Billman250

The one I pictured is almost always the problem, usually due to build not use. Yours is quite trashed.

559s2k

Thank you. That is what my mechanic said about the bearing too, but he wasn't 100% sure. However, I already bought the bearing. Had I heard sooner, I wouldn't have, but too late now. I already have the outer race installed in the rear housing, so the new needle bearing will be installed too. Thanks for the info and I hope this helps someone else that removes their own rear housing.

Yes it is.

559s2k

And...it's not just the transmission as it turns out.

I swapped out the bad bearing, other rear bearings and put everything back together. The noise is now coming strictly from the rear. The car was loud before and now it is isolated to strictly coming from the rear end of the car. I don't know if it is the prop shaft or the diff. It is however, one of the two. I had the car lifted and running, but the s2000 is so loud that it is hard to hear where it is exactly coming from.

Take a listen and let me know what you all think: http://youtu.be/bXCFAxmKDPI

You can hear the whining noise, at 20 mph, even louder at 40 mph and when the car is in neutral. Please let me know what you think the noise is. I can get more videos if needed. I was going to get videos of my car on the lift, BUT the car is so loud it sounds exactly as the video above anyways, even when outside of the car. I changed the rear differential fluid and I saw metal shavings, but no chunks or pieces of gear teeth were present in the sludge.

Anyways, I am all ears to any steps that I can take to isolate and solve the problem.

Slowcrash_101

Sounds like the pinion/ring gear to me.

559s2k

Thank you for the reply. Would it be a good idea to remove the rear diff and take off the cover to inspect the pinion & ring gears? I know Honda wants $1000 for the pinion and ring, but I also have read that a better idea is to buy the Kia rear diff ring and pinion IF those are the only bad parts.

Any specific parts in the rear diff that you have seen cause a whining/whirling noise like in the video? Thanks for any input.

bgoetz

Ugh! If your certain that your noise is the rear diff then my vote would be to send it to S2kpuddydaddy for a rebuild. That noise sounds entirely too obnoxious to be a wheel bearing and I can't think of what else it would be. I find it odd that your tail shaft bearing and rear differential both fail.

Slowcrash_101

It's probably cheaper to just put a used diff in there. To be honest, rebuilding these diffs isn't the hardest thing to do. If you can install oil banjo bolts you can rebuild one. You just need a bench, a stand, the parts, some special tools, and the know how. The hardest part is setting the contact pattern on the teeth, everything else is driving in bearings oil seals and torqueing some bolts.

559s2k

That is what I am leaning on doing as I did with the rear of my transmission. It is a whole lot easier to buy a used diff and install it. Plus much less of a headache and downtime. I am still driving the car around at the moment. I have a jeep, but I HATE parking with large cars when parking at school. Thus I am still driving the S2000. I take it since I never drive the car hard, it should last me till I have the time to take it apart? Or should this be a major concern and should be taken care of ASAP?

I have read numerous threads and especially this thread here: http://www.superstreetonline.com/how...0-garage-tech/ along with other threads that I have been reading here on s2ki. It seems pretty simple, the only thing is finding the tools or just outsourcing the pressing of the bearings, measuring backlash and checking the contact points as you have mentioned. I know my last mechanic is willing to press the bearings for $15-$20, but I am not sure if he has a dial gauge indicator or if I can find a place that loans the tool. Either way, it doesn't seem very complicated if I just bought some Kia pinion and ring...nonetheless a whole lot cheaper $197 or I can make an even better offer: http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-78-4-778-R...b6301c&vxp=mtr. I don't track the car or anything and performance isn't a must. Rather, cost savings would be my first priority. However, I am sure this would set me back close to the cost of a used rear diff.

Probably the more challenging parts of the whole pinion and ring swap:



However, this is assuming that only the ring and pinion are bad of course.

What would be your next step if you were troubleshooting this problem yourself? Would it be advisable to pull off the diff and remove the differential cover? Also, I found some used diff on EBay, averaging roughly at $550. Is this a good price or can I find better prices here on s2ki? http://www.ebay.com/itm/2000-00-HOND...bbd7ee&vxp=mtr I am pretty sure I can make an offer to lower the price a little.

Thanks!!

Slowcrash_101

That's what they usually go for, about $450-550 in that ball park. For $550 that thing better be in decent condition.

If you want to rebuild, it's going to cost you about $400 in parts/labor/tools plus all the effort and cursing that comes with it. And then you have to install the thing. Car will be down for a while too because if it's your first time it's going to take you a few days.

If you install a used one, keep your old one, rebuild it down the road piece meal, you can use the one you rebuild and sell the used one that got you by. You'll make back what you spent on it.

Billman250

Actually it is, and it's been proven over the years. It takes a very well earned mechanical reasoning and feel if you want it to go the distance.

Send a PM to s2kpuddydad, he is the S2000 differential-master and will likely have great options for you (build yours, exchange/core etc)

click here to PM him:

https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/index.php...MemberID=36094