Cracking/smacking noise

[kamon8404]

Ok well for starters, my car sometimes makes a strange noise only is first when I start to drive. It sounds like its coming from the drivers side. Its like a popping/ cracking / smacking noise. At first I thought that it might be something like clutch chatter but I don't have any problems with clutch engagment. I was hoping it wasn't something in the tranny. I thought that it might be something in the suspension or the brake system but ... Today during lunch it was raining outside and I couldn't get traction going up a hill and it popped/cracked or smacked several times. Scared the crap out of me. Any ideas what could be making the noise?

 

[dmention7]

Sounds like wheelhop.... but can you give a few more details as to when/how it happens?

 

[Brian MP5T]

Basically, you might have to drive the car and do difernt things to it until you can isolate what situation makes it do it.

Like Tight left and right turns in a parking lot.

Braking and starting hard.

Suspension, Bumps, Swerving.

 

[Brian MP5T]

P.S. If any of the Ex- System hanger are broken or weak, it might be as simple as the pipe hitting the chassi

 

[kamon8404]

Good call. Brian. It only happens when in first gear when the clutch is engaging and i'm starting to move. Doesn't happen in any other gear. I thought that the driver side caliper might be getting stuck but i'm not sure ..

 

[kamon8404]

Plus I don't see how it would be the caliper if it was happening like crazy during the rain and I couldn't get traction. I don't think that its wheel hop because it happens in regular and I know i'm not launching my car just driving normally.

 

[dmention7]

When you say "couldn't get traction" do you mean you're spinning your tires? I ask because wheelhop can show up differently under different traction conditions. In my mazda3, it would happen minimally under dry conditions, but if I spun the tires in the rain, it was bone-jarring.

Or maybe I'm just on the wrong track completely.... lol

 

[kamon8404]

Well the only reason I don't think that its wheel hop is because it happens when I know my wheels aren't hopping .. it happens under normal driving conditions when starting out in first gear

 

[kamon8404]

...

 

[dmention7]

Do you just hear a noise, or do you feel something too? Any associated vibrations or anything?


And you didn't completely clarify what you mean by "couldn't get traction".... if you're talking about experiencing this problem under wheelspin conditions, that's useful to know as well.

 

[BradC]

busted-ass motor mounts letting something contact when the motor rocks?

I agree with Brian and check the exhaust too.

 

[JRTritsch]

I had a knock/creak sound before I changed my motor mounts....It was mostly from the rear mount which was terrible. Does your engine move alot?

 

[kamon8404]

Well I have my front motor mount filled. I'll check it out and see if that could be causing the problem ... I also have the awr side inserts just never installed yet ...

To clearify that I couldn't get traction ... it was raining and my wheels were turning right but my car kept going forward ...

 

[JRTritsch]

I had a bad rear mount and when I put in the front AWR, it then became a pivot point that just exacerbated the problem further...take a look at the back mount. and the sides too!

 

[supa saiyan pr5]

I had the same problem...thought it was the clutch but it turned out to be my exhaust hanger needing to be changed...the exhaust was vibrating against the chassis. good luck...as an added I have the AWR front and back mounts...


Jeremy

 

[eddiejoe56]

You need to check out the following to eliminate potential sources of the symptom you describe:

a.) motor mounts; not broken, all bolts should be TIGHT
b.) exhaust hanger supports; none broken or loose (famous for bracket on J-pipe breaking but not readily visible, need to remove bolts to see)
c.) front sway bar bushings; should not be worn to allow bar movement
d.) front sway bar end links; should not be worn to allow movement
e.) drive axle CV joints; bad joints click and snap when starting to roll under tight turns.

If it is not any of the above, you may be experiencing the infamous "engine tick" which occurs on mine between 2500-3000 rpms, and is louded with winding downward. Some claim it is worn/bad piston wrist pin, others say bad rod or crank bearing. I think might be one or more bad/weak valve springs.

Good luck, Ed

 

[j_moore87]

if it only happens when you take off and it sounds like its coming from the wheel area but it dosent do it with pushing in the clutch siting still or when you rev the engine then its something that is affected by the torque of the wheel starting to move. i had this on both front wheels. it ended up being rust build up between my rotors and hubs. take your rotors off and grind all the rust away on both the hub and the rotor and see if it makes a difference.

 

[kamon8404]

Well I checked the exhaust hangers ... joints ... and motor mounts ... all check out clear and very clean. My rotors how ever are very rusty around the center hub. I would venture to say that could be the problem. I was thinking that my drivers side caliper might be having trouble with being slightly locked. ...

 

[kamon8404]

I think that its coming from my steering column ... any thoughts?