SouthernRex

Hey guys, 1998 Trans Am WS6 A4 @ 80,000 miles my rear end has been starting to make a whiney noise on acceleration and coasting. When I let off the throttle, the sound goes away. There isn't any grinding or clunking that I can tell, but the whine is kind of annoying if my cutout is closed and some guy standing in a parking lot asked me if I had a super charger.

I have a vacation coming up in one week, and this is my only car. I'm trying desperately to find someone that can rebuild this rear end for me, but is it a long expensive job? Can the car be driven like this for a couple more weeks? Or would it only take a shop a couple hours? I don't want to be stranded, but for example Tires Plus told me they won't rebuild rear ends and my main mechanic can't get a hold of his "rear end guy" and I am freaking out as the vacation gets closer.

madmann26

It sounds like the pinion is loose or the bearing is on it’s way out.

Have you gotten under it and wiggled the pinion up/down? There shouldn’t be any movement.

Where are you located?

SouthernRex

I'm in Southwest Florida. Ft. Myers. My mechanic checked the drive shaft / U-Joints and it was okay, and he said the rear end "had too much play" but that he didn't know how to rebuild rear ends and wasn't comfortable fixing it for me. I don't know anything about the rear gears, (I understand in theory like tall and short gears etc.) so I'm kind of freaked out. lol

madmann26

Any competent driveline or axle shop should be able to diagnose it and repair it for you.