GuamLancer

Just like the title says. What do blown shocks sound like?

While driving I hear a "clicking" sound. Like metal to metal, or some hard material on itself. It doesn't happen all the time. It seems pretty random. Drive fast, slow, straight, or into a turn it doesn't seem to matter. It just clicks once in awhile. Also, I tried taking the wheel off on the front driver side wheel (where I hear the noise), and while raising or lowering the car, I hear the same sound.

A little help is appreciated...

iFeLLdOwN

iTrader: (2)

Are you bouncing up and down more than normally?

GuamLancer

^
No. My D2 coilover suspension is pretty stiff. I think I even preloaded the springs when trying to raise the ride height. When I first had the coilover installed, I tried to test the bounce of each corner. I honestly think when pushing it down, it can only be pushed an inch. I have a better chance of breaking off the bumper, than getting any real play out of it. And no, that hasn't changed since noticing the clicking noise...

I tried looking in the wheel well again. And yeah that noise is obvious when raising or lowering the car to take off the tire.

atilla

iTrader: (9)

when i had a blown strut the puddle of hydraulic oil on the pavement under my car gave it away before the noise did.

SLVROZ_03

iTrader: (10)

Clicking is more likely to be an axle...a blown strut will leak and you should be able to see a build-up of fluid and crap around the leakage area.

GuamLancer

I agree. But if it were an axle, wouldn't the clicking be a constant noise? Like I said before, the clicking while driving seemed pretty random. But when I jack up the front driver side wheel, it'll make the same clicking sound about two or three times when trying to raise or lower the car.

Just to be safe, that was the reason why I looked in the tire well. To see if maybe it was a torn CV boot or something. But no everything looks ok, except for some white residue on the springs. Could that be something?

And no I haven't noticed any leakage, because my car is always parked on the grass.

SLVROZ_03

iTrader: (10)

A bad cv doesn't have to make noise constantly; I just replaced two totally exploded boots/axles on my '95 Civic (new used purchase) and one only made noise at low speed cornering/turning...mainly parking lots or backing out.

Yes, the first thing to look at is grease seepage around the boot or dry up grease flung up into the wheel well or neighboring parts. Second, examine the boot for rips or tears. Also check to see that the boot doesn't slide around on the axle...meaning, make sure the metal clips hold the boot tightly against the axle.

Good luck man!

GuamLancer

Thanks for the diagnosis, slvr. But I already checked out the boot, and it still looks next to new. But check this out.

A mechanic friend of mine at a local shop sprayed lube on the upper mounts, and the sound has quieted down a great deal and no where near as frequent as before. Its still there, but WAY more tolerable...

What do you guys think of that?

02-Lancer-Es

iTrader: (21)

if i were you i would just take both front wheels off and tighten every bolt under there , i remember i left a bolt loose and it would make a "clunk" sound and thats all it was , a loose bolt(not completely loose but not all the way tightened)

SLVROZ_03

iTrader: (10)

When you say upper mounts, did you mean the upper strut mounts or the engine/tranny mounts?

sXericerider

iTrader: (5)

i have the same issue on my passenger side it clicks once in a while when i'm driving slow going over cracks or humps. but at the times i wanna try to make the noise it doesn't. it clicks randomly as well i guess.

GuamLancer

The upper strut mounts. My D2 came with a camber plate. He just sprayed lube in there and it quieted down quite a bit. He says coilovers sometimes need lube on the outsides where there is movement. Or something to that effect. Seems to have helped...

sykou

iTrader: (19)

Okay I have exactly the same problem with my coilovers. the noise is not caused by the camber plates although cleaning/greasing them does help out a bit. the noise is caused by spring binding. If you lift your car up with the wheels off the Well to explain spring binding, it all has to do with the spring not freely spinning when the strut is rotated. When you turn your wheel back and forth the strut assembly also turns. What does most of the rotation is the lower half of the strut, but the top half also does some rotation of its own.
The stock strut assembly is made with a sort of bearing type piece that is placed in between the strut top and the upper mount. This bearing allows the strut to rotate more freely. As for aftermarket coilovers, there is no such bearing. If your coilover has a pillowball mount then it is the job of the mount to allow movement and this is somewhat limited.
Because there is so much friction between the pillowballmount the strut must rotate elsewhere. So the next logical place would be the spring mounts. The spring mounts are locked into place on the strut itself so the area where the spring contacts the spring perches is where the rotation occurs. The sound that is created is a sort of low popping with a little echo/resonance. The spring "slips" within the perches and this causes the noise. Now for the fix...Go grab some WD-40 and without the straw just go and apray the hell out of the springs and spring perches. If you can, loosen up the pillowball mounts a very small amount as to allow it to move more freely. Clean the pillowball mounts with pb blaster and regrease them with a heavy grease. Don't use the light stuff as it will just drip off. Hope it works for the rest of you. Good luck!

GuamLancer

Thanks. I'll be sure to do that.

SLVROZ_03

iTrader: (10)

Since I've upgraded to Evo fronts with the ball bearing bear in the top mount, turning has been soooooo smooth. I could tell a difference right off the bat...even with PS! And yes, an un-set spring will make sounds/noises; a friend and I did new struts and springs on his 240. Put them on and at ever turn you could hear something. Turned out the spring wasn't seated against the factory point at the bottom. Compressed the spring again and twisted it...bingo! Problem solved.