Bob Chapman

My 2002 6 spd.with 82000 miles is developing a whine from what seems to be the rear. I get it above 60mph and when the drive system is slightly pulling but not on acceleration or deceleration. Happens in 5th and 6th gear. Put Red Line fluids in tranny and differential about 30.000 miles ago. The whine seems to be getting slightly louder over time. It's not loud - just annoying and new. Ideas?

Rick@RKT Performance

This is a classic symptom of ring and pinion gears making noise. The noise happens around 65-70 mph in overdrives. If you can't live with it, time for new gears.

Roc87

Most likely will get louder as well Mine took around 3k miles to go from a slight hum to downright annoying and not being able to use the radio to cover the noise.
Time for 3.90s from Rick (see above)

NewWorldBlues

Does it start off as a low high-pitched frequency sound?

I've notice this on the used 3.42 diff that was just put in. Only under load.

Rick@RKT Performance

Most gear whines are on the load (accelerating) side. Usually the noise is gone during coasting or decel. The noise is similar to a straight cut gears in a transmission.

Z28STYLE23

I'm getting a similar whine that starts at 50mph. is the fix just new gears?

Rick@RKT Performance

Yes, but I would check to make sure it's not a rear hub noise first.

ALLEGRO

Both my Trans Am GT and my C5 Anniversary Edition (both with T-56 and 3.42 gears) have whinned at highway speeds. Seems I was told that it was the tranny that was the culprit, but I cannot remember. Mine have not increased in volume ever, so I am just going to live with it.....or turn the stereo up louder. LOL

texasEBz06

im having a gear whine also in my 02 z06 , it starts at any speed when im on throttle, if im on the floor with the throttle it goes away, if Im just cruizing I hear it more often.

NukeC5

Yes the ring and pinion are the cause. I swapped a 3.42 diff out of a Z06 into my 99 A4 and found out why they removed it. It whines badly all the time. If you can live with it, it doesn't hurt anything. If not, upgrade time

_r2h

I have a noise that is kind of opposite of this. Most noticeable on cruise, only slightly noticeable on acceleration, completely gone on deceleration. All after it's warmed up and at operating temp. I haven't figured it out yet.

Rick@RKT Performance

I should have been more specific. The noise is most evident on part throttle acceleration (10-30% throttle). The noise disappears under hard acceleration and decel.

striper

I've had this noise for thousands of miles and it doesn't hurt anything. It's not too bad so I haven't done anything about it. I've got 108k miles and it has never gotten any worse.

Dennis Wilson

My 3.90``s have been whining for over 30,000 miles now, loudest at 50-65 mph. sometimes louder than other times but not getting any worse. last diff change no metal in old oil so I`m living with it.

Rob 99

Why does this happen? and in my case only or mostly in 6th gear?
not enough 'load' on the gears,
geez i only have 40,000 mi (2004 year ) and it's been getting worse very annoying like others have said.

NukeC5

They say its from improper backlash of the ring and pinion. I find it had to believe that so many mistakes were made from the factory as this happens to so many people. I think that hard driving and abuse causes the gears to form a bad wear pattern. An improper break in and or allot of spirited driving will wipe out the gear teeth surface and make them noisy.

Rick@RKT Performance

This particular diff was whinning and the ring and pinion gears just ate each other up. This magnet was the result.

_r2h

Wow, sweet example of a magnet's lines of force.

Ozzysezit

NukeC5

Im not sure that "spirited" driving would be the cause of this. It is a Corvette after all and spirited driving is what the car was made for. I am new to this forum but I have been doing alot of research on the C5 Vettes. A Corvette with 40k miles on it should not have gear noise (unless maybe they ran it dry of lube at LeMans) I think maybe this was a Factory flaw that went unnoticed.

NukeC5

It may be in some cases, but if you stick around this forum awhile you will find that gear noise is a problem for way to many C5 owners to be factory flaws. The words "spirited driving" to me and (and "allot of spirited driving" at that) to me means the guys that are constantly on the throttle or brakes. The gears never have a chance to form a smooth wear pattern which leads to a surface that whines.
The Corvette is still a car made from the same parts as any other Chevy V8. Harsh driving will lead to owning a harshly driven car that shows it like any other car.