes a difference. The opposite rotation could affect the noise as well.
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Thanks. i'm gonna try that today on my way to the scrapyard to pick up a power booster from a 95 Sonoma for the booster upgrade, as well as some stuff from the three Fieros there that the world seemingly has forgotten. The noise seems to be coming from the left rear, Switching tires should tell me if its tires or the above mentioned more serious things.
thanks guys, i appreciate it
jon
------------------ Astronomy says we will find a coded signal from outer space. Then we'll KNOW that life exists there, for coded signals aren't by chance.
Biology says there are coded genetic signals in every cell, but we KNOW that no intelligence created life.
I'm the original owner of a white ' 84 2M4 purchased Dec 10, 1983 from Pontiac. Always garaged, no rust, 4-wheel drifts are fun!
i switched the rear tires side to side and drove to the scrap yard at some 50mph and no rarararara. Either it was the belt and by rolling the other way it is not slapping, or it is slapping but i don't hear it because its on the other side, but either way, i guess i can conclude that it is the tires and not other more serious stuff. i need new tires anyway. thanks to all jon
------------------ Astronomy says we will find a coded signal from outer space. Then we'll KNOW that life exists there, for coded signals aren't by chance.
Biology says there are coded genetic signals in every cell, but we KNOW that no intelligence created life.
I'm the original owner of a white ' 84 2M4 purchased Dec 10, 1983 from Pontiac. Always garaged, no rust, 4-wheel drifts are fun!
i switched the rear tires side to side and drove to the scrap yard at some 50mph and no rarararara.
Interesting. I thought it would've been a rear wheel bearing for sure... but in retrospect, when one of my rear wheel bearings was failing years ago, it was making more of a squawking noise.
i switched the rear tires side to side and drove to the scrap yard at some 50mph and no rarararara. Either it was the belt and by rolling the other way it is not slapping, or it is slapping but i don't hear it because its on the other side, but either way, i guess i can conclude that it is the tires and not other more serious stuff. i need new tires anyway. thanks to all jon
It might be wise to ask your tire installer if he thinks there's any unusual wear that might be alignment related. You might avoid premature wear on the new tires if something needs adjusting.
Feel free to make fun of me if you wish, but these kind gentlemen (and many others) have helped me, a non-mechanic, keep my car on the road for 15 years now, ever since i joined PFF. They have helped me put in a clutch, put in a throwout bearing, diagnose trouble codes, rebuild my steering rack, rebuild my steering column, rebuild my gen 1 headlight motors, overhaul my entire suspension, install a 3core radiator, install GT gages into my 84, and move my battery into the front. This winter they will help me move my battery under the passenger headlight, recover my drivers seat, install gen 2 headlight motors, and install a larger power booster for my brakes, Thanks again guys. jon
------------------ Astronomy says we will find a coded signal from outer space. Then we'll KNOW that life exists there, for coded signals aren't by chance.
Biology says there are coded genetic signals in every cell, but we KNOW that no intelligence created life.
I'm the original owner of a white ' 84 2M4 purchased Dec 10, 1983 from Pontiac. Always garaged, no rust, 4-wheel drifts are fun!
Originally posted by Patrick: Interesting. I thought it would've been a rear wheel bearing for sure... but in retrospect, when one of my rear wheel bearings was failing years ago, it was making more of a squawking noise.
I was also betting on the wheel bearing. Before I replaced mine it was exactly the ra-ra-ra you described, with the frequency matching the car speed, not at all a squeal or squawk. It's interesting that the same part failing can produce different sounds! Anyway, congratulations on finding the real cause of the problem. Well done!
I was also betting on the wheel bearing. Before I replaced mine it was exactly the ra-ra-ra you described, with the frequency matching the car speed, not at all a squeal or squawk. It's interesting that the same part failing can produce different sounds! Anyway, congratulations on finding the real cause of the problem. Well done!
My thought was the same. Rear wheel bearing. I had to replace one on the 87.
