I am truly ready for a large brained Volophile to help me discover the source of an intermittent grinding (sounds like worn out brake noise) sound eminating from the rear of my wife's 245. Thinking that it was a brake noise I decided that Willie the Wonder Wagoon deserved a new set of rear rotors, pads, e-brake shoes, shocks, and springs. I planned on all of these preventative repairs and finally got around to it. I borrowed the father-in-law's heated shop (-25 C here) and set forth on solving the horrible noise.

4 hours of work, test drive, no noise. I'm a genius. Wife drives it the next day...noise is back.

Here is what I checked:

centre bearing - no play
pinion bearing - no play no seal leaks
u-joints - no play
axle bearings - no vertical translation
new brakes - front and rear
tranny - shifts great no leaks
O/D - operates great

Noise persists at any point in the operation of car (warm or cold), during acceleration or decelaration, coasting, cornering, braking,etc. Applying the brake does not alter the noise and it will spontaneously disappear for kilometres at a stretch...even days at a time!

Help me please!