[88scortgt]

Wthin the last 3 or so months, my GT has developed a "growling" noise in the front passenger side. It sounds like a bearing is going out, but both wheel bearings are good and both axles are less than 1 year old. The noise is only there while accelerating in first or second gear after ~2500 rpm and will get louder as the rpm's go up. I can feel it in the steering wheel as well. I'm guessing it is the carrier bearing on the pass. axle causing this.
This noise started before I put in the ES motor mount inserts. After the inserts it seems a little louder, but it is not getting any worse. The tranny is full and has been switched to gear oil.
Has anyone ever had this bearing go bad? If so, where did you find a replacement? Or could it be a bearing in the tranny going out?
Thanks for any and all help.

 

[EscorGo]

You switched to gear oil?? What weight? Ford manuals use ATF. I would start there if your shafts and wheel bearings are good.

 

[jagabomb]

i have this same growlin noise coming from front paasenger side but its only when the tires really spin and the bearing is good and its driving me nuts to fiure it out

 

[white-lightning]

You switched to gear oil?? What weight? Ford manuals use ATF.

These are Mazda transmissions. Mazda specs a 75w-90 GL-4 gear oil.

 

[88scortgt]

You switched to gear oil?? What weight? Ford manuals use ATF.

These are Mazda transmissions. Mazda specs a 75w-90 GL-4 gear oil.

That is what I used. I switched to gear oil after the noise started, but it made no change in the way it sounded. That is why I believe it is the carrier bearing.
I even tried driving past my family while it was making the sound, and they could not hear it.

Thanks,
Greg

 

[88scortgt]

So nobody has ever had to replace this bearing?
I called the local Ford dealer, and the bearing assy. as well as the bearing itself has been discontinued. What a shock!!
I did get a part # for the bearing, but am having no luck finding a cross reference match for it. The part # is F32Z 3K093A.
Any and all help is appreciated.

Thanks,
Greg

 

[therieldeal]

go to the mazda dealer, the 90-94 protege LX uses the same exact engine/trans/axles/etc.

i have seen one of these go bad, but never got to hear what it sounded like. on one of my parts cars the bearing literally fell apart when i removed the intermediate shaft assembly from the car

 

[88scortgt]

go to the mazda dealer, the 90-94 protege LX uses the same exact engine/trans/axles/etc.

i have seen one of these go bad, but never got to hear what it sounded like. on one of my parts cars the bearing literally fell apart when i removed the intermediate shaft assembly from the car

I didn't try the Mazda dealer, thinking if Ford couldn't get it, it was becaue Mazda didn't carry it anymore...I was wrong.

The part # for the bearing from Mazda is 9960-68-2064. It has to be ordered, but at least they can get it. As soon as I get the money saved up for the new clutch/flywheel, I will be replacing the bearing.

I just hope the bearing is the souce of this noise!!

Thanks,
Greg

 

[therieldeal]

yeah i am pretty sure ford marked every single part for the EGT as "unavailable". this isnt limited to the drivetrain, this even includes stuff that is identical on the LX. they probably cant even order you a lug nut if you tell them its for a GT.

 

[ajax]

Of all of the parts that I've looked for at both the Ford dealerships and the Mazda dealerships, the Mazda parts have always been cheaper.

 

[tturnpaw]

Sounds like a main shaft bearing in the trans to me. Its not very often a hub bearing fails in these.

How many miles are on the trans and hubs?

 

[88scortgt]

Sounds like a main shaft bearing in the trans to me. Its not very often a hub bearing fails in these.

How many miles are on the trans and hubs?

The tranny is a couple hundred shy of 201,000 miles. I have no idea how many miles are on the hubs, but they are still good. (I checked them again last weekend when I replaced the brakes.) I don't think it is the tranny, since the noise didn't change at all when I replaced the ATF with gear oil.

When it makes the noise, it is a low pitched growl that gets louder with the rpm's. It also sounds kind of hollow, almost as if the motor was sitting on the frame. I have spent days trying to find anything hitting the motor, exhaust, etc., and still can't locate the source of this noise.

 

[Escort92Man]

hey dude try this, my EGT was wrecked so the driver side frame rail got pushed into the trans a bit and I had the same problem it is like your flywheel is lose or something is rattling/clunking around, when you start the car you can feel the starter in the car..... just take the driver side splash shied off by the half shaft and see if the back trans pan is hitting the frame! if it is I just used a cut off wheel to cut around and bend the metal away from the trans.

this is from personal experience so your situation is gonna be different but that's my 2 cents worth man! check it!

 

[tturnpaw]

Sounds like a main bearing in the trans to me. Thats a lot of miles, and my mom just had her civic have the same issue. Rpms would have nothing to do with the hub bearing.

 

[88scortgt]

Well, I finally found out what the noise was...
The outer CV joint on the pass. axle exploded on me yesterday. It started to make noise when I would turn the wheel, and within 5 miles it failed.
I put the new axle in and all vibrations and noise are now gone.

 

[LOWETGT]

Have you eliminated the wheel bearings as a possibility? Run the car at multiple speeds and veer widely and smoothly back and forth on an appropriate road. If the noise increases turning left, the right wheel bearing may be at fault. If it increases turning right, the left maybe. If no change at all, then possibly not wheel bearings. Have you lifted car and spun wheels, and flex check bearings? I would then remove the pass. side CV axle and leave the carrier in place. Then when lifted and well supported, run drivetrain and see where noise is. I would use a stethoscope or long screw driver to CAREFULLY! place against the bearing while spinning and try to hear the growl in that manner. I have 192K on my carrier, and have no issues, or have heard of them going bad. Good luck with your hunt, you'll find it with diligence.

 

[88scortgt]

LOWETGT...
The noise was due to a defective CV axle, purchased new on Dec. 01, 2008. I'm guessing it was due to not enough grease in the CV joint. Before retuning it for my warranty claim, I pulled the boot off to find very little grease in the joint. The bearings were seized and the axle shaft had sheared off. The boot had no tears or splits in it at all.
Like I said in my last post, all vibtations and noise are now gone.

 

[ajax]

One of the things that the rally guys will do when they get new CVs is to pull the boots and pack more grease into them.