Civic Transmission/Wheel Noise

I have an old 1988 Honda Civic - I just changed the engine and tranmission
in it (overheated my engine) for a used one from a 91 Civic. (Job went ok
too) I ended up using the front hubs from the 91 Civic also, because I
screwed up the lower ball joints on my car while taking it apart. (long
story)

However, the car is noisier now then it used to be and finding the cause is
driving me nuts. I hear a whirring sound that seems to be coming from the
center or right side at the front. I figure it's either, the wheel
bearings, brake pads, right drive shaft, or the tranny (manual 5 spd). So I
changed the drive shaft, since I had the spare parts. Changed the brake
pads, cause that was cheap. Noise still there. The transmission feels very
warm to the touch after a 25 mile drive, but I don't know if that's
abnormal. I'm considering changing the wheel bearing (I have a spare hub
assembly, with a good quiet bearing, and just need to have the lower ball
joint changed, and I can swap them)

I think the new thick brake pads are rubbing a bit - because there is some
drag to turn the wheels when on a hoist in neutral. The hubs are quite hot
after a long drive. This may contribute some of the noise, but it did it
with the old pads too, which didn't drag at all.

Any suggestions?

Also, after doing much suspension work front and rear on this car, along
with the engine swap, I figure I should have the wheels aligned. The car
tracks dead straight, but the steering wheel shimmies a bit. Could it be
out of alignment and still track dead straight??

Frank

 

Frank van Hoof wrote:
[snip]

What type of oil did you put in the tranny?

Eric

 

|I have an old 1988 Honda Civic - I just changed the engine and tranmission
|in it (overheated my engine) for a used one from a 91 Civic. (Job went ok
|too) I ended up using the front hubs from the 91 Civic also, because I
|screwed up the lower ball joints on my car while taking it apart. (long
|story)
|
|However, the car is noisier now then it used to be and finding the cause is
|driving me nuts. I hear a whirring sound that seems to be coming from the
|center or right side at the front. I figure it's either, the wheel
|bearings, brake pads, right drive shaft, or the tranny (manual 5 spd). So I
|changed the drive shaft, since I had the spare parts. Changed the brake
|pads, cause that was cheap. Noise still there. The transmission feels very
|warm to the touch after a 25 mile drive, but I don't know if that's
|abnormal. I'm considering changing the wheel bearing (I have a spare hub
|assembly, with a good quiet bearing, and just need to have the lower ball
|joint changed, and I can swap them)
|
|I think the new thick brake pads are rubbing a bit - because there is some
|drag to turn the wheels when on a hoist in neutral. The hubs are quite hot
|after a long drive. This may contribute some of the noise, but it did it
|with the old pads too, which didn't drag at all.
|
|Any suggestions?

I have the same noise on my '90 CRX. Loudest in 1st gear, gets quieter at
highway speeds? transmission input shaft bearing, common weakness on these.


Rex in Fort Worth

 

I used 2 L of 10W30 synthetic, can't remember the brand, but it was a good
one. Castrol perhaps.

Not an official MTL, just car engine synthetic.

 

It doesn't seem to have anything to do with what gear I'm in, though it
seems loudest while dring around town at 30-60 km/h. I'm beginning to think
it's my inner CV joint on the left side.

How do you diagnose these things and not just replace parts like crazy??

 

check the clutch and components... if nothing try royal blue trranny
fluid and lucas oil... best stuff out there

 

|It doesn't seem to have anything to do with what gear I'm in, though it
|seems loudest while dring around town at 30-60 km/h. I'm beginning to think
|it's my inner CV joint on the left side.
|
|How do you diagnose these things and not just replace parts like crazy??

Inner CV joints rarely fail. They are not subject to the same range of movement.

Outer joints will make noise that changes with the amount the wheel is turned.
I have no idea what a failing inside joint sounds like, nor have I seen a yeti.




Rex in Fort Worth