[Vwdiesel] confirm or ?

[James Hansen]

OK, I need the collective, incredible diesel intelligence of our combined
group as we are smarter and better looking than the average non diesel
driver.  ;^)  

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Yaaarrrrrp?
***

OK here goes, I am hearing a grinding sound coming from the front of the
car, I believe it is the front left because of the way it echoes off the
retaining walls of the highway.  It is obviously speed sensitive and
actually goes away at very high speeds but is definitely present at any
speed above idle to about 45 mph.  It is not effected by applying the brake
or the clutch BUT it does change when moving the steering wheel back and
forth and in full turn mode, it is extremely loud and grinding. 

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Wheel bearing.
Go for a drive, try to stay off the brakes to any extent, and shoot it with
your infrared temp gun.
***

 I cannot reproduce the sound with the front wheels in the air (and the
backs have new bearings on both sides - inner and outer)  I have been
thinking that it must be the CV joints as the ones on the car are from an 85
Cabriolet that I used for parts of my Frankenjetta. 

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Didja torque the cv joint nut in correct and all? Might have killed a
bearing, if it rolled around any extent with the cv joints out, it can kill
a bearing easy, but you know that...  it cocks the rolling elements, then
when you torque it up, and don't roll the bearing over any, it catches and
brinnells the race.
***

 Funny thing is there is no back and forth play of the shaft.  The only play
I can see is about a ½” of looseness when turning the wheel back and forth
before there is movement of the axle.  My other thinking was the front wheel
bearings but that just doesn’t seem to fit the data.  What think ye all?
Hayden

-james