Automotive mechanical question - Buick Regal strange noise

[Gryphon Rider]

My wife an I are borrowing my mom's car, a 2003 Buick Regal 3.8L V6, and a new noise has started.  A hum from the front end that is speed-related.  Its frequency is more like a growl at parking-lot speeds and the frequency increases proportionally with speed, but gets a little quieter at normal city street speeds.  Putting the car in neutral while driving, then revving or letting it idle, has no effect on the sound.  The sound only changes slightly when swerving left or right, unlike a bad wheel bearing which produces a noticeable change when swerving.  The sound is also unaffected by gear changes.

Any ideas of the cause?  I'm guessing a bearing on one of the output shafts from the transmission.

[trout dude]

They have hub  assemblies that go bad in those cars quite often  You might want too check them out

[Skinhead]

Sounds like wheel hub bearings as TD said.

[Jess from VA]

Power steering fluid (or leak)?

I had to change the FWD assemblies in my 3.6 liter (years ago).

[Ken aka Oil Burner]

I've seen many wheel bearings that did change pitch while swerving, and probably just as many that didn't. Best way to isolate is running it on a lift or jack stands, and using a mechanic's stethoscope to listen to different areas. You can always use the long screwdriver trick if you don't have a stethoscope (handle to your ear; point against noise source area).

Obviously, all wheel drive vehicles need to have all wheels off the ground. Running a vehicle in drive in the air can be dangerous, and can set a whole host of ABS and/or traction control codes. Use common sense, and keep away from spinning tires, CV axles, engine accy drive belts, hot exhaust pipes,etc.

[indybobm]

My first guess would be a CV Joint. Check the CV joint boots to see if one has been compromised.

[cookiedough]

I had a few GM cars thinking 3.8L V6 that found out was the speedo cluster humming as got louder as speeds increased, drove me crazy.  Lucky was under warranty replaced entire instrument cluster and noise completely went away.  Is a humming/buzzing noise very annoying when can hear it over the radio somewhat as well.

[Tx Bohemian]

My first guess would be a CV Joint. Check the CV joint boots to see if one has been compromised.

I would not suspect a CV joint. They make a predominant click-click-click noise when turning, pretty much quiet on straight driving.
But it is a good idea to check the boots to make sure they are not cracked/split. Especially if they haven't been changed in 16yrs.
I just changed my outer boots  on my '99 Senta this w/e, luckily I spotted the split boots before the CV joints went bad. I changed them 8-9 yrs ago.

The noise you are describing I would suspect a bad wheel bearing.
You mentioned it does change slightly when swerving. When I used to mechanic, I noticed Front wheel drive cars produce a different bearing noise than rwd.
On RWD cars when you'd swerve to the left and the noise got louder it would be a bad right bearing (putting more weight on that side).
But it was opposite for FWD cars. If you'd swerve to the left and it got louder it was probably the left bearing.
Guessing it was the difference between tapered roller bearings and ball bearings.

[Skinhead]

Jack up one wheel off the ground, apply parking brake and start and run in drive (with one wheel off the ground, it should spin) if you hear the noise, that's the one with the bad hub, if not do the same on the other side.  If neither side makes noise, you probably have a different issue.

[Gryphon Rider]

Thanks for all the replies.  I'll probably let my mom take it to a mechanic to get it fixed.  She is going to give the car to my brother, who will drive it 1300 km to his home in Winnipeg at the end of the month, and I really don't have the time to add another urgent task to my already-full plate.  I haven't even started my Valk yet, and I'm hoping to get to the Valhalla event in BC with my daughter in a couple of weeks.  I don't even remember if there are any pressing issues to take care of with the bike.

[franco6]

Don t forget to check the tensioner pulley with the serpentine belt, when the bearings go bad, they sing .

[cookiedough]

Don t forget to check the tensioner pulley with the serpentine belt, when the bearings go bad, they sing .

that is true also had that happen to me as well....

[Gryphon Rider]

Don t forget to check the tensioner pulley with the serpentine belt, when the bearings go bad, they sing .

The noise is unrelated to engine speed, being totally absent when revving the engine in park, and unchanging when I slip the tranny into neutral while driving.  It's directly related to road speed.

[matt]

I would say if noise goes with speed it presents itself way your explaining wheel bearing. While going straight down a rode at about 35 mph  make sure no one around drift to left and then to right and see which way noise changes.

If noise does not change side to side possible it's not bearing or it's both

Wheel bearings very common in gm

[9Ball]

Don t forget to check the tensioner pulley with the serpentine belt, when the bearings go bad, they sing .

that is true also had that happen to me as well....

Me too...common issue obviously.  Started at around 90,000 miles.

[Gryphon Rider]

I should have updated this thread a while ago; replacing the hub assemblies silenced the noise. Jacking up the front end to grab the wheels top and bottom exposed play in the wheel bearings. I had to borrow a 7 ton gear puller to get one hub off of its drive shaft. I often check YouTube for mechanical how-to videos, and this video had me worried:
https://youtu.be/SFScIV92ODE
Thankfully, I didn’t have to do that.

[f6john]

I should have updated this thread a while ago; replacing the hub assemblies silenced the noise. Jacking up the front end to grab the wheels top and bottom exposed play in the wheel bearings. I had to borrow a 7 ton gear puller to get one hub off of its drive shaft. I often check YouTube for mechanical how-to videos, and this video had me worried:
https://youtu.be/SFScIV92ODE
Thankfully, I didn’t have to do that.

So you ended up doing the work yourself? I have been quoted some ungodly high prices from dealers for that job. Last year I had an abs light on my Titan and while I was at the dealer they saw the light and quoted me $750.00 for the job. Told me that they should be replaced in pairs and that the ads sensors were made into the hub. They didn’t know that I had previously replaced both hubs and I knew the sensor story was bs. I ordered a $20.00 sensor and 30 minutes later no ads light.

[Gryphon Rider]

I should have updated this thread a while ago; replacing the hub assemblies silenced the noise. Jacking up the front end to grab the wheels top and bottom exposed play in the wheel bearings. I had to borrow a 7 ton gear puller to get one hub off of its drive shaft. I often check YouTube for mechanical how-to videos, and this video had me worried:
https://youtu.be/SFScIV92ODE
Thankfully, I didn’t have to do that.

So you ended up doing the work yourself? I have been quoted some ungodly high prices from dealers for that job. Last year I had an abs light on my Titan and while I was at the dealer they saw the light and quoted me $750.00 for the job. Told me that they should be replaced in pairs and that the ads sensors were made into the hub. They didn’t know that I had previously replaced both hubs and I knew the sensor story was bs. I ordered a $20.00 sensor and 30 minutes later no ads light.

Yeah, did it myself. With this car, the ABS sensor was built into the hub assembly.

[cookiedough]

I think you can live without ABS sensors and if the ABS dash light comes on,  I can live with that for a 750 repair.  My coworker at work has an old pontiac montana minivan and her ABS light is coming on as well but she keeps driving it not fixing it for months now. 

My mother in law got quoted over 3 grand for replacing front and rear struts, etc. on her 2007 buick rendevous.  I told her NO WAY,  go to local shop not GM dealership and got basically same parts and labor done for 1500, still I think way too much, but sure beats over double.    Told her for 3K,  to not do it since the SUV is probably only worth 5-6K tops even though otherwise in very good shape.

[Tx Bohemian]

I should have updated this thread a while ago; replacing the hub assemblies silenced the noise. Jacking up the front end to grab the wheels top and bottom exposed play in the wheel bearings. I had to borrow a 7 ton gear puller to get one hub off of its drive shaft. I often check YouTube for mechanical how-to videos, and this video had me worried:
https://youtu.be/SFScIV92ODE
Thankfully, I didn’t have to do that.

Glad you got it fixed.

That utube is crazy!!

Of all the CV Joints, boots and fwd bearings I've changed in my mechanicing career I have never needed to "press" any out like that.
There's been some that were tough to get out but with enough WD40, a couple of good whacks with a hammer and brass punch would do the trick.
But down here we don't have a need to salt our roads either.

The worst thing that happened to me when I changed my boots a couple of weeks ago is the left joint would not come off the shaft as it was in the car.
Ended up pulling the half-shaft (which lost some trans fluid) and using the vice and hammer to whack it off!
After that it was a breeze, like the right side!

[Gryphon Rider]

I think you can live without ABS sensors and if the ABS dash light comes on,  I can live with that for a 750 repair.  My coworker at work has an old pontiac montana minivan and her ABS light is coming on as well but she keeps driving it not fixing it for months now. 

My mother in law got quoted over 3 grand for replacing front and rear struts, etc. on her 2007 buick rendevous.  I told her NO WAY,  go to local shop not GM dealership and got basically same parts and labor done for 1500, still I think way too much, but sure beats over double.    Told her for 3K,  to not do it since the SUV is probably only worth 5-6K tops even though otherwise in very good shape.

Yeah, for an older vehicle the repair cost vs. vehicle value calculation always has to be a consideration.  If you have an independent mechanic you can trust or a friend who is a good shadetree mechanic, that can be the best way to go, saving hundreds of dollars.

Regarding ABS, I put 527,000 km on my '96 Saturn with ABS and never had an ongoing problem with ABS.  What I have found is that lots of wheelspin to get unstuck from snow will cause the ABS light to come on.  The next time starting it after driving it for a few miles, and the light is off.

I'm a big believer in the safety advantage of ABS, so if I had problems I would do my best to fix it myself, then get it fixed by a mechanic if needed.  I will, however, happily drive well-running a car for years with the check engine light on.