I didn't notice it until driving up the M1 to derby (100 odd miles) on friday @ 60mph the noise seemed to resonate louder but at other speeds it wasn't noticeable.
Drove back to London today so 200 miles give or take on the noise but it is now noticeably louder at more speeds, starts getting really annoying around 40 and drones. I jacked the car up to see if it was the front wheel bearings, N/S wheel had a little resistance to turn but no classic wheel bearing grinding sound, the CV boot nearest to the differential appears to be leaking (gunky oil everywhere and about halfway down the driveshaft) so that needs to be changed but it didn't cause any noise when I spun the wheel. O/S wheel spins more freely but there is a bearing noise - it is not the wheel itself though it seems to come from where the driveshaft enters the differential. There is a little play backwards and forwards on the driveshaft but the CV joints are clean and aren't split.
Any ideas? I don't want to go to the garage and have them replace the wheel bearings etc etc if that isn't actually the problem costing ££££ as its a mk2 1.9d and I'm trying to save for something a little less rubbish.
EDIT: Forgot to mention it 'whirrs' when not under load and decelerating, didn't hear it until I was almost home - sounds like a space ship now.
Drove back to London today so 200 miles give or take on the noise but it is now noticeably louder at more speeds, starts getting really annoying around 40 and drones. I jacked the car up to see if it was the front wheel bearings, N/S wheel had a little resistance to turn but no classic wheel bearing grinding sound, the CV boot nearest to the differential appears to be leaking (gunky oil everywhere and about halfway down the driveshaft) so that needs to be changed but it didn't cause any noise when I spun the wheel. O/S wheel spins more freely but there is a bearing noise - it is not the wheel itself though it seems to come from where the driveshaft enters the differential. There is a little play backwards and forwards on the driveshaft but the CV joints are clean and aren't split.
Any ideas? I don't want to go to the garage and have them replace the wheel bearings etc etc if that isn't actually the problem costing ££££ as its a mk2 1.9d and I'm trying to save for something a little less rubbish.
EDIT: Forgot to mention it 'whirrs' when not under load and decelerating, didn't hear it until I was almost home - sounds like a space ship now.