Vannin' Home Forums Chevy Troubleshooting clicky noise from differential or somewhere.My 95 chevy

My 95 G20 5.7 306k miles.. I've notice some times when I start out I have a clicky noise from the rear of the van. First time I heard it it sounded like a tap tap on the oil sump. Then in closing in I thought it might be some loose hubcaps,no, not that lucky.
Now I think its coming from the back of the van, I don't feel it when it happens, I am really thinking, but guessing, it maybe the rear universal joint. I've owned the van since new and never had any service done to the joints.
Of course I can't make the noise happen and I can drive normally or harder but I cannot predict when it will happen, I think its more likely going up hill.

Yep puttin a load on it uphill .... very well maybe the U joints .

Is there any play in the drive shaft on flat land ?

Another thing it maybe is rear brakes

Up hill is when I heard it almost sounded like a bad lifter but it was further back, poking around on the net using Chevy and joints, most of the symptoms mention vibration.I don't have vibration. My u joints have alot of miles and I got under the van, its easy to and I could see no leakage or any signs, dry drive train. I did notice a number of cracks in the rubber of the rear transmission mount. I think its still good, when it goes bad you get a bump sound,,

A lot of miles..(assuming all your springs & shocks are in good working order) ...do not know if you know when the driveshaft was built or rebuilt but the cheapest thing to have done is take it out and have it rebuilt, reinstall it and see if the problem is still there...if yes then you need to look at the rear end next...(next cheapest option)...have that looked at and repaired if necessary and if that does not clear up the problem then the transmission is next.....(the most expensive system to have re-built)

good luck

Thanks, so now the sound comes on at random, not very often. Its kinda like a geary noise, and sometimes a fast rat tat tat sound.
I am wondering if its in a turn when more weight is pushed to one side.
It makes me wonder if work (repairs) I had done is the past is all tight, maybe an axle has some drift to one side?
It runs down the highway no sounds, no clunks, no vibration. Its just moving around under 25 mph when I hear stuff.
I did get underneath and with the brake on and in neutral I was able to push on the shaft from left to right and get a tiny bit of movement, but it was the same on frt and rear joints, to me I would guess that normal, I wasn't getting an play when you rotate the shaft.
The mechanic told me to wait until the problem is able to be pin pointed.

It most probably something in the differential, not in perfect set up, just a little out to much movement.
When I find the problem, I'll update, its always something.

Solved!
Turns out the universal joint where bad. I had a mechanic do it as I knew that a machine press would be involved.
Drove it after the repair and it runs the same, thats the trouble with maintaining the main driving van, it always runs the same

Good job! Betcha that's a relief Len. Finally figured out my noise is in the RF brake.
That's funny about always running the same. I'll take it until I can't stand it!! G'day!


Van on Len!

I had a clicky tapping noise coming from the rear of my van that drove me nuts for awhile. Turned out to be the driver shock mount nut was loose causing that noise. lol