1987 5000CD Quattro Avant

[Dave Marshall]

Hello All

My 1987 5000CD Quattro Avant has developed a new noise.  Lots of snow around
here and we have been pounding our way through the drifts.  Fun isn't it?

Anyway, I had lots of snow and ice packed around the wheel wells and thought
that my 'new noise' was just some ice hung up on something.  We have had a
bit of a thaw and the junk around my wheel wells is long gone.  The noise
isn't.

It sure sounds as if a bearing is noisy.  Not real loud yet, but there.

The noise is not related to the engine speed or gear.

It is constant as long as the car is moving.  Forward or reverse.  Slow or
fast.

I have had all four wheel bearings replaced in the last year, so I don't
think it is one of those.  The center driveshaft bearing?  What to do.

I jacked up the left rear wheel (sound may be coming from that side, but
then again I sit on the left when driving).  Spinning the wheel, the brake
disc drags ever so little, but there seemed like a little bit of a 'roar'
from the driveline.  Hmmm!  Driveshaft bearing or is that normal?

I put all four corners up on blocks and ran through the gears.  Absolutely
no unfamiliar 'noise' at all.  Everything checks out OK.  Disappointing
because I thought for sure the centre driveshaft bearing would be 'talking'
to me.

Any ideas?  I have searched the archives and found some ideas like shields
that are rusted,  broken etc., but with the car up on blocks, running in 2nd
and 3rd gear and me walking around and looking under the car, there was no
noise that concerned me.

Thanks for any help.

Dave Marshall
Owen Sound, Ontario
Canada