Help, Prot 96 weird noise - not from engine
 

Ahhhhhh!
Ok, car was running perfect one week ago.

Now as days pass by it seems to go from worse to worse - the noise

idle = perfect
speed from 1 to 40 km/h = smooth

past 40 km/h = nightmare sound begins (the more i accelerate the more intense the sound)

I pressed the clutch so the car would be in neutral and noise was still present from under the hood

The noise resembles a broken exhaust deep sound, but I checked exhaust system and it is intact, from headers to muffler. And the sound seems from under the hood more than anywhere else, almost seems like from the wheels...

Can anyone help me for clues what too look for or what problem might be? I`m afraid to loose a wheel or something that would cause major damage to my nice 1996 protégé 1.5 :(

Thank you so much for attention

RE: Help, Prot 96 weird noise - not from engine
 

sounds like blown wheel bearings. what is the mileage? if over 60k or 120k miles, did you swap the wheel bearings at those maintenance intervals?

RE: Help, Prot 96 weird noise - not from engine
 

Car has 190 000 km, so in miles i figure around ~115 000 miles

Do you know how to check my wheels bearings myself to see if that`s what it is or should it be taken to a mechanics?

Thanks

RE: Help, Prot 96 weird noise - not from engine
 

It could also be a tire. I had the same thing with my Protege recently - if the speed exceeded 40 mph, the noise started and got louder. I determined that it came from the passenger side front wheel. I too suspected it to be the bearing, so i replaced it, but nothing. I then was pretty sure it was the tire, even though visually it looked very good. So, i changed the tire and the noise was gone.
Try to find out which wheel it is that the noise is coming from, and put your spare on it first, and see if the noise is gone. If not, then it's the bearing.