1999 Volvo V70 driveline noise take 2!

The neighbors car is at it again. 1999 V70 XC Automatic, AWD

There's a driveline related noise that sounds like a deeper version of a card in spokes. Speed related of course, and there's a vibration that goes with it.

I offered to give it a gander (what can I say, I'm a glutton for punishment)

From last time I learned I can drop the driveline on this vehicle and drive it with no ill effects. But last time I just had to narrow it down to "front or back" and their mechanic was going to take it from there.

This time I'm out for blood (I don't like what their mechanic is telling them) and I'd like to troubleshoot it down to the specific component.

My question is: Can I drop the rear axles and drive it instead of removing the driveline?

I'm hoping by doing so, I'll be better able to isolate the faulty component.

< Mechanic rant (not in any way related to fault isolation) >

After replacing the front two axles and now having this noise you're actually going to say "...everything under there is just so wore out I wouldn't bother fixing it" really man? 4 axles, of which you've changed 2, and a drive shaft and "Everything" is wore out?

FURTHERMORE!!!! Last time I was under there I did notice that the carrier bearing had only one bolt hole that lined up. I told the owners, who told you. Parroting back "... that driveshaft isn't the right one and only has one bolt in it." isn't helping anyone. IF you cant even parrot correctly, how in the WORLD do you remember to put things back in the car correctly? You're welcome for that one, and "no shiny happy person": The driveshaft IS the correct damn one, but the carrier bearing was subbed at some point in time and IT only has one bolt in it. Don't go scaring my neighbors with that E36 M3.

And thanks, by the way. Because you're just too damn lazy to fix the next problem in line you've got them convinced that they NEED to drop $6000 on a newer Volvo for what I'm POSITIVE is a $200 CV joint. I'm sure on their teacher's salary they just have all sorts of money to be throwing around.

And the worst thing is they actually believe you. It's like watching your best friend in a E36 M3ty relationship.

< /mechanic rant>

If it's that obvious a noise, have them drive, while you hang out the windows like a dog to isolate what corner it's on.

Go from there.

If it's at a corner, I'd suspect wheel bearing first. In the center, perhaps rear driveshaft. Especially if the bevel gear has gone and the driveshaft locker is then trying to spin the shaft because of the mismatch in rotatino.

There must be a specialty Volvo shop in your area.
Mathews Volvo forum or others probably has one they recommend.

John: I asked the owners. Apparently this guy is at a "Volvo Specialty shop". I didn't ask which one though...

Foxtrapper: I'll give the wheel bearings a gander. I reckon I can drive it in circles to see if the noise speeds up/slows down to help isolate a side.

In some reading I've done on Mathews Volvo forum (thanks John, for that idea) someone with the same symptoms was pointed to the driveshaft CV joints. The front more than the aft, but I'll be giving those a gander as well.

Thanks guys.

cant you diagnose a cv joint by turning all the way to lock and slowly driving, listening for clicking?

For the axle CV joints I can, but there are two on the driveshaft that are going to be a little more difficult to check. My plan there, I think, is going to be

• put car in park and lift back end

• rock driveshaft back and forth (checks front CV for play)

• drop back end, car in neutral, set E-brake

• rock driveshaft back and forth (checks back CV for play)

I pick up the car on Sunday, I'll let you know how this turns out.

99 still uses a big nut on the axles, which means that's what holds the wheel bearing together. Getting an axle out of the rear of an awd Volvo is a bit of a pain in the ass, just like every other awd car.

You said last time it was a vibration, iirc. Now its a noise with vibration attatched?

You pulled the driveshaft with no ill effects. Does that mean the noise and vibration was gone, or it still made noises but ran fine down the road?

Does it do it all the time, or just on acceleration?

The driveshafts, in general, have a CV joint front and rear, and a u joint in the middle. Pull the driveshaft, pop the end caps off the cv joints and jam some moly grease into the balls if they look dry. May not fix, but will change the symptoms. You know how to inspect a ujoint, I presume.

Yeah. Last time I dropped the driveshaft and the vibration went away immediately. A few weeks later it came back (three weeks to the day, I think). they took it to their mechanic who replaced the drivers axle up front. I put the drive shaft back in and everything was honkey dorey.

I'm still at a bit of a loss as to how the driveshaft removal had the effects it did AND if its removal made the vibration go away, why didn't it come back immediately when I put it back in? but I figured "don't question something that's working" :)

U-joint inspections? weeeeeeeeell, so far the U-joints I've replaced were cooked enough not to need "inspecting" (and they needed very little help to remove). Most of the time their failure was associated with a "clunk" when transitioning from acceleration to deceleration (and vice versa). I figure I can just check it for "play" and call it good?

I like your grease idea. Pack the front CV, drive it and see if it's changed. Do the same for the back.

Easy money.

Drove the car today, no noise...

I did a couple laps around the block and then did a few miles of highway and the darn thing never did a darn thing. I'm thinking about greasing the driveshaft CV's and just calling it macaroni.

I figure if they're bad bad they'd make noise all the time right? If they're getting hot, losing lubrication, and clacking then I can probably get away with being lazy?

Good times.

I picked up some CV joint grease yesterday ($2.19 at o-vanced zone) and got the driveshaft out today (pending inspection).

While under there, I noticed a lot of "wet" on what looked to be ANOTHER CV joint on the driveshaft. It looks like a berk to get to, but it also looks like it could be the source of the problem.

(pictured below. To the top is where the driveshaft bolts up to, the bottom wet area is just before the diff. It's in some sort of enclosed, you're never going to get at this to fix it without a lot of swearing housing though...)

My plan now is to inspect the two CV's I CAN see (on either end of the driveshaft) reinstall and drive it until I either get the card in spoke noise or the confidence level to say "it's fixed"

Good times

Got 4 jack stands? Put it up on all 4 and drive it that way. Many times, that will reveal things.

I do... but they're under the Alfa

I may have to break down and join a volvo forum.