2000 Outback - speed dependent noise

2000 Outback Legacy wagon, AWD, 5 speed.

I have a howling noise present that increases in frequency and volume with speed. independent of RPM and gear.

i THOUGHT it was a simple wheel bearing in the front, since the noise would go away during right turns. when returning steering to center and turning left, the noise immediately comes back. changed the FR wheel bearing for a new one, and noise is still present.

I checked all 4 wheels for play and didn’t find any.

Is it possible this is related to CV joints? I’ve never troubleshooted AWD/4WD crap before.

Help me fix this motherfucker so I can go pick up organic vegetables and free range chickens

Maybe your partner can take a look at it? :gay:

Front diff? Mine would get loud at highway speeds when the fluid was low on my e46.

How do the tires looks? Are the edges worn uneven? A cupped tire will change noise pitch when you turn the wheel.

Tom: I assume the front diff would make noise no matter which way you were steering. The PO changed all diff fluids about 2 years ago, everything was nice and quiet, this noise only developed over the past month.

Joe: I don’t think the tires are bad/cupped in the front but I can rotate them to see if the noise changes.

If it matters, the noise does kinda sound like a redneck pickup with 36" mud tires going down the road at speed.

Could very well be the other wheel bearing…the sounds can be so hard to trace with all the vibration transfer going on between the axles…this happened to me on my Accord…ended up replacing both WB’s, all noises gone…

Interesting. Gut feeling tells me it would be the FR since that wheel bearing is unloaded when taking a right turn at speed.

I am not familiar with Subaru, but I just went through this on a cobalt, and it was the intermediate shaft bearing. not sure if they have a int.shaft/support

in every wheel bearing I have had fail its been the opposite wheel of the way I am turning. if I am turning right, it was my left wheel bearing.

Rear wheel bearing failures are common.

Edit: It’s rare to have a diff failure that would cause what you are describing on an older Subaru. The CV’s will usually click if failed when making a tight turn at low speed.

No clicking ever, so I assume it’s not any of the axles. Just your textbook wheel bearing growl.

Any way to check which one specifically? I already did the “rock the wheel top to bottom, side to side, in and out” test for all 4 wheels and none showed any play.

^This^

riding to work back and forth in this bitch and I’m agreeing what that other wheel bearing theory. When I stick my face up towards the dash towards the LF corner, it seems more apparent. Just difficult to diagnose since the big ass cabin transmits sound around so well. Ordering a wheel bearing and throwing it in next week.

On that note, who presses in wheel bearings/seals around here? I had NAPA on Wehrle do the first one and it was $47 (!!!) for a simple press operation.

Make Donovan do it?

heh…press something into my rear end…heh…

It was the other wheel bearing.

For future reference, you can put the car on jack stands, let it run in gear and hold onto the spring in each corner. You can feel a vibration in the spring if the bearing is bad/noisy. From my experience noise starts well before the bearing has any play so checking it by grabbing the wheel at the top and bottom isn’t a solid diagnosis. Of course it will find a loose bearing, but not one that’s noisy and not loose yet.

+1 for spring method. it’s how i do it at work. although i leave it in neutral and spin the wheel by hand, little less sketchy.

Works.

I have a set of chassis mic’s that I use. Can diagnose on the road then.