I have a strange buzzing sound that seems to only come on at 35+mph...

This happens with the clutch in or not in.

Anyway, the question is whether it would be a good/bad idea for me to jack the car up on a lift, and run the car up to 30-50mph with no load on the wheels...

I want to know if the issue is aerodynamics, tranny, etc.

 

Try this, get on an open road where nobody is around and go up to 35mph or wherever the buzzing starts, kill the motor. Do you still hear the buzzing? Be really careful whn you do this and make sure you are going in a straight line when you do it. Quickly start the car back up again.

 

...and make sure you're in neutral (or clutch in) when you start it back up!

 

haha

 

i get that same sound from my volvo..mechanics say its a failing fuel pump..maybe ur situation is different

 

your car sounds like a vw. all vw does that... weird huh.

jacking up the car with no load is fine. won't hurt any mech parts, if that is what you are worring about. much safer than tunning off the car on the road.

 

Probably a bearing or a tire, I've had bad experiences with both.

 

huh i get this too, but only sometimes. mine is rpm related though, not speed (it happens in every gear) and i think its like right before or after the vtec point, and it only happens in a small range (1000rpm or so). it sounds like its coming from the back somewhere. but its so intermittent that i've just kinda stopped trying to figure it out.

 

Mine does that because of the speedo cable in the dash.

 

I don't think jacking up the car on a lift and hitting 50mph is safe.....you'll have a hell of a time if it comes off the lift!
Plus, your wheels and suspension won't have the load on them that may be contributing to the sound you are hearing when it is driving on the road.

 

spinning the car up on the hoist is not bad i do it at work somtimes to find noises but i wouldn't go over 35 or 40 mph, you could also try driveing down the road and turning slightly from left to right and if the sound goes away either by turning left or right you probably have a bad wheel bearing.