Solo Posted April 5, 2003 Share Posted April 5, 2003 Picked up my new R300 from Dartford today - it passed the SVA on Monday . Noticed when driving home that the diff is very noisy - a constant high pitched whine at 30 - 50 mph which seems to disappear at higher speeds. The noise almost disappears if you depress the clutch. I have an LSD fitted. Is this noise normal with an LSD? My last Caterham didn't have one and never made any noise like this. I'll speak to the factory on Monday; any thoughts? (ps I checked that the diff oil level was right - it was - and there was lots of swarf on the magnet behind the filler bolt. Is this normal?) Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bricol Posted April 5, 2003 Share Posted April 5, 2003 Exactly like mine! And still the same 5000 miles later! I think "they all do that sir" but I hesitate to say that they should. Its going for a proper rebuild/setup soon! Bri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nifty Posted April 5, 2003 Share Posted April 5, 2003 Solo, it's working!! Start worrying when you can't hear it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STEVE GILBERT Posted April 5, 2003 Share Posted April 5, 2003 I do not think this sounds right An LSD should be as quiet as an open Diff while driving along. You will always be able to hear xmission noise as you are sat right next to it with no noise insulation but I would not accept anything excessive. Get some drives in other 7s to compare if you are not sure and if you still think its noisy then take it back. Steve See My Zetec Power 7(soon to be sold :0( ) Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren f Posted April 5, 2003 Share Posted April 5, 2003 I have an R300 with the LSD. It is very noisy - I get occaisional 'clunks' 🤔 to go with the 'whirrs' and 'whines' but also assumed 'they are all like that'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munch Posted April 5, 2003 Share Posted April 5, 2003 i also have six speed with lsd very noisy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveP Posted April 6, 2003 Share Posted April 6, 2003 Echo what's already been said - my LSD (also in an R300) is very noisy, with a noise not unlike my old straight cut gearbox but not quite as loud. SteveP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drumster Posted April 6, 2003 Share Posted April 6, 2003 From what I understand from a fellow sevener who has just built his R300 with LSD, there is a problem which Caterham are aware of with the diffs and I think they are trying to resolve. I believe ( and don't quote me on this) that once sorted the whiny diff is to be replaced. Chris Alston 1800 Supersprint - Loud and Proud 😬 ...well it only sounds fast officer 😳 Brooklands aeroscreens for those........flies in the teeth moments Drive it like you stole it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveP Posted April 6, 2003 Share Posted April 6, 2003 Errrm, that's a bit worrying for all us new(ish) owners isn't it? SteveP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilD Posted April 6, 2003 Share Posted April 6, 2003 My car has been on the road three weeks, not LSD but still noisy, particularly when the power comes off, I've been led to believe "they all that" as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren f Posted April 6, 2003 Share Posted April 6, 2003 Where did your (or your mate's) info come from Chris? Just wondering if we need to form an R300 'posse' and descend on Dartford en-masse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary G Posted April 6, 2003 Share Posted April 6, 2003 My Superlight has a LSD and whines, especially in 4th. Al Crickmore's also whines. "They all do that sir". C7 GAR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelw Posted April 6, 2003 Share Posted April 6, 2003 Just to be different my LSD (about '95) doesn't whine, but does clonk, is this a problem? Michael. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meldrew Posted April 7, 2003 Share Posted April 7, 2003 Yep, my R300 LSD clonks, whines, grinds etc too. I had also assumed this was normal (especially as I was told just before the car went for its SVA that the diff was "noisy" and Caterham checked it out prior to delivery). Woss all this about an inherent problem, Chris? Please can you tell us more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiff Posted April 7, 2003 Share Posted April 7, 2003 I'm relieved to hear this. My R300's been on the road a month, and the LSD whines at lower speeds, occasionally makes big 'clunks', and on overrun sounds like a load of nails being shaken in a tin can. Anyone else get a noise from the clutch? At halt in neutral it makes a whirring sort of noise which disappears if I depress the clutch pedal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary G Posted April 7, 2003 Share Posted April 7, 2003 Tiff, mine makes that noise with the clutch up in neutral - most seem to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJL Posted April 7, 2003 Share Posted April 7, 2003 When I took my new roadsport to Dartford for its post build check I noticed the diff was very whiney over 40mph - more than I would have expected. They tried to assure me that "they all do that" but when the car was returned they admitted to having replaced it. I'm glad they did because the noise was unfuriating - why should you be expected to put up with this with the "they all do that excuse" if the diff is out of adjustment ? BTW - I am not talking about the usual layshaft rattle, driveshaft clonk or backlash bang here but a loud intrusive whine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solo Posted April 7, 2003 Author Share Posted April 7, 2003 Thanks for the replies - it's reassuring (?) to know that I'm not alone with this problem. I've just spoken to Caterham who have confirmed that this is a known problem at the moment and they are investigating a correction. There is no time frame for this. My name is now on the list to get the fix when they have it - I suggest that anyone else with the same problem gives them a call. Just to clarify, my LSD produces a VERY loud whine CONSTANTLY at lower speeds regardless of which gear you're in. It's louder than the engine, exhaust, etc. At higher speeds it seems to go away and it's not noticable at very low (sub 30 mph) speeds. It makes the car very infuriating to drive, especially when surrounded by Sunday drivers! Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheds Moderator Posted April 7, 2003 Share Posted April 7, 2003 My 96 1.4ss LSD clunks a lot too. AFAIK this is a known problem with all LSDs and part of the reason why they are not fitted to "normal" sportscars. Mine fortunately does not whine but when pootling in traffic, esp. in 2nd gear, it clunks away and sounds awful as it goes from one side of the backlash to the other. When pressing on each gearchange is accompanied by a "clack clack" as you release and reapply the power, like a less severe version of the "Spitfire Knackered UJ" noise which all Triumph enthusiasts know and love so much. The solution is to keep the power on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philwaters Posted April 7, 2003 Share Posted April 7, 2003 I stopped to help an R300 at the side of the M25 on the 29th March... the owner was in the process of taking it to the Factory for a check of... yep the noisy Diff.... Exhaust bung had vibrated out, which he managed to find on the hard shoulder - very lucky! Hello if you are reading... Phil Waters You mean you can drive these? I thought it was just there to polish 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bafty Crastard Posted April 7, 2003 Share Posted April 7, 2003 Yep, I joined the noisy diff club to ☹️ Spoke to simon Lambert, he says the diffs are noisy (he would !) some are more noisy than others We will have to see R300 NUT Edited by - Bafty Crastard on 7 Apr 2003 14:42:31 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axel Arnold Posted April 7, 2003 Share Posted April 7, 2003 Hi, my '96 5-Speed (LSD-Diff?) is quite noisy in 4th and 5th. Has anybody tried 80W-110 in gearbox or diff? Axel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren f Posted April 8, 2003 Share Posted April 8, 2003 Spoke to Simon Lambert at the time of my SVA- and asked the question as to whether the lsd should have any sort of special oil (other than the EP90(?) stuff stated in the build manual). His answer was along the lines of 'it will only make it quieter, that's the only reason we would use it'. Perhaps DT or somebody similar will have a product worth a try (don't have the catalogue to hand). darren f The Building of R300SEV is Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedazzled Posted April 8, 2003 Share Posted April 8, 2003 Just adding my name to the list too. My R300 (without LSD) whines a lot between 40 and 60 on the overrun.... The best solution I've found is to drive faster and the noise goes away (and it normally then gets replaced by passenger screams ). I'm interested to hear if/how people get this fixed though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonP Posted April 8, 2003 Share Posted April 8, 2003 In my experience the De Dion (XR4i) diffs have variable amounts of backlash. Even with the diff set correctly the things clunk and chatter on the point of being on or off the power. In the original application the diff was rubber mounted and buried under a carpet.... It is possible (by adjusting the side to side position of the crownwheel assembly) to reduce this backlash, basically by engaging the pinion tighter to the crownwheel. However this adjustment tends to make the diff whine! It could be that during the fitting of the LSD mech the builders have removed as much backlash as possible, hence the whining problem tending to affect LSDs. Personally I prefer the occasional chatter or clunk to the continuous whine! Obviously also check the thing has oil in it! The rattles which occur at idle and are silenced by depressing the clutch are gearbox related. They are caused by the vibrations from the engine rattling the gearbox input shaft and gear clusters and should be worse when the transmission is hot as the gearbox oil is thinner. They will also be worse if the car has a lightened flywheel. Generally not a cause for concern. Hope that clarifys things...at the end of the day if you are not happy talk to Caterham...its a problem they have seen many times before and will probably be happy to advise. JonP Eliseless and Sevenless....sob! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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