AN ACR MD80 DEPARTED FROM SANDED SNOW RWY AT RDU. DURING THE INITIAL CLB; THE FLT ATTENDANTS IN THE REAR OF THE ACFT CALLED AND INFORMED THE COCKPIT CREW OF L ENG NOISE AND VIBRATION. THE FLT WAS DIVERTED.

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DEPARTED RWY 23R AT RDU ENRTE TO ORD. RWY 23L CLOSED. RWY 23R RPTED BRAKING FAIR TO POOR WITH 1/4 - 1/2 INCH SANDED SNOW. RWY CHKED BY COMPANY B757 AND S80 CAPTS 20 MINS PRIOR TO DEP. THIRD OF 3 COMPANY S80'S TO DEPART ON RWY 23R. AFTER DEP; CLBING THROUGH 600 FT; FLT ATTENDANTS IN AFT CABIN CALLED TO RPT A LOUD NOISE AND VIBRATION ON THE L SIDE OF ACFT. BOTH ENGS WERE PERFORMING NORMALLY EXCEPT FUEL FLOW 1500-2000 LBS HIGHER ON THE L ENG. THE L ENG FUEL FLOW BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE BY 1000-2000 LBS BUT NO ENG SURGE OR APPRECIABLE DISPARITY BTWN N1; N2; EGT; OR EPR. WHILE I TALKED TO FLT ATTENDANTS; COPLT LEVELED THE ACFT AT 11000 FT AND INFORMED ATC OF A POSSIBLE PROB. I SUSPECTED THAT WE HAD EITHER A DAMAGED ENG OR A FUEL LEAK; HOWEVER; WHEN THE PWR WAS RETARDED BELOW 1.4 EPR BOTH ENGS MATCHED CLOSELY INCLUDING FUEL FLOW. ELECTED TO NOT RETURN TO RDU BECAUSE OF THE RWY CONDITIONS -- THE XWIND AND POSSIBLE SINGLE ENG LNDG. INFORMED ATC OF OUR PROB AND REQUESTED AN INITIAL VECTOR TO CHS. CONTINUED FLT TO CHS. ENG PERFORMED CAPABLY AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY AT CHS. SELECTED CHS BECAUSE OF THE DRY 9000 FT RWY. AFTER GATE ARR AT CHS CONTRACT MECH FOUND THE L ENG DAMAGED. FO PERFORMED ADMIRABLY WHILE FLYING THE ACFT; TALKING TO ATC AND READYING HIS PUBS FOR THE LNDG AT CHS. HE ALSO FLEW A FLAWLESS PRECAUTIONARY APCH AND LNDG. FLT ATTENDANTS WERE PROFESSIONAL.