Annoying noise starting to do my head in! Ideas please.................

[illumin]

Right, this last week or so I have had a really annoying noise which appears to be coming from the front of the car, possibly driver's side. Hard to describe but basically sounds like something is caught in the wheel arch (although nothing is). This week I have had both the inner and outer CV joints replaced on the driver's side but the bloody noise is still there! The joints were done on seperate days and both times,for a few miles, the noise went away - then it came back......

Beginning to think that it is gearbox related as that has been suggested to me. Also when driving, the noise seems to go when I am dipping the clutch/braking. Vibration can felt throughout the car when driving, although that could be the Scorpion exhaust. Vibration can also be felt through the clutch pedal....However, car changes gear fine, a bit crunchy on 2nd but always has been and seem to accelerate fine. Does run out of steam at around 100mph but that might be possible air leaks in the engine (seperate issue).........

The Haynes manual in gearbox troubleshooting just mentions "noise in all gears - worn diff bearings", but doesn't mention what sort of noise......

Since I have had the car it has had both front top mounts replaced, drivers side wheel bearing/CV joints replaced so can't be anything to do with them...........

Do I need a new gearbox by the sound of things? Is there a way to definitely identify a dying gearbox?

[chubby]

i had a problem like that . it took a while to find but i got it in the end . i think your problem may be the gearbox mounting on the passenger side .it may just be loose or the mount worn to excess. this causes the the engine to move also and makes the driveshafts hit the diff. causing a burring noise. on corners and bumps. give the engine a push and see if there is excess movement in the mount.

[illumin]

i had a problem like that . it took a while to find but i got it in the end . i think your problem may be the gearbox mounting on the passenger side .it may just be loose or the mount worn to excess. this causes the the engine to move also and makes the driveshafts hit the diff. causing a burring noise. on corners and bumps. give the engine a push and see if there is excess movement in the mount.

Thanks for the reply - gearbox mount seems fine, so not that I think.......

Went to see a mechanic today and he may have shed some light on the problem - He drove it for a while and said the noise appears to be coming from the brakes. He suggested loose brake pads, maybe a missing spring.

Got home and jacked the car up, took off the driver's side wheel and discovered that the brake disc has it's retaining screw missing so is pretty loose with the wheel off. Also, the brake pads can be moved easily by hand and seem a lot looser than they should be.......

Bit confused as to what is missing from the pads/caliper as the Bentley manual says that later/16v models do not have springs. The manual does mention bolts of some sort that are not reusable - perhaps the previous owner changed the pads but used the same bolts? Plan to go to VW on Monday, so if anybody can tell me what it is that I need to replace that will be great...........

Did look at a 16v's brake discs today at the scrapyard today as well and the pads did not move and actually looked different to the ones on my car. Are the 16v brake pads totally different? The only thing I know about 16v brakes is that they are bigger..........