I have a strange vibration in my CLK 320. It starts at about 30 kmh, then disappears, then comes back at 60-70 kph, and is accompanied with a gear type whine. I cant tell if its coming from the front or the rear. It doent seem to exist at over 80kph.

Ive jacked up the car, and spun every wheel, nothing loose or noisy wheel bearings. When jacked up, and running, I've listened to the diff and gear box with a stethoscope, and I cant hear anything strange. The vibration or noise does not exist when jacked up.

The only thing I could find was that the rear of the gear box had a slight vibration at certain speeds, and that the prop shaft had a part number sticker on it. Perhaps this is an old problem - I've only had the car for 6 months.

Does the 208 use a two piece drive shaft? If so could there be a problem with the middle bearing.

Any ideas?

 

When I begin to get a worn tire, I get weird noises at different speeds. How's your tread?

 

They are getting down - Goodyear Eagle F1. I'll rotate them tomorrow and see what happens.

 

Hi,

I was going to suggest inspecting your tyre tread for unusual patterns / feathering etc. Rotating them may not make a difference because the same tyres will be fitted to the car.

Be aware that wheel bearings often feel fine when there is no load on them - unless they are totally shot.

Do you get the same symptoms on different road surfaces?

Do you get the same symptoms if you manually select different gears to coincide with the problem speeds..(You don't state whether it is manual or auto)

I will that differential and gearbox oil levels are OK.

Mileage / Age?

Stuart

 

There are no real strange wear patterns on the tyres, other than the fronts are worn at the edges, and the rears worn in the middle. I was going to put the fronts on the rears.

I'm aware that some bearings will only be noisy when loaded. The noise doent change when cornering or under brakes.

The vibration doesnt seem to change on road surface. Its difficult however to get those speeds on anything other than black hot mix, but I have noticed a very different tyre noise on painted road surface.

The car is auto, and the noise/vibration doent change with gear change or engine speed, or if on the overrun or accelleration.

I havnt checked the oil levels yet. Auto is sealed, and the there is no leak at the diff.

 

OK, but you didn't supply Mileage / Age?

The noise remains at the speeds you stated even if you get the Tiptronic to operate in a gear different to normal auto. Please confirm.

You state KPH. I assume therefore that you are in Europe somewhere.

Stuart

 

Year 1988, milage 89,000 km.

Country Australia.

The noise is the same, even if held in different gear, so it is always road speed dependent.

I have swapped the front tyre to the back, and vibration at 30kph has gone. The noise at 60 kph is still there.

 

By different road surfaces I meant different types of tarmac. Smooth, chip and spray etc. maybe you only have one sort in Aus.

However your painted surface seems to reinforce the premise that it is the tyres.

They need changing soon so this might be the next sensible step.

When fitting the new tyres you should ensure that the track and steering joints areOK as a precaution.

Stuart

 

Please let us know if changing to new tyres makes a difference. This same situation is occurring on my clk320 as well, and I am in the middle of trouble shooting too. On another car I have, I put on a new set of cheap tires and immediately felt a vibration from 30 to 70mph and then disappear at 80mph. Changing the tires to a higher quality fixed the problem that time. I an wondering if it will fix the problem for you and for too this time.

 

between the driveshaft and rear axel there is a rubber disc that conects driveshaft with the gear box. sometimes they get bad and make big noise and a lot of vibration