tap tap tap err clunk clunk clunk (something like that)

[rabbitman]

A couple weeks ago I pulled bunny wabbit into the shop and changed the oil and t-stat, didn't touch anything else...ok so I might've sorta touched other stuff . When I took it out a few hours later I hadn't gone 100 yards and I could hear this tapping sound, it sounds like it happens every wheel rotation.
I first hear it at about 15mph and then I can always hear it in any gear that goes fast enough, swerving back and forth (so the tires kinda howl) has very little affect and after driving 55-60mph for 15 minutes the bearings are still ice cold.

I just put up with it for a while hoping it would go away but it didn't (duh ) so I took it back in, jacked it up and wiggled, spun and shook the tires and the only thing I could find was the drivers side ball joint was bad so I changed it and the same side front wheel bearing was maaaybee slightly noisy.
I've heard bad wheel bearings though and there wasn't much noise there besides the dragging disk brakes.

I did go over the tires and make sure I didn't have a nail poking out and tapping the road so that's ruled out.

and it better not be the tranny!!!!!! I checked the tranny oil and it was plenty good, according to this http://www.brokevw.com/020oil.html the rabbits don't need the extra .5L of gear oil which means mine's overfilled.

If anyone has a clue of what this could be I'd appreciate it

[burn_your_money]

For trans made before Sept 8, 1987, you do the same as above, adding fluid until it starts to run out of the side 17mm hole, then you plug that hole back up, and add 0.5L more fluid into the trans via the speedo hole in the yellow circle.

Actually, rabbits do need that extra 0.5l

I think you should top it up and see what happens. I don't think this is your problem though

[rabbitman]

After so long of using the extra .5L it would feel weird not to do it .
With the d-side wheels jacked up a couple inches the fluid still runs out the fill hole so I don't think it's low.

[theman53]

I had my drivers side ebrake cable get loose once. When I jacked the car up it didn't touch, but when running I could hear a little noise. I couldn't tell which side or front back as it sounded loud everywhere. I finally found it when I changed the tires and moved it about 1/2" back to where it was and never heard from it since.

[rabbitman]

I can't find the clunking when spinning the front left wheel but the bearing is for sure noisy. BTW I think the front wheel bearings are the only things I haven't touched in the almost four years I've owned it.

[Powered by Spearco]

How about the inner CV joint. I've had those make noise and wierd vibrations before.

[rabbitman]

Feels perdy tight.

[Powered by Spearco]

You could pull the axle out to see if theres any CV grease in the joint or if theres any where.
Lift that wheel up and slowly rotate it back and forth and look closely at the CV's. Any slop in rotation, its worn and probly making the noise.

[rabbitman]

Come to think of it the drivers side shaft was new (empi) 2 1/2 years ago, a little over a year ago I had the inner joint off (pulled the tranny) and it was full of grease. During the end of last winter I had to change the outer cv boots so they're still full of grease. I changed the pass side boot today and I'll be changing the drivers side again soon since it's all cracked up, cold weather is perdy hard on 'em.

In my first post it says the noise first started right when I took it out of the shop. Well it's been sitting in the shop since friday and when I took it out tonight the tapping is waaaay worse, actually sounds like a few taps per tire revolution.
It's for sure the bearing, the tapping almost goes away when I swerve right but gets louder when I swerve left, it also whines real high pitch when turning left.

[Doug]

Your wheel bearing is done. The ticking is more than likely a ball that is grabbing in the race. The whine is excessive side loading. It is worn out.

[rabbitman]

I've started wondering if it could be the tranny doing SMS, It definitely gets louder when I swerve left and goes away when I turn right though. It's so loud I can feel it in my feet.
It's kind of a tickticktick noise .

Spinning the wheel by hand everything feels fine, aside from the slight rumble of the bearing but I thought a bad bearing will just make a loud hum going down the road? Not a ticktick like I'm getting. Bearing's are expensive.

EDIT: I ordered a bearing so I guess I'll change it and see what happen's.