Drive Shaft Squeak?
 

i finished replacing the engine, and clutch in my '96 Cavalier. Finally. Now, a new issue has come up. When taking it around the block to make sure everything was running properly, i noticed a chirping/squeaking noise. i drove it back to the house to see what it might be.

i put the car up on jack stands, and marked the tires with chalk. Turning the tires by hand, i can hear the squeak once per tire rotation, in exactly the same spot (give or take a couple degrees). i can hear the squeak while turning both the passenger side tire, as well as the driver side tire. Both forward, and reverse. Both in gear, and in neutral.

While trying to narrow it down, the squeaking stopped. Not wanting to put the car back down, drive it around the block, then put it back up on the stands, i turned it on while the front tires were still up in the air (after checking the back tires were properly chocked).

Shortly after turning it on, and putting it in gear, the squeaking came back. My son listened to either side of the vehicle, trying to narrow it down, while i worked the accelerator and clutch.

Unable to determine exactly where the squeak was coming from, we turned it back off. Turning the wheels by hand again, the squeak was still there, so i crawled under the car to listen from below. With my son turning the tires, i found the squeak seems to be coming from where the drive axle inserts into the transaxle. Not from inside the transaxle, and i don't think it's from the CV joint either.

There was no squeak before pulling the engine. I've checked, double-checked, and triple-checked the transaxle fluid. There seems to be a very slow drip, but otherwise, the fluid hasn't gone down. The CV boot has no cracks/tears, and doesn't seem to be leaking grease from anywhere. No clunking, or popping sounds.

Any idea what might be causing the noise?

Brake pads have a built in squeaker that is designed to do that when they are getting close to needing replaced. The squeak comes from the area you described. You didn't say if you had touched the brake peddle after the squeak stopped and before it began again. Pads can ride lightly against the rotor after the brakes are released for a short while. I've even had them squeak only while turning just before squeaking every time i brake. Finally followed by the hard metal to metal grinding sound. Let us know what you find.

but the sound isn't coming from the wheels. it's coming from where the drive shaft inserts into the transaxle...

Did you lube up the back of brake pads with heavy duty silicone grease?

Are your pads are still good and like BW56 mentions - are the clips not touching?

Does it stop if you lightly apply the brake pads? How are your wheel bearings?

When i last changed the brake pads, yes.

Still look fine to me.

It only stops when i am at a stand still.

No indication that the bearings are going bad.

The sound *still* isn't coming from the break/rotor/wheel housing...it's coming from where the passenger-side driveshaft inserts into the transaxle...

"The squeak seems to be coming from where the drive axle inserts into the transaxle."
Sorry i over looked this and thought you were looking at the other end. I can't think of anything between the cv joint and the transaxle case that would squeak in that area once per revolution. Thanks for the mind game ;) Anyone else?