compuwiz1937

iTrader: (17)

I have a 1991 RS V6 and whenever I turn left hard I hear a scraping sound from the front passenger side of the car. I've looked and I cannot figure out what it is. When I rotated the tires a while back I looked then too (thinking maybe a tire was scraping something) and didn't see anything. This ONLY happens when I turn left, I can turn right as hard as I want all day long and won't hear a sound. I took both front wheels off and checked the grease and it's fine (put more grease in it just to be safe) also checked the bearings and they appear to be fine. Today I took my dad for a ride so he could hear the sound, and then we put the car up on ramps and got under it and looked and saw nothing wrong, nothing lose, scratched up, etc. Then just jacked up the passenger front wheel and then we cranked it up and turned the wheel right and left, and still didn't see anything. I also mounted my camera in a few places to get video to see if there was anything visible, and didn't get anything there either. Here are the videos:

http://dsites.net/junk/scrape.mov

Sorry about it being dark, I had the camera on the driver side in front of the front wheel pointed under the car to look at that black piece of plastic (in case it was that).

http://dsites.net/junk/s2.mov

First shot the camera was on the middle of the rear bumper pointing at the passenger rear wheel, the second shot was on the passenger side, and the third shot was behind the passenger side wheel pointing forward.

Does anyone have any ideas about what in the world is making this sound?

ND4SPD86

iTrader: (1)

could be a balljoint? I not sure but it couldn't hurt to look and make sure

compuwiz1937

iTrader: (17)

Oh, I forgot to mention, this didn't happen when I bought the car.

superGMman

Does it sound tinny like a soda can or like a metal pole scraping. Had a friend who car sounded alot like metal scraping when he would go through a turn sharply and never found out where it was coming from. It was a convertable and could never see anything hitting the ground. Good luck on figuring it out.

compuwiz1937

iTrader: (17)

I guess it sounds more like a soda can. I sure hope I can figure it out.

redbird_400

Its a dead cat. lol.. sorry. Are those the stock rims? You did jack up the whole front end, left and right side then spin the tires at a sharp left and didnt hear it? odd..

compuwiz1937

iTrader: (17)

We just jacked up the passenger side, I'm not sure if he spun the wheel or not, I was holding the steering wheel so the power steering pump wouldn't push the wheels back to straight. Yes, I have the stock wheels. What do you mean by dead cat?

redbird_400

lol You may see me alot on these boards or on the internet in general so here is a tip. Only take about 85% of what I say seriously. Make sure you have some good jackstands and whatever because someone needs to get under that car. Jack up both the front left and right. I wouldnt ever jack up a car with the wheels turned, your just asking for it. Anyway, good idea to hold the wheel but if no one is there to hold it get a rope. Spin the tire, thats important. Maybe you will hear it and then get a chance to see whats scraping what.

sellmanb

IIRC the way to check ball joints is to take a ball joint between them and pry a little. If it seems to pop out then it's bad.

Another thing it could be is the strut mounting plate bearing.

http://www.spohn.net/product.cfm?productid=1542

would be a good upgrade for it.


or for new stockesque ones http://www.spohn.net/product.cfm?productid=1375


Please do more research to see if your problem is the same as others whom had bad strut mount bearings before you purchase these though.

I would spend the extra 70 dollars for the performance ish one (they also have a chrome one for sale for 350, if you like to show the car).



Or just take off your upper strut mount and check out the bearing.... usually they're toasted.

compuwiz1937

iTrader: (17)

If that is the problem, is it going to hurt to keep driving it? I don't want to cause more damage, my dad would probably let me use his truck if need be.

Stekman

The first one doesn't sound like a strut bearing. And if it were, you'd hear it turning both directions more or less.

In your first clip (second is still downloading) is the car actually moving?

To check a balljoint, you can just grab the top and bottom of the tire and yank/push it back and forth. If it moves a LOT then yea probably could be replaced. Anything smaller and you'd have to measure.

compuwiz1937

iTrader: (17)

The car is moving in all the clips, there's no sound if the car isn't moving. We wiggled the tires in all directions when we were seeing if it was the bearings, and it was fine.

Stekman

Remove the front wheels and inspect your dust sheilds. Sounds kind of like a dust shield kicking around on the rims as they go around (tick tick tick...)

Also, try pushing down on either side of the car (to put a load on the front springs and such). Does that replicate the sound?

xlwhellraiser

iTrader: (1)

Its the dust shield. I have a smiliar problem. Basically the tire will rubb against that plastic, in the wheel well. I think you are rubbing the plastic and once you go all the way left than your pump will make some noise. These two mixed together is what is giving your sound.
You either get a hammer to the plastic shield in the well, or cut it out. I am sure its not totally flush and its sticking out.

compuwiz1937

iTrader: (17)

I thought that's what it was at first, but I didn't see any scrape marks on it from the tire. Which part should I check? I was hoping that wouldn't be the problem since I want to get wider tires when these need to be replaced.

Stekman

It's the inside of the rim it's hitting on. The ony way to see is to remove the wheels.

compuwiz1937

iTrader: (17)

Alright, I think I may understand where you're talking about now. I'll have a look tomarrow and see.

PneumaticTire

Make sure your power steering pump belt is tight, and try to listen and see if it could possible be coming from the steering box.

compuwiz1937

iTrader: (17)

I haven't been able to take off the tire to see about the dust shield since it has been raining the last few days. I don't think its the steering box because the sound is coming from the right front side of the car.

compuwiz1937

iTrader: (17)

I think this damn car is toying with me. I got an idea to put close-pins on the places that might be scraping something, and since I was going out anyway I went ahead and put my camera on the car. First time I did it, I just got a little peep, and then I pulled over and moved the camera and turned around to do it again. Well I turned so hard the rear wheels squeeled and it didn't scrape. Then I pulled over and took off the camera and then the next two left turns I made, it made the sound. :rant: When I got home I checked the close-pins again and they were still there.

I did get a good laugh out of it, when I pulled over the second time to take the camera off some wanna-be ***** saw me and gave his 4 door (pretty sure it was a Toyota) the gas so it'd make all kinds of raquet. I nearly dropped the camera I laughed so hard.

*sigh*

Spiers

iTrader: (7)

It's probably your exhaust! Right before the converter. Mine did the same thing until I figured it out. It was hanging too low and only when I turned hard left it did it.

compuwiz1937

iTrader: (17)

Was that with a stock exhaust?

Spiers

iTrader: (7)

Yes. Mine did it after I ran in the ditch and at first I thought I tore up part of the suspension, but it just turned out to be the exhaust right under the passenger side.

compuwiz1937

iTrader: (17)

My car has never been in an accident and and has never been near a ditch since I've owned it. The more and more I hear it the more it sounds like plastic instead of metal, but I'll check the exhaust for scrape marks.