SRM

iTrader: (4)

My rear end is stock. When I take my foot off the gas and coast, or go around corners I can hear what's best described as a "marbles in a box" noise coming from the rear end. I've read where others have described this as well but I'm not certain if this is something I should live with. Is this common?

wrencher

iTrader: (2)

Generally it's not something you can ignore, it usually doesn't maintain it's noise & annoyment level. It gets worse & or fails completely.
This does happen , had anything done to the diff?
Pinion seal?
It could be pinion bearings or the ring & pinion making a coast noise.

WS6FirebirdTA00

iTrader: (33)

same problem here, dont worry about it. the dealer, yeah i know..., well they said it was normal and i confirmed this with several people. they told me that with a new rear end it made an even worse noise. kinda freaked me out cause i heard it after driving my car hard for the first time after i got it but like i said they say its normal rear end movement and if u get it fixed it might be worse. now if u get a new rear end other than the stcok one or have new gears put in im sure they can stop it. i have been hammering on mine for over a year now with it making that noise and knock on wood its still holding up fine. that is also with some 2nd gear hard drops and hammering it in 1st a lot at mid rpms.

SRM

iTrader: (4)

It's very noticable if you are coasting and going into a curve, say around 40ish (taking an exit for example). If I straighten out or give it a little gas, the noise disappears.

I still have a warranty so I'll most likely take it in. Anyone else?

WS6FirebirdTA00

iTrader: (33)

yeah mine does the same thing and the dealer told me its normal. and like i said everybody told me their rear ends do this also. its hit or miss. your new one could be worse, its not that there is anythign wrong with it. mine does it in my neighborhood when im goin about 20 or higher and i can her that SOB real good. mostly on left hand turns i hear mine

Jorday

Both of my F bods have made that noise. I don't really hear it too much anymore, though, as my exhaust is pretty darn loud.

Slowhawk

iTrader: (12)

I've never heard it in a F-body...Maybe I don't listen for it?

WS6FirebirdTA00

iTrader: (33)

my friends SS is and auto and u cant hear it at all. i think its more or less a noise in the 6 speed cars for some reason. do they have different posi units? could that be it? casue i havce an auburn and my friend has a torson.

INMY01TA

iTrader: (1)

My car did it since day one. Never really got worse and I don't think it hurt the integrity of the rear. I'd say ignore it. If they start messin with your rear they may cause other problems and probably won't cure it.

SRM

iTrader: (4)

This coming Monday I'm bringing my car in and taking a tech for a ride to listen. We'll see. If they say it's normal I'm not sure I can live with that *only* because it seems more noticable within the last 4 months. I've had this car for over 3 years and I've only begun noticing it until recently.

Anyway, I have a pretty good extended warranty so I may as well use it. I'll let you know what happens on Monday.

Fran D

iTrader: (5)

If it's the Zexel-Torsen rear, as in my 2000 SS, it seems to be a pretty common complaint. I've had the noise since day one.

However, if you take a look at this specific differential, or even talk to someone at Torsen (I think it's owned by Toyoda-Koki...no, not Toyota!...now), you can begin to understand the source of the noise.

Unlike other posi-units that use some kind of frictional pre-load (ie., clutches), the Torsen uses a gear-driven mechanism to sense torque and handle the differentiation to each wheel (much like a Locker, but, technically, not a Locker). The basic premise uses the load on the drivetrain (acceleration or engine-based deceleration) to force the side gears against opposite sides of the housing. In a no-load situation, these gears are not thrust against any particular direction in the housing and, hence, one gets that characteristic rattling sound (since there's no clutch to pick up the slack).

It's actually a pretty slick design, albeit a little annoying from a sound perspective. Also, each of these rears have their own noise charateristic. I think mine is one of the noisier units I've come across, but it's been trouble-free for ~54K miles.

Hope that helps. If you don't have a Torsen, I apologize for the long-winded response...but then, you'd better get that thing checked out!

SRM

iTrader: (4)

Dealer just called. Said I need a new rear end. Hopefully know more when I pick up my car tonight. Well, so much for the "marbles in box" noise. At least in my case it wasn't normal!!

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

Is GM paying for it, or are you? I've read a lot of posts on this, because my car does it. Knowledgeable guys basically take the position of Fran D above. It is inherent to the Zexel-Torsen design, as opposed to the Auburn units used on 98 and earlier 4th gen F-bodies. Thus my 94 Formula never made a sound, while the 00 rattles away.

emarkay

My 2000 does it, and it's the nature of the beast....

BTW excellent post on the tech of Torsen...

SRM

iTrader: (4)

Update: My extended warranty company is covering the repair. It's unclear to me if they are going to rebuild or install a new rear, but I should find out tomorrow morning. I'm also gettimg a rental - all paid for by the warranty company. Sounds like my car will be tied up awhile.

SRM

iTrader: (4)

Everthing in the housing is getting replaced.

As I understand it, a "bushing" was defective which caused a part to sieze in the torsen unit. It also caused the ring and pinion to be out of proper alignment therefore the "noise" I desribed above while coasting into right-hand turns. This specific noise wasn't the "marbles in box" sound that I could hear sometimes.

They don't have a reason as to why this happened.

SRM

iTrader: (4)

Got my car back. Here's what was replaced for a grand total of ~$2100 including parts, labor and car rental:

12471191 Gear Set
22510042 Bearing
9417784 Bearing
26026792 Seal
12471371 Case
9420095 Bearing
26016661 Gasket
12378261 Gear Oil
1052358 Lubrication

No more "marbles in the box" noise. All this was covered by my extended warranty.

Fran D

iTrader: (5)

Good for you! It certainly looks like you got your money's worth out of the extended warranty.

You didn't happen to slip them a 4.10 ring & pinion to slide in there while they were at it, did you?

johnws6

I think im having a similar problem. Did the noise sound like a clunking sound coming fron the right rear tire area? Mine seems to be almost the suspension tower being loose but i checked it out and its fine. The noise happens when i am driving and go over a bump and it makes a "clunk" or banging sound. In turns it happens too, mostly left turns. The sound is sooo annoying and is getting louder all the time.

WS6FirebirdTA00

iTrader: (33)

mine does it in left turns, and if i go strait and throw in the clutch i can hear it too. the noise mine makes they said was common for the posi unit