[gprocket]

My '71 Berlina (winter daily driver project) has given me no trouble these first few weeks until last night. What started out as an almost imperceptible tick in the rear end two weeks ago has blossomed into a loud, scary bang.

I am a bit perplexed (nothing new for me...):
The noise is definitely coming from the rear end.
It is definitely tied to vehicle speed not engine speed.
The banging only occurs when decelerating.
The banging occurs with or without the clutch engaged.
There was some rotational play (driveshaft to diff) early this week when it was a ticking noise. I have not checked since it started banging.
All suspension bushings and U joints are new.
If I apply the brakes nothing changes.
If I apply the emergency brake the banging will stop.

If it backlash (worn gears) I would think the noise would stop with the application of either brake. If it was an E brake issue, I would think it would bang regardless of acceleration mode.

I must admit, I have never seen the E brake arrangement. I don't even know how to access it. So right now I've got a LSD diff on deck and will swap it in this weekend. Then I will see what is what.

Anybody got any ideas?

 

[RC Hiatt]

My old Berlina did exactly the same thing, and it was the wrong size bolts in the driveline installed by the PO and some had worked their way loose making it out of balance as well as about to fall out. My driveline and joints were essentially all new too, along with a limited slip conversion. Carefully check your driveline connections first, or again.

Darn fine looking Berlina you have. Hopefully you won't find the rear fuel filter plugs up every week from tank rust, like mine did before I coated the tank.

Richard

 

[rogerspeed]

Bad rear wheel/axle bearings? Bad axle splines?

 

[gprocket]

Richard, Which bolts are you refering to? The bolts from the diff flange to the U joint? Digital pictures make everything look better. It is a great car but far from perfect. A fair amount of rocker rust as well as dents from falling tree branches coupled with some really odd paint imperfections call for some serious body work this summer. But it is a great car and a blast to drive. And yes, I have replaced the fuel filter once already. If it goes again before spring I will pull the tank. Either way I'll have it coated by the end of summer.

Roger, I was figuring if the bearings where the culprit I would be hearing a high pitched squeal. But once I swap diffs I'll pull this one apart and find out.

 

[RC Hiatt]

Richard, Which bolts are you refering to? The bolts from the diff flange to the U joint?

I'm not really sure, but mine exhibited the exact same symptoms while on a club event to a local Alfa repair facility. It was fine when I started from home and began knocking a little on the way there, but when I left the picnic it got way worse fast, so I had Hagerty tow it 9 miles back to them and they fixed it for me. I think it was probably the bolts at the guibo coupling or the center flange, but I was just happy to get by fairly cheaply, because it sounded really expensive at the time! If Dan with Veloce is watching the bb, maybe he can tell you exactly what it was.

 

[gprocket]

As reported on my Berlina thread, the culprit turned out to be loose lug nuts. This is what I believe happened: I came out of the movies and there was a small gang of kids admiring the car. I didn't think too much about it except that kids aren't the usually ones to appreciate a Berlina. Drove home at which point the banging started. The next day I drove the car to the office to start work on replacing the rearend when the tire started scraping on the fender. When I got out to look at it, I found ALL the lug nuts were missing and the only thing holding the tire on was the fender! Apparently the little punks were working on stealing my wheels. I don't know if I can save the wheels but at least they didn't come off while I was doing 80 MPH done the expressway.

The ticking noise is gone too which likely disappeared when we replaced the U -joints.