HELP! Frustrated, perplexed and looking for suggestions.

[BBoswell]

About a month ago my Custom 300 developed a very loud squal that sounds like slipping fan belts. It is loud enough to turn heads when you drive down the street. It is also intermittent and will squal for a couple of block then stop for a block then start again. It goes away when you stop and cannot be reproduced sitting still . . . which is making the source difficult to find.

First I put new belts on the car. That wasn?t the problem.

To date we have pulled all the belts and drove it a couple of blocks beltless. We?ve checked the front calipers, rotors and brake pads (all new with in last 9 months), checked the rear brakes, checked for drive shaft rubbing, checked for roughness in rear end and axle bearing (all 6 months old) and checked vacuum lines. Nothing has helped.

I am at a loss. My mechanic is at a loss. Any suggestion would be appreciated.

The car is running a 460 Lincoln engine, C6 transmission, 9? Ford posi, power brakes and rack and pinion steering.

[junior58]

Does it vary with roadspeed, or stay at a constant pitch regardless of speed? Front or rear of car, left or right side?

[BBoswell]

Stays at constant pitch which speed doesn't vary. Sounds appears to be on passenger side at front to mid car.

[suede57ford]

Could be in the trans.  A dry u-joint will make a squeal too. 

[BBoswell]

Yep, we thought of that. New ones were installed when I rebuild the rear end, but we checked them.

[Ecode70D]

Bob
    I'm baffled and don't even know what to say.  Hope that you can get it squared away and that it is a simple fix. Jay

[hotroddonnie]

Water pump!

[hiball3985]

If it can't diagnosed in person, over the internet is almost impossible.. Good luck, I bet it's something minor..

[BBoswell]

Drove the car without any belts which means the water pump wasn't pumping and it was still squaling . . . so it's not the water pump. I realize it was a long shot that anyone would know . . . but there is always the slight chance that someone else has had the same problem. I hope you are right and it will turn out being something really simple . . .

[junior58]

i work at a Ford dealership in NZ, we have had occasions where a dry front wheel bearing hub seal can give off a squealing type noise but it sounds like yours may be a little further back than that.

[clusterbuster]

Sounds like right front? Did you pull the right front rotor and check the bearings? Sounds as if when you are stopped it quits, so it must be something turning in the chassis and making the noise. You have eliminated everything else except the tranny I would check bearings as the last reply suggested.

[BBoswell]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have checked the calipers and rotors, and replaced the pads and bearings. I discovered a vibration in the drive shaft so I had it balanced and replaced the u-joints. The rearend was rebuilt a few months ago when I went from 389:1 to 300:1 gears. At that time I replaced the axle bearings, seals and brake shoes. Unfortunately I still have the loud squal and I'm running out of things to check. My next stop will be the transmission shop to see what they think.

[Ecode70D]

Bob
    Have you tried jacking the rear wheels off the ground and running it in gear so see if you get the noise?
     Don't forget to block the front wheels and use jack stands.
Jay

[57redwhitered]

Many years ago when I worked in a body shop I had a customer with a loud strange noise when his car was being driven that was intermittent and obnoxious when it occurred.  Turned out to be a large flat stone wedged between the body and frame.

[hiball3985]

Noises can be so deceiving  When driving have you tried riding the brake to see if it eliminates the noise? Or just applying the hand brake to put enough pressure on the rear shoes?