2005 differential noise?

[Ron W.]

Hello everyone. I am now the proud owner of a 2005 50th Anniversary. She looks brand new with only 38K on here.
My question is this. With the windows up while driving I keep hearing a fluctuating whirring sound from behind me.
At first I thought it was wind coming in under the hard top but my friend said it could be coming from the differential.
Have never heard this in any car I have owned so thought I would ask.
Thank you so much,
Ron

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[wredhorse]

I would get the wheel bearings checked. That was my experience. Of course make sure the differential as the proper amount of gear oil in it.

 

[Bond007]

You should not be hearing a noise. I believe that the bearings and differential would be where you should start looking.

 

[04tbirdjerry]

Ron W. I hope you do not have the whining rear end that usually does not show up until approaching 100k miles. On this forum, someone in the know advised that is was between a $400 -$1,100 fix. There is some part in the rearend (it's a Lincoln by the way) that wears out and it sounds like metal gears without lubrication. If the sound goes up and down with acceleration, that could be it. My Tbird's rear end starting whining at 85k miles.
As mentioned above, it could also be one of the rear wheel bearings.
I just traded my 2004 TBird (114k miles) in for a F150 4WD, as i recently moved back to a single family home -- more practical. Good luck!

 

[rocket rick]

When you say fluctuating does it change upon accelerating or coast down Usually a pinion brg. will change with speed up or slow down. Carrier brgs will growl continually. you still have two u-joints and two whl brgs. and don't forget drive axles Have someone inspect differential fluid for metal chips, they usually have magnett on backside of fill plug. I seriously doubt bad diff with miles you state

 

[04tbirdjerry]

I would hope at that mileage you don' t have a bad rearend either. Mine, the whining noised went up and down with acceleration and deceleration. Mechanic who just "reluctantly" passed it for inspection said i had a definite issue in the rear end.

 

[Ron W.]

When you say fluctuating does it change upon accelerating or coast down Usually a pinion brg. will change with speed up or slow down. Carrier brgs will growl continually. you still have two u-joints and two whl brgs. and don't forget drive axles Have someone inspect differential fluid for metal chips, they usually have magnett on backside of fill plug. I seriously doubt bad diff with miles you state

Hey Rick, just heard from my mechanic and there are indeed metal chips/flakes in the differential fluid :-(

 

[biddle]

Hey Rick, just heard from my mechanic and there are indeed metal chips/flakes in the differential fluid :-(

The car was made 16/17 years ago, so this is certainly possible!

 

[Ron W.]

Hello everyone. I am now the proud owner of a 2005 50th Anniversary. She looks brand new with only 38K on here.
My question is this. With the windows up while driving I keep hearing a fluctuating whirring sound from behind me.
At first I thought it was wind coming in under the hard top but my friend said it could be coming from the differential.
Have never heard this in any car I have owned so thought I would ask.
Thank you so much,
Ron

Update: The differential has metal flaking or chips. They will know more once they take it out and open it up. Yes not cheap to fix but I'm in up to my knees now so full speed ahead. I need to school myself on what up keep I need to do to keep it from going bad again.