I have an 01 maxima, with almost 160,xxx miles on it. All of a sudden this last week i started hearing a roaring noise that will increase in loudness as i pick up speed. i haven't noticed any changes in the operation of the transmission as far as shifting between the gears........With the car on jackstands i can let the wheels spin and hear the roaring sitting inside the car but cant hear it while laying underneath the car. While driving it, i can shift into neutral with no change in the roar other than the speed of it with the speed of the car. I am not ruling out the wheel bearings but i honestly don't think they are the problem. The noise sounds like it is coming more from the center of the car rather than either side. I'd hate to tackle the transmission and that not be the problem..... I haven't seen any similar posts with such problem, what is the likelyhood the transmission is roaring? I also know that sound travels throughout the driveline, are there any ideas out there for finding it.

 

My transmission kind of "roared" when I had crap motor and tranny mounts...but that comes on slow over a couple years or so....

 

I had a very similar noise too you and it ended up being my right front wheel bearing.

A good way to test if its a wheel bearing is try and find a spot on a highway where there are low traffic and move the wheel slight back in forth making it sway side to side alittle this will cause increased load on the left wheel bearing when turning right and vise versa.

It might sound weird but works like a charm you can try to put the car in neutral and block the rear wheels and jack each front wheel up seperate and see if you feel or hear any noise.

 

if you think its a wheel bearing, jack up the front end (yes, both wheels so if you have a LSD you dont run yourself over), and put a mechanics stethoscope on the strut right where the bottom of the spring sits. you should hear a growling noise, most accurate place to listen for a wheel bearing noise since you dont get any brake noise or wheel noise etc

is it a stickshift? if it is, any difference in noise if you the clutch is depressed or not?