on my wifes' 86 5KS, I hear a whine similar to what I'd expect snow tires to make, except they are regular tires which have been on for a while and the noise just started.

The noise has nothing to do with the engine as moving along at 50mph, I put it in neutral, turned off the key and coasted for a bit. Noise was still there.

It almost sounds like the radiator fan is running, but I know it is not. The noise lessens and goes away when I slow down and stop.

I thought it might be a wheel bearing so I jacked it up and ran one wheel at a time up to about 50. Couldn't get it to make the noise. What does a transaxle sound like when it is ready to die? I drained and changed the tranny fluid a couple months ago, then had the transaxle fluid sucked out and refilled with new. This was done 3-4 weeks ago. Noise started this week.

The place I go to is top notch and I cannot believe they put in the wrong stuff. For local people, this is Holland Imports and they know Audis.

Besides, why would it wait several weeks before getting noisy?

The only other thing i can think of is some kind of vibration due to air coming in the grill and causing something to whine.

Any thoughts?

Jimbo

Coast along at speed and swerve gently side to side. Does it change in pitch or volume? Wheel bearing.

Once you put a load on that wheel bearing, that is when you hear it. Jacking it up off the ground, takes away the "load", so no noise.

i've waggled it quite a bit at both high and low speed. i know what a bad bearing sounds like cause in my 92 i could tell when it was bad by waggling the wheel.

it just doesn't feel the same. also, when i jacked up the 92 and spun a wheel, you could hear it. course it had been making a lot of noise for a while by then.

still wondering if anyone could describe what a transaxle sounds like when it's going south.

Have it checked again. That's too much of a coincidence to let slide, in my view.

my thoughts too, but i really, really trust these guys. ok, you convinced me. i'll stop off tomorrow and see.

Is your transmission fluid level higher than normal? Don't want to be the messenger of bad news, but the seal between the trans and diff could be leaking and the diff. oil is mixing with the trans oil. Check your diff. oil again