click, snapping noise

[tamarockstarboi]

i posted this a few weeks ago but never got a probable answer. so i THINK i have 2 different noises and may know what be causing them but i would like opinions...

i have a clicking/ snapping noise coming from the front end. i know the heat shield to the front cat (right by the cooling fan) is loose... it needs to be pinched back together, and i know i need a (lower?) ball joint for the front passengers side---> gotta buy the entire control arm bc mitsu is gay and has to make everything expensive and complicated. Could this noise im hearing be from one or the other or perhaps both? or something else?

it usually makes the noise between gears 1-3 and/or when im just coasting then get on it real fast causing the car to 'jump' (GT).

it doesnt make the noise in any higher gears or at higher speeds so thats why im ruling it down to one of these 2. please help!!

[CrAnSwIcK]

i bet it's a CV joint...lift the car and wiggle twist the joints, also turn the wheels back and forth, it's sometimes difficult to tell the difference between transmission gear backlash and a worn CV joint. but it sounds like they are toast, well, not yet

[shady032k3]

Not true...that's if you want oem, you and press the ball joints in and out that's wut I did..i got my new ball joints at oreilly autoparts

[shady032k3]

Yea I have a noise too and its the cv joints

[CrAnSwIcK]

Originally Posted by shady032k3

Not true...that's if you want oem, you and press the ball joints in and out that's wut I did..i got my new ball joints at oreilly autoparts

this.

you can even get all the replacement bushings for the lower control arm...the front inner bushing is "part of the assembly" as well, but i took mine off, and the bushing has a part number on it, lol

[Mr DSM]

There is another post on this...I'm having the same noise...going over my car with a fine tooth comb on my day off Tuesday...stay posted.

[tamarockstarboi]

hmm...i have no idea what a cv joint is, pics?

i know the ball joint on the front pass is bad bc the wheel moves up and down when on the lift...its been doing this for months now..not safe i know.

does anybody have a part # for just the ball joint/bushing? if i dont have to get the control arm i wont...

[CrAnSwIcK]

constant velocity joint, it's the joint in your drive axles that allows you to turn the front wheels, and suspension to travel while putting power to the wheels...if you look at your axles, you'll see what i mean they are covered by a rubber boot to protect it, see below: you don't want dirt getting in there

[tamarockstarboi]

i know ive been getting a lot of creaking when i turn the wheels when i pull out from somewhere. think its the CV joint in this case too?

[CrAnSwIcK]

that could just be your upper strut mounts...

[Mr DSM]

Found and fixed my problem today

Sometimes Hear A Click Sound

[tamarockstarboi]

but i dont have this problem. im gonna re-read the thread u sent me the link to later and then check all of that stuff tomorrow.

[tamarockstarboi]

another thought to this is the front catalytic conv shield. mines loose, but i dont know if its the thing making the noise at all.

[Animefreak1983]

I solved the simmilar issue I was having. Turns out one of the bolts on my strut bar was loose . So it was wrattling around in there. I screwed it tight and no more sound thus far. But then I also haven't been driving much due to my knee.

[tamarockstarboi]

good to know man. im having the lower control arm replaced tomorrow bc of the bad ball joint. ill let u guys know if the sound goes away. if not, ill have the guy look @ the struts. thx for the tip!

[tamarockstarboi]

Well i got the control arm replaced today and i had the guy check everything else. He didnt notice anything...any other ideas or clues as to what this could be??

[tamarockstarboi]

ok so i drove home just now. and it literally sounds like im driving on a flat tire. im getting a constant click click click noise and im afraid my whole front end is gonna fall apart!!! it felt like i was driving on a flat too but obv i wasnt. does anybody know exactly what to look for? this is only gonna get worse until i can properly diagnose it and get it fixed....

the snap noises going in 1st and getting the car to move is louder, and the clicking noise is constant from around 25mph and up. and it doesnt stop...

HELP PLEASE!!!

[tamarockstarboi]

Omg went to the shop i go to and the left front tires lugnuts were all unscrewed except for one. I feel stupid for not realizing that i was driving with my front tire was so loose! Well he said i probably need the right axle but he said it should around the same price as the whole assembly. Guess i gotta save up for this now! And hopefully this noise goes away!

[dream_come_true]

Wow so you've done the balljoint, lower control are with new bushings, and a new cv. That only leaves your front sway bar, strut/strut assembly, for your suspension. Maybe something is touching the axle well it's moving ? My block heater cord did that wrapped around the axle and thump thump till took it off maybe see if your axles are clear. But the lag in your throttle response is weird. Are you auto/man ? If auto could be the torque converter, might have messed up the stall point ?

[tamarockstarboi]

no, no loss in throttle. the v6 still rips ass is manual by the way. Anime mentioned the strut bar being loose.

here's whats been replaced so far:

lower control arm- pass side (ball joint is part of this assembly)
pass front axle
pass front hub and bearing assembly
pass front rotor (it got bent- theyre really shot anyways so it wasnt a big deal).

still no luck. gonna check the strut bar or maybe its just something loose underneath. it clicks when i first punch it hard. when im going fast enough it doesnt do it. so thats why im steering away from the axle...? i dont know squat about suspension.

[dream_come_true]

Are you hitting your frame with your headers ? Look for rub marks of very close places, where the engine might be able to touch. Or it's in your tranny ? I guess you changed the bearing for the axle that bolts to the motor? I have a pic of mine it's shot but no noise or nothing it's just on its way out so no noticeable symptoms. 280 for just the bearing mitsu says its worth. What about sway bar links/bushings ?

[tamarockstarboi]

not really speaking my language... it sounds suspension over tranny tho... i bought the bearing/hub assembly for 177 at autozone....not buying oem for that, they charge an arm and an ass...

[dream_come_true]

This is the bearing in the back holding the axle, mine is on its way out as you can see the grease coming out. That would cause what your talking about 280 for this from mitsu

[tamarockstarboi]

ahh i see. i think my problem is front end though, but i havent even looked at the rear. would replacing the old links (front or rear) do anything at all???

[dream_come_true]

No it's on the back of the engine block lol that were the cv connects, the goes through that bearing into the tranny. And yes sway bar links will click, but if they are clicking the boots would be turn or grease coming out and your mechanic would have noticed that.

[Animefreak1983]

while unlikely check your transmission and motor mounts.

[tamarockstarboi]

Yeah. I think im just gonna get it looked at by therdealer when i get my oil changed saturday... idk what the hell im looking at...

[dream_come_true]

Ok so I think I know what is causing this sound now . Ok iv customed my stock torque dampner , and noticed the the paint is rubbed away underneth it. Makes perfect cents when you shift hard or slam the gas. The torque from the motor twistes, causing the metal block thing on the bottom of the torque damper to hit the frame inside the engine bay. So I customed mine so it won't do that no more and to take the play out of it when laying into the gas. I can get a pic of the frame to show where it rubs. And a pic of my custom peice to stop this from happening anymore.

[dream_come_true]

Ok so this is the what I'm talking about, where I think the noise could be coming from.

You can clearly see its been hitting the frame by the paint being rubbed off.

[JoeyC]

fab something up?

[dream_come_true]

I did lol I have some nylon kicking about so I cut out a peice to go over it here is a pic

Now it won't move no were lol