FireDemonSiC

My car abruptly began making this noise about 3 days ago, and I wanted to get an idea on where to start looking.

What I am getting is a really obnoxious mid/high pitched squeaking noise that sounds like it is coming from the front driver side of the car. It is coming from somewhere under the car. It occurs while turning. You can hear it whether the car is parked or moving while turning the wheel. Also how fast you turn the wheel will affect the severity of the noise. If you turn it quickly, the noise becomes very high pitched, diminished and not nearly as bad. If you turn the wheel slowly, it becomes loud, lower in pitch and extremely obnoxious like I was driving an old r3dneck pickup truck and can be heard for the entire duration that the wheel is being turned lock to lock, however it seems to favor the wheel being turned towards the passenger side.

It can also be heard very momentarily while keeping the steering straight and going over a speed bump, or even just getting in and out of the car.

Here is a bit of history on what has been replaced on the front end:

- Idler arm roughly 3 years ago
- Replaced the struts and springs with Tokico HP blues and BOTH lower ball joints 2k miles ago. At the same time we also replaced the A-Arm bushings with energy polyurethane. As recently as 3 weeks ago I also greased ALL chassis and steering bushings/joints.
- 4k miles and 9 months ago I replaced the front swaybar bushings with the moog thermoplastic (Still non-greasable so these are on my to re-do list). The sway bar end links were done at some past point by a previous owner, but are definitely red energy end links and look to be in fair shape.

Now, as far as what has NOT been replaced, is everything else. Centerlink, all 4 tie rods and all other steering components I highly suspect of being the originals, although the steering does seem good for a car with 180k. A front end rebuild kit from Spohn is on my high priority list, but so far It's always been overshadowed by something else.

I even made a video clip of the noise occurring while I turned the wheel with the car parked. I haven't gotten a friend to turn the wheel yet while I stick my head under and look around but just wanted an idea of what to target first when I do.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=578686732158493

(Video should have public access)

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

Do that with an eye on the steering box. How's the fluid?

EDIT: The link doesn't work--at least for me.

JamesC

ex-x-fire

Try greasing the front end.

Vader

Upper strut bearing?

FireDemonSiC

What problem are you having viewing? I logged out and pasted the link just to be sure and it came up viewable.

FireDemonSiC

I thought there was a good possibility of this as well. The new struts are doing a good job at finishing off the current strut mounts that for all I know are factory. I popped the dust cap off the driver side mount and the rubber insert is split about halfway around.

I turned the wheel standing outside the car with the hood up however and the sound is definitely NOT coming from up top. Never-the-less looks like the founders mounts are in my near future.

FireDemonSiC

UPDATE:

Threw the car on jackstands in my friend's driveway and looks like we've got the noise silenced for now.

I want to say it was coming from the steering shaft, but I am not 100% sure because the noise stopped very shortly after we unloaded the suspension. The rubber boots on the steering shaft bearings are literally falling apart and exposing everything, so I hit them with some PB blaster. As a precaution, I also shot some grease onto the lower balljoint boot where it contacts the spindle, and the noise hasn't returned yet. It most definitely was NOT coming from the balljoint itself.

While under the car looking around, I concluded the whole front of this car is worn out and needs a rebuild. So in addition to the strut mounts I have now added 4 tie rods/ends sleeves, centerlink and an idler arm since it was the el cheapo duralast part to my to-do list. Also, we concluded that there was a small amount of play as well as a subtle knock in the gearbox and the pitman arm looked like it had a tad bit of back and forth play while he was turning the wheel.

The power steering pump and hoses are also badly aged, so it looks like springtime I have a BIG steering rebuild project to tackle. I am thinking of grabbing an astro van steering shaft from the yard so I can eliminate the ragjoint.

jermdm

I've heard that noise plenty of times on different cars. Is either a ball joint or one of the tie rod ends. Probably can rule out the ball joints since you already replaced them. Next would be the tie rod ends since you havent replaced them yet. You best bet would be to have the car on the ground and have the car making the noise and while a buddy turns the steering wheel, lay on the ground and listen to the noise to find what area it is at. Grab the tie rods while the steering is being turned and you will feel it. Using a stethoscope will help too.