Weird Noise between 60-70 MPH

[04MRADR]

:cool: Anyone got a thought on what the noise is I'm hearing? I'm not sure if its the new version BF Goodrich g-Force T/A radials. Running the KDW2s front and rear. Front are 235/50ZR18 97Y and rears are 255/55R18 109V. I have about 22K on them and I'm not sure if its the tire causing the problem or maybe something else. The Big M runs fine and when I hit about 60 MPH I hear a wamp wamp wamp sound from I think the engine, exhaust, tires? Cannot pinpoint. Almost sounds as if an intermittent hesitation in the fuel flow? I inflated the tires a little more and it got quieter. Any thoughts? Could it be a balancer fell off a wheel or my alignment went off? Sound also reminds me a little bit of an agitator in a washing machine. It is a recurring sound that is constant between 60-70 then disappears until around 75 MPH then disappears again around 77 MPH. I'm stumped? Any ideas?

[prchrman]

My rear wheel bearings went bad and caused what you are talking about...but...it sounded like that at low speed also...had the bearings changed and it got quieter but I still have a slight vibration at 65 to 70 mph and have had it since the car was new with several different sets of tires and 2 different tire brands...hope this helps...willie

[Marauderjack]

Sounds like the beginnings of rear bearing failure...It will get worse in time but won't actually break and leave you stranded??:cool:

I had a 2000 CV that did it for 30K miles and I too thought it was tires but when new tires didn't help I looked further and it ended up being soft axles.....very prevalent from 1999 to the late 2003 models!!:mad2:

Pull the magnetic fill plug on the rear axle and see if it has a bunch of bright metal chips on it.....If so the axles, bearings and seals will need to be replaced!!:shake:

I think the complete kit from Ford is $300 or so and you might even get some assistance from your dealer even if you are out of warranty.....It was a KNOWN problem and MANY have been replaced!!:beer:

Good Luck and let us know what you find.

Marauderjack:burnout:

[knine]

+1 for the bearings. Had the same thing for a dodge durango.....that son-of-a-bitcxxxxx just cost me 1,200.00 yeshterday. BTW, the other sound i've grown acustom to in my MM is whooooooo whoooooo pull over.

[04MRADR]

:cool: First off let me thank Marauderjack, prchrman and knine for responding. This is one somebody may want to put in Carfixers. (I don't know how). Anyway, went to my mechanics today for an oil change and noted the problem with the strange noise between 60-70 MPH. As suggested by our members I had him check the rear but no loss of fluid or metal in the lock nut. He assured me it wasn't tire balancing since no vibration in the car. (I went on different car web sites yesterday and that was the overriding characteristic of tires out of balance). So we went in I-95 in Northeast Philly from Bridge Street to Cottman Avenue and as predicted at 60 MPH the sound came in. My mechanic said it wan't tires, nor the sound bad bearings make, or tire balancing. He thought it was in the exhaust! Huh? He explained there are different baffle plates and other areas in mufflers that make that noise when they start to break up. So how were we sure you ask? Here's what we did to test. We left the car at 60 MPH and shut overdirve off! Sure enough the revs went to about 3,000 and instantly the noise stopped! This was my mechanics suggestion to verify it was an exhaust problem. In fact, he suggested many exhanust problems can often be tested by going out of overdrive. I thanked him, tried it several times again on I-95 from Bridge Street to Woodhanven Road and back to Academy Road. Each time I turned off the overdrive, the engined reved to 3,000 and the noise disappeared immediately. When I went back into overdrive it reappeared. The way to get rid of the problem is replace the mufflers, which is a new dilemma. I know the membership has their favorites but does anybody know what the most popular muffler is and model number with our club members? I'd be interested in any thoughts. Oh by the way, my mechanic is Stan's Garage 5200 Gillespie Street, Philadelphia. My family been going to him and his dad before him for 40 years. Great mechanic, honest guy. No bull.

[Local Boy]

I'm glad you found the problem. I don't care much for mufflers that have fiberglass elements in them because over time they simply wear out and require a muffler change (Pain in the behind). I have had great success with flowmaster 40 series. I run 40 series in my MM and thunder series in my race truck. The 40 series are quiet at idle (cabin remains quiet), roars when under load. The 40 series are a little longer, and thus quiter than the 50 series. Flowmasters have welded baffles and NO fiberglass elements in them. They are full flow and low restriction. Hope this helps. ALOHA

[Mike Poore]

Sound also reminds me a little bit of an agitator in a washing machine. It is a recurring sound that is constant between 60-70

If the driving/traveling conditions around your house resemble mine, then that noise would be coming from the wife, howling about your driving. :argue:

[04MRADR]

:cool: That's exactly what is sounds like! An agitator in a wash machine!

[knine]

...........an occasional: high pitch whine whine whine whine, complain, slow down, slow down, for GODS SAKE, SLOW DOWN!!!! nope, haven't heard it. I love being single :banana:

[snowbird]

It then could be a cat going bad. A competent muffler shop (or yourself) could test it by banging them not too hard with a hammer. If one is faulty, it should sound like ... a dying cat. Also could be one of the inner baffle of a muffler unsoldering itself. Same trick with a hammer should highlight the bad one.

Edit: Dumping your girlfriend could be premature, unless your hear the same sound while with her in HER car !!