1994 850 Grinding noise with accelerating from stop

daversm · Post by **daversm** » 04 Sep 2014, 15:47

I here a grinding noise, almost sounds like the car is gargling or something. This only happens when I press the gas pedal slightly from a stop. Does not happen past say 10mph. Wont happen if I just let the car roll in drive. Its just when I have the gas pedal pressed ever so slightly that it makes the noise ( from a stop).

Also it does not happen if the car is in neutral and I press the pedal a little bit, and no problems with shifts.

Post by **rspi** » 04 Sep 2014, 16:57

Have no idea. You may have to record the sound and post a link here.

Post by **scot850** » 04 Sep 2014, 19:30

We will need some more clues to be able to help. Roll the windows down and see if you can tell if it is from the front or rear, left or right. If it does it at slow speed, get someone else to drive it and see if you can tell the area of the car it is coming fro. If you can narrow it down, or as suggested, record the sound and post it, it could well be something simple. Have you had any brake work done recently? Could be a bent rear dust cover on a rotor rubbing, or could be one that has rusted and come loose, could be a axle shaft starting to fail, etc.........

Neil.

daversm · Post by **daversm** » 04 Sep 2014, 23:36

Definitely coming from the front, I think front left.

But yea I think it would be best for me to record it, ill do that tomorrow and post it here.

Post by **abscate** » 05 Sep 2014, 14:37

Im going with a wheel bearing in early failure. I drove mine from JAN-SEP listening to the growl get louder and louder before I went for all new suspension on all four corners.

daversm · Post by **daversm** » 05 Sep 2014, 16:40

So here is the noise I was referring to, it's from the 7 sec mark to around 11 sec mark.
This was while the car is in drive, and I am pressing the accelerator every so slightly to drive into my garage. I can also here the noise when the car is in park, it's just not as loud as when in drive.

The sound clip is here:

edit: Now that I listen to the noise again it's more like a growling, almost like something is vibrating slowly.

daversm · Post by **daversm** » 06 Sep 2014, 15:18

Wondering if it could be worn suspension parts, tie rod, bar links or control arm.

Edit:Also noticed that the noise is there even when the car is in neutral, but it's very little. Significantly louder when it's in drive.

daversm · Post by **daversm** » 08 Sep 2014, 14:11

Any suggestions? Im worried if I let it be I will makes things worse.

Post by **kahl** » 08 Sep 2014, 19:04

I tinkered with my daughter's 94 850 today thinking about your sound. The only thing that popped into my head was an inner fender skirt rubbing against a tire. I do not see how it can be a suspension issue. You really need to give some more info. Does it happen in reverse? Does it happen when you start to move with the steering wheel full left/right? Can you take it to a deserted parking lot with someone and have them start to move the car with the hood open. Try to pin point where the sound is coming from.

daversm · Post by **daversm** » 08 Sep 2014, 19:31

I too thought it was the fender skirt, but the noise is there when the car is in park also. And also a little in neutral. Could this be caused maybe by the exhaust vibrating? The car has 218K miles, and never had its engine mounts changed. The upper engine mount is toast, but I don't think that that could be causing it.

From the sound clip it sounds like something is vibrating (around 1100 rpms, just a little above idle). Soon as its above ~1100 rpm then the sounds is gone and everything sounds good. Kinda sounds like something is lose.