[s-cars] S6 Front end growl/howl

[RubEric at aol.com]

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Some of you have patiently heard my complaints about the howl/growl from the
left front of my 95 S6. It came with the car when I bought it in 1997.  The
sound began at 10 mph, was loudest at 35 mph and faded (or was drowned out)
by 50 mph. The sound was present in any gear, with the engine at speed, at
idle, or at rest.  It was only apparent from the driver's seat and pretty
much inaudible elsewhere.

 Upon hearing it, I think most of you, as I, would suspect a failed wheel
bearing.  Sounds just like it. Well, the dealer's tech did diagnose a failed
wheel bearing and changed it but with no effect.  The bearing was fine.
($0,uch)

One other lister reported a similar noise but his went away when the tires
got worn. I, too, suspected tires, but a change from 16 inch SP 4000's to 18
inch SP 9000's had no effect.  Rotating tires, air pressure up and down also
had no effect.

I thought perhaps air flow, so I taped up all the openings I could on the
front end without change.

After changing the wheel bearing unnecessarily, the technician, at least
embarrassed to have mis-diagnosed the noise, went over the car very
carefully. With the car running at 35 mph on the lift - no weight on the
wheels, he went over on every part of the car with a stethescope but could
not hear the noise. During this setup, it was also not audible inside the
car.

Well, it appears there has to weight on the tires (and/or the car in motion)
to cause the noise so I began looking for a 4-wheel dynamometer where the car
could be run at 35 mph.  I had tried leaning out the passenger's window of my
friend's car to listen while my wife drove the S6 alongside at 35 mph.
Almost got killed!!

Well, in the midst of all this I changed the shocks/struts and springs to the
Bilstien/Eibach sport set (1-3/4 inch lower) and to my absolute amazement and
joy, the noise is gone!!!!!  I don't know why, or what I did to make it go
away, but it is gone.


Eric
95 S6
Olympic
RT 10
XK 120
Mk IV
FLHR
FLHRC
Chry CQ
Others