Differential whine fixed!

[Clyde]

I think Dynamating just masks the problem. PBR had the whining gears problem (like many of us do) because of bad gears, bearings, etc. He had all that replaced and now no whine. I believe I have the same problem, but have elected to try changing the gear oil. Least expensive procedure first. I have a feeling this won't work at all because I've had a similar situation happen before with another vehicle I own and the whining problem just became worse as I went along until eventually I had to replace bearing, gears, etc.

By the way, does anyone know what kind of an axle we have? It doesn't look like a GM axle, but more like a Ford 9 inch rear end. Of course I've only seen about 1 or 2 before anyway. (GM guy usually)

[Ldub]

I think Dynamating just masks the problem. PBR had the whining gears problem (like many of us do) because of bad gears, bearings, etc. He had all that replaced and now no whine. I believe I have the same problem, but have elected to try changing the gear oil. Least expensive procedure first. I have a feeling this won't work at all because I've had a similar situation happen before with another vehicle I own and the whining problem just became worse as I went along until eventually I had to replace bearing, gears, etc.

By the way, does anyone know what kind of an axle we have? It doesn't look like a GM axle, but more like a Ford 9 inch rear end. Of course I've only seen about 1 or 2 before anyway. (GM guy usually)

Oh I do like dusting off a thread from the tombs...

Our rear end is an Isuzu corp. 12 bolt, & some day soon (around X-mas time, I hope) I wanna jam an Aussie locker in mine...

[ZEUS]

Let me tell you, 4.77's make some noise! I figure my new mud tires will help mask that humming! And just the opposite of the first post... if you start to hear a racket when you take your foot off the gas when going down the highway, it could be the preload on your pinion is too tight or too loose. Either way, the pinion bearings create a lot of noise and a lot of heat when they are out of spec.

[Joe Isuzu]

OK, I feel much better now. I always thought my VX was loud and honestly I attributed it to tire roar/whine. I figured, well, it's a truck and those 18" tires aren't made to be quiet. But I've had more than one person hear a distinct whine that doesn't sound normal and I already replaced the tires hoping it was them. No change with the new tires. I also put the brown bead in the vehicle as well with very little change. There is a definite on/off effect with the noise with the throttle being used or not used. Hurray, the VX CAN be quieter!
Did anyone establish if this would be covered under warranty and if so, was the warranty transferrable as I'm not the original owner.
Thanks for the great thread!

[VXRoadster]

I am also not the 1st owner of my VX and would like to know if everyone is talking about power-train warranty. If so...is it 10ys 100l miles? And will it transfer to the second owner?

I sometimes compare my VX to a bad marriage...it can sometimes be a love hate relationship. About the time I am ready to sell my VX...it does something great and I continue to keep it.

[Ldub]

I've heard the warranty is halved to the second owner (5 yrs.)

A call to the nearest Isuzu dealer with your VIN will tell for sure.

[Triathlete]

Let me tell you, 4.77's make some noise! .

Thats why I am going to go with 5.38's!

[ZEUS]

Yeah, that should be much better! Bigger gears = bigger stereo!!

[Joe Isuzu]

per Isuzu's Website, my 2000 VX's warranty was only transferable between family members, oh well, nearly all used cars I've gotten did not have a warranty,
at least now I have something else to fiddle with in the hope of getting the VX more tolerable noise-wise

[ZEUS]

Joe Isuzu, I don't know your VX at all... if it is lifted and you have some meaty tires and if you are going to have to tear apart your 3rd members you might want to do many things at once. It is such a big job to get the front 3rd out. If you plan ahead and extend the diff brackets and install lower gears to compensate for your larger tires you would be oh so much more efficient and perhaps more pleased. The performance and longevity improvements are worth the time, effort, and expense, IMO. Just a heads up you prob'ly already knew about!

[Joe Isuzu]

Zeus, allow me to introduce myself, my mechanical experience is very limited except for oil and brake changes and I tend to keep my vehicles as stock as possible except for small performance improvements
now, with that said, my VX is about as stock as you can get, the only thing I've done is replace the speakers, replace the brakes/rotors and brown-beaded the cargo hold
I will most definitely NOT be fiddling with doing differential work myself, we want to keep VX's on the road not on a flatbed en route to the dealer, haha
I understand based on my prior comment how you might have thought I was going to do it myself and I appreciate the head's up on other work to be done at the same time, but no, this is definitely something a professional will look at