2001 Buick LaSabre Drive Noise.

I have a noise that sounds like a small plane droning that changes
pitch as speed increases.
I think it's the left-side. Sound doesn't change when turning.
It starts at 20 MPH. It doesn't stop when I brake slightly or take it
out-of-gear. Very low mileage...around 60K.
Thanks for any ideas or where I might ask online.
bob

Jesse, suggested "wheel bearing".

Bob Villa > wrote:
>I have a noise that sounds like a small plane droning that changes
>pitch as speed increases.
>I think it's the left-side. Sound doesn't change when turning.
>It starts at 20 MPH. It doesn't stop when I brake slightly or take it
>out-of-gear. Very low mileage...around 60K.

Almost certainly a wheel bearing.

>Thanks for any ideas or where I might ask online.

Take it to a tech immediately. There are some other possibilities, but
the wheel bearing is certainly a major one and the conequences of wheel
bearing failure are so severe that I would not drive it until that has
been ruled out.

>Jesse, suggested "wheel bearing".

Yes.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

On 27 Dec 2010 18:34:05 -0500, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:

>Bob Villa > wrote:
>>I have a noise that sounds like a small plane droning that changes
>>pitch as speed increases.
>>I think it's the left-side. Sound doesn't change when turning.
>>It starts at 20 MPH. It doesn't stop when I brake slightly or take it
>>out-of-gear. Very low mileage...around 60K.

Could also be tires. Try to find a street that has changes in road
surface, like concrete to asphalt. If the sound changes, it's tires.
You can also run your hand around the tread - a bad tire will feel
like it has a sawtooth surface. It's usually also easy to see.

The sound of a wheel bearing will almost always change when you swing
the car from side to side. There's also a chance it's in the trans,
and the sound won't change at all going side to side.

On Dec 27, 8:10*pm, Bill Vanek > wrote:
> On 27 Dec 2010 18:34:05 -0500, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
>
> >Bob Villa > wrote:
> >>I have a noise that sounds like a small plane droning that changes
> >>pitch as speed increases.
> >>I think it's the left-side. Sound doesn't change when turning.
> >>It starts at 20 MPH. It doesn't stop when I brake slightly or take it
> >>out-of-gear. Very low mileage...around 60K.
>
> Could also be tires. Try to find a street that has changes in road
> surface, like concrete to asphalt. If the sound changes, it's tires.
> You can also run your hand around the tread - a bad tire will feel
> like it has a sawtooth surface. It's usually also easy to see.
>
> The sound of a wheel bearing will almost always change when you swing
> the car from side to side. There's also a chance it's in the trans,
> and the sound won't change at all going side to side.

We can rule out tires (I think)...both front tires are smooth-no
ridges (less than a year old). Driving over snow cover...you still
hear the noise.
There doesn't seem to be a change in the sound moving the wheel back-
and-forth. (sure hope it's not the tranny! *L*)
Thanks for your input on this.

On Dec 28 2010, 5:27*pm, Bob Villa > wrote:
> On Dec 27, 8:10*pm, Bill Vanek > wrote:
>
>
>
> > On 27 Dec 2010 18:34:05 -0500, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
>
> > >Bob Villa > wrote:
> > >>I have a noise that sounds like a small plane droning that changes
> > >>pitch as speed increases.
> > >>I think it's the left-side. Sound doesn't change when turning.
> > >>It starts at 20 MPH. It doesn't stop when I brake slightly or take it
> > >>out-of-gear. Very low mileage...around 60K.
>
> > Could also be tires. Try to find a street that has changes in road
> > surface, like concrete to asphalt. If the sound changes, it's tires.
> > You can also run your hand around the tread - a bad tire will feel
> > like it has a sawtooth surface. It's usually also easy to see.
>
> > The sound of a wheel bearing will almost always change when you swing
> > the car from side to side. There's also a chance it's in the trans,
> > and the sound won't change at all going side to side.
>
> We can rule out tires (I think)...both front tires are smooth-no
> ridges (less than a year old). *Driving over snow cover...you still
> hear the noise.
> There doesn't seem to be a change in the sound moving the wheel back-
> and-forth. *(sure hope it's not the tranny! *L*)
> Thanks for your input on this.

No apparent noise when jacked-up and spinning at 30MPH (of course
there is little to load the bearing-no weight).

Bob Villa wrote:
> On Dec 28 2010, 5:27 pm, Bob Villa > wrote:
>> On Dec 27, 8:10 pm, Bill Vanek > wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>> On 27 Dec 2010 18:34:05 -0500, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
>>>> Bob Villa > wrote:
>>>>> I have a noise that sounds like a small plane droning that changes
>>>>> pitch as speed increases.
>>>>> I think it's the left-side. Sound doesn't change when turning.
>>>>> It starts at 20 MPH. It doesn't stop when I brake slightly or take it
>>>>> out-of-gear. Very low mileage...around 60K.
>>> Could also be tires. Try to find a street that has changes in road
>>> surface, like concrete to asphalt. If the sound changes, it's tires.
>>> You can also run your hand around the tread - a bad tire will feel
>>> like it has a sawtooth surface. It's usually also easy to see.
>>> The sound of a wheel bearing will almost always change when you swing
>>> the car from side to side. There's also a chance it's in the trans,
>>> and the sound won't change at all going side to side.
>> We can rule out tires (I think)...both front tires are smooth-no
>> ridges (less than a year old). Driving over snow cover...you still
>> hear the noise.
>> There doesn't seem to be a change in the sound moving the wheel back-
>> and-forth. (sure hope it's not the tranny! *L*)
>> Thanks for your input on this.
>
> No apparent noise when jacked-up and spinning at 30MPH (of course
> there is little to load the bearing-no weight).

Makes it seem like a wheel bearing, as several people have mentioned.

On Jan 2, 10:08*am, Bob Villa > wrote:
> On Dec 28 2010, 5:27*pm, Bob Villa > wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Dec 27, 8:10*pm, Bill Vanek > wrote:
>
> > > On 27 Dec 2010 18:34:05 -0500, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
>
> > > >Bob Villa > wrote:
> > > >>I have a noise that sounds like a small plane droning that changes
> > > >>pitch as speed increases.
> > > >>I think it's the left-side. Sound doesn't change when turning.
> > > >>It starts at 20 MPH. It doesn't stop when I brake slightly or take it
> > > >>out-of-gear. Very low mileage...around 60K.
>
> > > Could also be tires. Try to find a street that has changes in road
> > > surface, like concrete to asphalt. If the sound changes, it's tires.
> > > You can also run your hand around the tread - a bad tire will feel
> > > like it has a sawtooth surface. It's usually also easy to see.
>
> > > The sound of a wheel bearing will almost always change when you swing
> > > the car from side to side. There's also a chance it's in the trans,
> > > and the sound won't change at all going side to side.
>
> > We can rule out tires (I think)...both front tires are smooth-no
> > ridges (less than a year old). *Driving over snow cover...you still
> > hear the noise.
> > There doesn't seem to be a change in the sound moving the wheel back-
> > and-forth. *(sure hope it's not the tranny! *L*)
> > Thanks for your input on this.
>
> No apparent noise when jacked-up and spinning at 30MPH (of course
> there is little to load the bearing-no weight).

A bit more...going 30-40MPH...it makes less noise turning left than
turning right (right is about the same as going straight). Definitely
seems to be the driver's side (left, here in the US/Canada).

Bob Villa wrote:
> On Jan 2, 10:08 am, Bob Villa > wrote:
>> On Dec 28 2010, 5:27 pm, Bob Villa > wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>> On Dec 27, 8:10 pm, Bill Vanek > wrote:
>>>> On 27 Dec 2010 18:34:05 -0500, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
>>>>> Bob Villa > wrote:
>>>>>> I have a noise that sounds like a small plane droning that changes
>>>>>> pitch as speed increases.
>>>>>> I think it's the left-side. Sound doesn't change when turning.
>>>>>> It starts at 20 MPH. It doesn't stop when I brake slightly or take it
>>>>>> out-of-gear. Very low mileage...around 60K.
>>>> Could also be tires. Try to find a street that has changes in road
>>>> surface, like concrete to asphalt. If the sound changes, it's tires.
>>>> You can also run your hand around the tread - a bad tire will feel
>>>> like it has a sawtooth surface. It's usually also easy to see.
>>>> The sound of a wheel bearing will almost always change when you swing
>>>> the car from side to side. There's also a chance it's in the trans,
>>>> and the sound won't change at all going side to side.
>>> We can rule out tires (I think)...both front tires are smooth-no
>>> ridges (less than a year old). Driving over snow cover...you still
>>> hear the noise.
>>> There doesn't seem to be a change in the sound moving the wheel back-
>>> and-forth. (sure hope it's not the tranny! *L*)
>>> Thanks for your input on this.
>> No apparent noise when jacked-up and spinning at 30MPH (of course
>> there is little to load the bearing-no weight).
>
> A bit more...going 30-40MPH...it makes less noise turning left than
> turning right (right is about the same as going straight). Definitely
> seems to be the driver's side (left, here in the US/Canada).

Left wheel bearing. Usually the rights go bad first.

On Jan 9, 7:58*pm, Paul in Houston TX > wrote:

>
> > A bit more...going 30-40MPH...it makes less noise turning left than
> > turning right (right is about the same as going straight). *Definitely
> > seems to be the driver's side (left, here in the US/Canada).
>
> Left wheel bearing. *Usually the rights go bad first.

It was too cold to do the job myself...cost me $300 for the better
quality one and labor. Oh well, it's fixed!

Bob Villa wrote:
> On Jan 9, 7:58 pm, Paul in Houston TX > wrote:
>
>>> A bit more...going 30-40MPH...it makes less noise turning left than
>>> turning right (right is about the same as going straight). Definitely
>>> seems to be the driver's side (left, here in the US/Canada).
>> Left wheel bearing. Usually the rights go bad first.
>
> It was too cold to do the job myself...cost me $300 for the better
> quality one and labor. Oh well, it's fixed!
>
Yay! Thanks for the update.