noise/vibration problem

[bklippel]

This seems to have started pretty suddenly last weekend, after a few trips along a couple miles of gravel road.

I have a 2003 GTS, it's started a deep almost growling sound with body vibration mostly on the release of the throttle while the rpms are dropping, though sustaining around 2000 rpm at idle can also reproduce it. The noise is most noticible cold, at morning start, and diminishes to almost undetectible after about an hour of moderate driving. It's been scoped and 2-3 mechanics have looked at it with no definitive answer, except 'MAYBE' something in the bell housing, possibly the throwout bearing, but i've have the typical chattering throwout bearing for 20000 miles with no change, like many other 3g's ... and that rattle is still there so it doesnt really make sense that it worsened. Oh, the growl comes on a little when car bounces/twists with momentum of dips in the road too.

Any ideas? I don't really feel like replacing the clutch just to see what happens if ya know what I mean.


tia!

[crazy_ugly_coyote]

wouldnt warrenty cover this? or have you already modded it?!?!?!

[bklippel]

Haha, well... sort of. The dealer has had it for a couple days too, so far all they have done is replace the front engine mounts - which didnt really fix the problem at hand, though i did have a little tug that was nice to see gone. As long as the problem isn't in the clutch it will be warranty no problem - if it's in the clutch I'm at their mercy to decide if they want to blame it on wear. I've had the throw out bearing worked on once before at about 10k, its at 35k now, and the warranty on clutch ends at 12k though they will *possibly* cover some non-wear parts like springs and bearing past that, at their whim.. since those often get replaced with standard clutch maintenance. So far though, they don't think its in the clutch, though it might be something else around the bell housing. And no, no mods yet, just a K&N drop-in, it gets a magnaflow muf and injen CAI soon though, i've just been waiting for the basic to expire, might as well get a little use from all the original parts.

[Sleepr awd]

yup, i'm trying some of that too, bt as long as the part isn't the direct problem its ok, the ecu compromises for different fuel ratios during normal driving, so intake is fine and exhaust won't hurt a thing...after the warranty is over or most the way through, i'm boostin' it