Ian_D

2010 R3 45,000 miles.

100 yds into a short journey I turned at a junction and there was a bang from the rear then rhythmic loud clunking from the rear in line with wheel speed (seemingly more than 1 per rotation?) as I slowed and pulled in. I couldn’t find anything wrong in my quick roadside inspection and on driving off the sound had disappeared. It didn’t reappear in 5 miles of driving and there were no unusual noises.

I’ve had loose wheels before. This was different.

I’ll jack her up tonight and have a look at the wheels, brakes, suspension and driveshaft.

Does anyone know what this might be? TIA for any help.

Edit/update: I jacked her up and had a good check. I could find nothing untoward (prop shaft, suspension, driveshafts, brakes, wheels). Everything is rock solid and there are neither marks nor signs of fluid leaks. The road is clean and smooth with nothing to suggest that is a factor. I’m mystified.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

when was the last time you changed the diff oil?

if it’s due then look for chunks or pieces of debris the next time you’re changing it

https://www.rx8club.com/new-member-f...y-diff-270191/


otherwise possibly something from the road got up into a wheel or hub or axle, but then came out and cleared itself … seen that before

.

Ian_D

Thanks.

I changed the diff oil a year ago. I’ve done that every 3 years as per the maintenance schedule and have seen nothing unusual in the old oil. There are no signs of leaking fluid.

There were no signs of anything’s being picked up. The dust on inside of the wheels, driveshafts and prop shaft was undisturbed and unmarked. There was nothing on the road that I could see at the time or afterwards.

The story in that link looks like a possibility. Unless something happens beforehand I’ll change the diff oil early in the summer to see if there’s anything broken off.

Shaozhou Zhang

I would recommend that you drain your fluid or possibly pull your diff cover to inspect ASAP. What Team refers is that your Limited Slip Differential has failed, and that clunkcing noise is the clutch fragment being sitred within the diff. It stopped making such noise becasue it has been picked up by the magnetic drain plug.
A simple way is to jack up both your rear wheels and turn one of the wheel. If the other wheel turns the same direction, your LSD probably still works. If it turns the opposite direction, your diff has (partially) blown. But if I were you I'll drain the fluid.