Hey guys -

Searched a ton of threads - and although I found similiar problems - haven't been able to find the same exact issue I'm having. Would like to get some input from you guys, and find a DIY fix to this some how, some way.

Car:

1996 Honda Accord LX 4 cyl. Manual

Problem:

While driving - clutch in gear or not - the faster I go, the louder there is - what I describe as "studded snow tires on asphalt" type of sound. I've seen many people describe the same type of sound only when in gear - but this seems to happen whenever I simply go down the road. It seems to be only dependent on how fast I am going - to how much noise the problem makes.

I've already gotten two opinions from local stores - but I don't trust half the advice they give me (ie Pep Boys & Big Ten Tires). I've had both say at first it would more than likely be a wheel bearing - and afterwards change their minds to some kind of transmission bearing.

Could this possibly be a shaft bearing or even a differential bearing?
Anybody seen a write up that has information on these problems that I could investigate further?

Thanks - everyone here seems awesome and I turn to you guys for some advice - any given is MUCH appreciated. THANKS!

 

Drive and turn side to side like a nut case.If it changes sound it would be a wheel bearing(you turning side to side takes lode of one side of the car).Is it in the front or the rear?

Front bearing="i hate this car why lord why"

Rear bearing="ok not to bad lets get a beer"

If it is a diff bearing turning the car will not change the noise + you would probably be leaking trans fluid.

 

Wasn't making a difference trying something along those lines. Turning has made no difference on the noise itself. Something I actually noticed earlier, that caused something of a difference in the noise - was applying the brakes. It didn't change the actual noise - it seemed more of a dampener to how loud the sound was. Don't know though.

The noise itself sounds like it's originating from the front middle/passenger side of the car itself. Which is part of the reason I took it back in this morning - I had had a cv axle changed out a while back - and thought it was a faulty axle they had installed.

Also - they rechecked the fluid level of my transmission fluid this morning. It was thought that when I had a cv axle changed out - that the fluid might not have been fully filled. This was not the case, as it was filled.

So....what do you think?
I still seem to be leaning toward the "lord why me?"

 

I don't know its hard to diag a car over a computer screen.

Try lifting the cars front end(You got a jack).Place some jack stands under it and run it.Thy make stethoscopes for cars you can pick on up for like 15$ at a good automotive store.Place the stethoscope at the bearings,diff,and the intermediate shaft bearing(your car may not have an intermediate bearing).If it anything sounds like grinding rocks thats the problem component.

I would still say its the wheel bearings or the diff bearings.

A bad axle usually is only loud on sharp turns(unless it is about to come apart).

 

That sounds like my only option to figure out exactly what's going on. I knew this was more unique than alot of the other posts I've seen so far. So, I'll do what I can to diagnose where exactly this is at. Thanks for the help so far. One other question - Have you seen any write ups around for best things to replace when you have you're tranny out and open? I'd like to go ahead and do full service on my tran if I pull this out. Thanks

 

This was mainly due to a bad vibration I was getting on that side, after they installed the current axle. It starts around 45mph - 70 mph range. It's kind of lessened since all this started - which led me to believe possible wheel bearing as the main culprit - but who knows if that's still a possiblity or not - everyone so far seems to think not.

I'm probably going to have a honda specialty shop diagnose that problem a little better before I mess around with it - and I might just go ahead and have them diagnose this main issue before I continue.

 

Ya just take it to a shop.The bearings are a pain and you have to press out the hub.

I wouldn't recommend any trany work unless that is where the noise is coming from.The manuals just keep on going as long as you change the fluid and shift using the clutch.