1979 240D

I drug home the $500 beater - named the Marmot

I got it running really well - new nozzles etc. But I started to get a NASTY howl from the drive train.

At first I though - bad half shafts - but they seem to be in good condition - though the boots are tired.

Then I thought wheel bearing - I pulled one last night - it wasn't dry. It still had plenty of clean grease in the cavity between the bearings. I repacked anyway and re-installed (what a pita!)

Then while installing the new flex joint - I began wondering if it could be the carrier bearing.

How do I test the carrier bearing?

BTW - the car does not make the howling sound with the rear wheels in the air. It seems it only has issues with the weight of the car on it. I would have sworn it was a bearing - but doesn't seem to be the case.

Closely inspect the center bearing and try to move the drive shaft around. Oftentimes the rubber surrounding the bearing fails.

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83 SD

84 CD

more testing is needed to figure out where the noise is.
on the road, accelerate, decelerate, turn hard left, hard right. report back with what the noise does.

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

If you are installing flex joints, it makes sense to drop the whole driveshaft and inspect. I don't see how you can do both ends otherwise anyway. And you might wreck the center support rubber anyway flexing it.

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80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

Safely Jack the whole car off of the ground; or do what ever you need to do so the Rear Wheels are off of the Ground and there is enough room for you to get under the Car and use a Mechanics Stethoscope (or substitute) to listen to the Drive Shaft Support Bearing while the Engine is running and the Car is in Gear. (Also listen to the Pinion Gear and the rest of the Differential and the Tail end of the Transmission while you are doing the above.)

When I did this on my Volvo the Drive shaft Support Gearing was actual bobbing up and down and it sounded gritty. Sure enough it was no good.

If you remove the Drive shaft Support from the Drive Shaft you have a good chance of feeling that the Bearing is rough

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel