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So, just to keep this (and my overall threads this year) updated I did the Strut and Top Mount (reused the old coil springs since no-one had 2 springs or 2 quick struts in stock around me) and all vibration/feeling in pedals seems to be gone when hitting bumps in the ~20 miles I’ve drove the car around.
The only (for the love of all that is sacred I hope it’s something stupid and not a balljoint) thing left is a creak (rusty door hinge sound) when getting out of the car almost all the time, turning the wheel “slightly” (as in millimeters, almost as if you’re forcing it to make the noise really) and coming to a stop/accelerating from a stop.
I’m trying to think what all is technically “shifting/moving” when doing all of those 3 things considering it’s the exact same noise with all 3 of those things… especially what all is “moving” when getting out of a car?
I won’t list what’s been replaced, but rather what hasn’t been replaced on BOTH sides so far in the past 3 months:
power steering rack
coil springs (as I said, reused them no signs of cracking or any sort of wear)
the actual bushings that hold the sway bar to the frame.Everything and anything else related to steering or suspension has been replaced so far in the past 3 months. I am taking it to a shop today just to get a “professionals” opinion on the creaking but I don’t expect much as 4 shops didn’t figure out the vibration/feeling in pedals over bumps was because of the struts but we’ll see.
So, just to keep this (and my overall threads this year) updated I did the Strut and Top Mount (reused the old coil springs since no-one had 2 springs or 2 quick struts in stock around me) and all vibration/feeling in pedals seems to be gone when hitting bumps in the ~20 miles I’ve drove the car around.
The only (for the love of all that is sacred I hope it’s something stupid and not a balljoint) thing left is a creak (rusty door hinge sound) when getting out of the car almost all the time, turning the wheel “slightly” (as in millimeters, almost as if you’re forcing it to make the noise really) and coming to a stop/accelerating from a stop.
I’m trying to think what all is technically “shifting/moving” when doing all of those 3 things considering it’s the exact same noise with all 3 of those things… especially what all is “moving” when getting out of a car?
I won’t list what’s been replaced, but rather what hasn’t been replaced on BOTH sides so far in the past 3 months:
power steering rack
coil springs (as I said, reused them no signs of cracking or any sort of wear)
the actual bushings that hold the sway bar to the frame.Everything and anything else related to steering or suspension has been replaced so far in the past 3 months. I am taking it to a shop today just to get a “professionals” opinion on the creaking but I don’t expect much as 4 shops didn’t figure out the vibration/feeling in pedals over bumps was because of the struts but we’ll see.
Update: I sprayed some WD-40 on the end-links and as soon as I got in the car I heard the creak. So updated symptoms: creaking is now when steering is turned full left (in park obviously since rarely do you full left while driving :P) and/or you are getting in AND out of the car. Almost definitely rules out axle/steering rack I’m guessing. It sounds like it does come from both sides when getting in/out of the car though. Hopefully the rain stops soon and I can throw a tarp on the ground and spray some WD-40 on the actual sway bar bushings themselves. Would be insanely happy if that’s all this was now… especially considering I had ZERO creaks before doing those end-links, hoping it just stiffened up the sway bar at the frame bushings… :/
Update: I sprayed some WD-40 on the end-links and as soon as I got in the car I heard the creak. So updated symptoms: creaking is now when steering is turned full left (in park obviously since rarely do you full left while driving :P) and/or you are getting in AND out of the car. Almost definitely rules out axle/steering rack I’m guessing. It sounds like it does come from both sides when getting in/out of the car though. Hopefully the rain stops soon and I can throw a tarp on the ground and spray some WD-40 on the actual sway bar bushings themselves. Would be insanely happy if that’s all this was now… especially considering I had ZERO creaks before doing those end-links, hoping it just stiffened up the sway bar at the frame bushings… :/
[quote=”EricTheCarGuy” post=90580]Camber issues that you can adjust may be the result of the collision damage. Bent parts are not adjustable. Could be lower control arms, or their mounts. Normally when I find issues like that I can’t adjust, it’s been in a collision in the past and something is bent somewhere. Starting to look more and more like something in the chassis from the collision.
Keep us posted.[/quote]
Hey Eric, I understand things just “wear” and stuff, but with having alignments done after the accident and this being the first year camber is an issue in terms of supposedly buying a camber kit to fix it, you wouldn’t deem any of that out of the ordinary in any regard? Just curious since they are trying to say $75 a bolt basically, seems a little “funny” to me?
As I said earlier, both control arms were just replaced last week (bad bushings, but I figured what the hell I’ll take the new ball joints and actual control arm as well) so unsure on that.
When I was like “what???” since they made it sound like camber was unadjustable, they were like “basically it’s smaller bolts” and I was just like… dumbfounded since I never had anyone mention anything like that to me. :-/
I’d be really frustrated if 7 years after a collision things could be going downhill lol
[quote=”EricTheCarGuy” post=90580]Camber issues that you can adjust may be the result of the collision damage. Bent parts are not adjustable. Could be lower control arms, or their mounts. Normally when I find issues like that I can’t adjust, it’s been in a collision in the past and something is bent somewhere. Starting to look more and more like something in the chassis from the collision.
Keep us posted.[/quote]
Hey Eric, I understand things just “wear” and stuff, but with having alignments done after the accident and this being the first year camber is an issue in terms of supposedly buying a camber kit to fix it, you wouldn’t deem any of that out of the ordinary in any regard? Just curious since they are trying to say $75 a bolt basically, seems a little “funny” to me?
As I said earlier, both control arms were just replaced last week (bad bushings, but I figured what the hell I’ll take the new ball joints and actual control arm as well) so unsure on that.
When I was like “what???” since they made it sound like camber was unadjustable, they were like “basically it’s smaller bolts” and I was just like… dumbfounded since I never had anyone mention anything like that to me. :-/
I’d be really frustrated if 7 years after a collision things could be going downhill lol
[quote=”EricTheCarGuy” post=90547]Anytime you have collision damage it’s the #1 suspect. Body shops never get paid enough money to do repairs because insurance companies don’t like to pay out. That said, things often get overlooked. I’ve seen it many, many, many, many times in my career.[/quote]
Funny you just replied, I literally was logging in to update the situation about the shop today.
First though, collision damage from 7 years ago could be suspect for this clunking? :-/
This shit is seriously getting annoying now though and I think I found a “branch” (albeit locally owned) service center I will make it my life mission to boycott and ensure they receive nothing but negative reviews.
So, as I was mentioning 2 weeks ago a branch replaced both driver and passenger bearing. All growling noise was gone. They couldn’t figure out (two times) what could have been making the clunking noises, so I went to the other branch and they said “your passenger bearing is bad, and we can’t find the clunking”.
I just get back today from them replacing the bearing (free, but still) and getting an alignment done and they were all like “oh, you have some major camber problems, in both the front and back” (both seem to be pass side according to this printout) and wanted me to pay something like $325 for literally 4 bolts so they could adjust the camber? According to the printout the pass front was -0.6 (driver was 0.4) and pass rear was -1.2 (driver was 0.2) so I said screw that, just do the alignment.
Needless to say the “after” printout shows pass front being -0.4 (driver 0.3) and pass rear being -1.1 (drive 0.1) so I’m curious if I’ve never had camber problems before or somehow within a year (exactly to this date is when I had an alignment last) camber became an issue AND you need special bolts (literally) to fix it?………..
Oh, and just for the record, I think I’ve watch a huge chunk of the video library Eric, I already tried the hammer hitting. The extremely frustrating part about the clunking is how it’s seemingly impossible to get to happen when not driving it, SLOWLY, over bumps. At that, it’s still only some bumps.
I ask the question of “Do you think it’s any particular coincidence that I’ve went through a passenger control arm bushing last year, another one this year (same side), 2 passenger side bearings, within 2 weeks of each other (although there was no audible or feelable (it’s a word!) problems in the 2 week timespan of when it was originally installed”? and get “probably not”. I know cars are finicky little bastards but to a layman, using common sense it would at least seem to warrant a “you know, that is some crazy coincidences in the least”.
[quote=”EricTheCarGuy” post=90547]Anytime you have collision damage it’s the #1 suspect. Body shops never get paid enough money to do repairs because insurance companies don’t like to pay out. That said, things often get overlooked. I’ve seen it many, many, many, many times in my career.[/quote]
Funny you just replied, I literally was logging in to update the situation about the shop today.
First though, collision damage from 7 years ago could be suspect for this clunking? :-/
This shit is seriously getting annoying now though and I think I found a “branch” (albeit locally owned) service center I will make it my life mission to boycott and ensure they receive nothing but negative reviews.
So, as I was mentioning 2 weeks ago a branch replaced both driver and passenger bearing. All growling noise was gone. They couldn’t figure out (two times) what could have been making the clunking noises, so I went to the other branch and they said “your passenger bearing is bad, and we can’t find the clunking”.
I just get back today from them replacing the bearing (free, but still) and getting an alignment done and they were all like “oh, you have some major camber problems, in both the front and back” (both seem to be pass side according to this printout) and wanted me to pay something like $325 for literally 4 bolts so they could adjust the camber? According to the printout the pass front was -0.6 (driver was 0.4) and pass rear was -1.2 (driver was 0.2) so I said screw that, just do the alignment.
Needless to say the “after” printout shows pass front being -0.4 (driver 0.3) and pass rear being -1.1 (drive 0.1) so I’m curious if I’ve never had camber problems before or somehow within a year (exactly to this date is when I had an alignment last) camber became an issue AND you need special bolts (literally) to fix it?………..
Oh, and just for the record, I think I’ve watch a huge chunk of the video library Eric, I already tried the hammer hitting. The extremely frustrating part about the clunking is how it’s seemingly impossible to get to happen when not driving it, SLOWLY, over bumps. At that, it’s still only some bumps.
I ask the question of “Do you think it’s any particular coincidence that I’ve went through a passenger control arm bushing last year, another one this year (same side), 2 passenger side bearings, within 2 weeks of each other (although there was no audible or feelable (it’s a word!) problems in the 2 week timespan of when it was originally installed”? and get “probably not”. I know cars are finicky little bastards but to a layman, using common sense it would at least seem to warrant a “you know, that is some crazy coincidences in the least”.
Hey Karl, I am the OE (since 6 miles baby! heh) since Jan 2006 and yes, I rear-ended a van in 2007. Dodge dealer fixed it all up, drove exactly like it did before the accident.
Since then, the usual W/T parts like pads/rotors/tires, last year driver outter tie-rod was bad, just replaced both. Up until about 2 months ago, never had a complaint about anything though.
Either way, the accident was under 30mph, no-one was hurt, fluids were down but can’t remember the specifics on the bill or anything like that.
You know, oddly enough and not to get myself off on a wild goose chase, ever since replacing those 3 motor mounts (the suspect one to me is the tranny side) there’s been vibrations (extremely common with a ton of different cars but I tend to read neon specific forums :P) since I just went the crap AM Anchor brand and just recently a “shimmy” noise coming from the driver fender right next to where the tranny mount is attached to the frame but it’s just been too damn cold to do any real work on it.
Outside of the “shimmy” noise (2 pieces of metal rubbing together, noise completely goes away when I barely even touch the fender) and the vibration I couldn’t imagine that mount being the root issue of clunking noises that come from both sides of the front-end? Before you fully suspect the engine mounts, the clunks were there before I replaced them. 😛
Hey Karl, I am the OE (since 6 miles baby! heh) since Jan 2006 and yes, I rear-ended a van in 2007. Dodge dealer fixed it all up, drove exactly like it did before the accident.
Since then, the usual W/T parts like pads/rotors/tires, last year driver outter tie-rod was bad, just replaced both. Up until about 2 months ago, never had a complaint about anything though.
Either way, the accident was under 30mph, no-one was hurt, fluids were down but can’t remember the specifics on the bill or anything like that.
You know, oddly enough and not to get myself off on a wild goose chase, ever since replacing those 3 motor mounts (the suspect one to me is the tranny side) there’s been vibrations (extremely common with a ton of different cars but I tend to read neon specific forums :P) since I just went the crap AM Anchor brand and just recently a “shimmy” noise coming from the driver fender right next to where the tranny mount is attached to the frame but it’s just been too damn cold to do any real work on it.
Outside of the “shimmy” noise (2 pieces of metal rubbing together, noise completely goes away when I barely even touch the fender) and the vibration I couldn’t imagine that mount being the root issue of clunking noises that come from both sides of the front-end? Before you fully suspect the engine mounts, the clunks were there before I replaced them. 😛
Update: Fixed the alignment of the mounts tonight, vibration is still there. Almost as if (as I suspected, as much as it still needed to be done) it did nothing at all to be honest. Same vibrations are present, etc. Made sure everything was tightened properly, etc.
At this point, I have no idea what else to check. A few different mechanic (not DIY mechanics) literally say “golly gee, never heard of mounts causing that. seems like it’s performance related since it’s at idle/sub 700 rpms. I’d check plugs, plug cables, tune-up basically”. Arg. lol
Update: Fixed the alignment of the mounts tonight, vibration is still there. Almost as if (as I suspected, as much as it still needed to be done) it did nothing at all to be honest. Same vibrations are present, etc. Made sure everything was tightened properly, etc.
At this point, I have no idea what else to check. A few different mechanic (not DIY mechanics) literally say “golly gee, never heard of mounts causing that. seems like it’s performance related since it’s at idle/sub 700 rpms. I’d check plugs, plug cables, tune-up basically”. Arg. lol
That’s actually funny how yours vibrated (possibly due to the bad middle?) when my lower, I was literally able to just push (with minimal force, almost nothing) the actual metal piece that’s surrounded by rubber right off.
My lower was destroyed, the upper wasn’t as bad, but still seperated. The tranny side one doesn’t look bad at all, but after ripping everything apart to take it off (since that’s the only way I seen how anyway) to actually even see the rubber I was like “yea I don’t want to deal with this again”.
Like I said though, literally zero complaints about vibrations before replacing those 3 mounts, outside of deep thumps when slowly hitting bumps in the road (which btw, are for the most part completely gone) there was no way to tell they were bad outside of actually looking at them.
As for the jacking up/down to get the plate off to even get to the middle mount, I don’t like the thought of moving my engine like that lol. I had to do it when I did the tranny side a little and I was like “dude, SLOWLLLLLLLLLLLLLLY let out the hydraulics. It was kinda funny since I’m sure people jack up/down inchs at a time and I was like nanometers with it.
You do bring up a good question, depending on how much you know about engines/mounting. If I had the passenger-side (the three you did) bolted on and I was jacking (from the tranny case itself) up/down would that cause any problems with those mounts? Nothing on the passenger side was loosened while moving the engine up/down when doing the tranny side…
Also, for anyone else, these (on our car) 4 mounts, upper/lower/middle/tranny, they aren’t literally all that’s holding the engine in the bay, right? I mean it obbviously sites on the frame somehow, no? Is it possible when I was lifting the engine up and then when I went back down I didn’t “seat” it properly on mounts or something that it rests on? It’s just real strange the vibrations are in the steering column/wheel and sometimes in the drive-side grill and a layman for the most part, I assume it’s the only thing I touched on the driver-side, and that’s the tranny mount?
That’s actually funny how yours vibrated (possibly due to the bad middle?) when my lower, I was literally able to just push (with minimal force, almost nothing) the actual metal piece that’s surrounded by rubber right off.
My lower was destroyed, the upper wasn’t as bad, but still seperated. The tranny side one doesn’t look bad at all, but after ripping everything apart to take it off (since that’s the only way I seen how anyway) to actually even see the rubber I was like “yea I don’t want to deal with this again”.
Like I said though, literally zero complaints about vibrations before replacing those 3 mounts, outside of deep thumps when slowly hitting bumps in the road (which btw, are for the most part completely gone) there was no way to tell they were bad outside of actually looking at them.
As for the jacking up/down to get the plate off to even get to the middle mount, I don’t like the thought of moving my engine like that lol. I had to do it when I did the tranny side a little and I was like “dude, SLOWLLLLLLLLLLLLLLY let out the hydraulics. It was kinda funny since I’m sure people jack up/down inchs at a time and I was like nanometers with it.
You do bring up a good question, depending on how much you know about engines/mounting. If I had the passenger-side (the three you did) bolted on and I was jacking (from the tranny case itself) up/down would that cause any problems with those mounts? Nothing on the passenger side was loosened while moving the engine up/down when doing the tranny side…
Also, for anyone else, these (on our car) 4 mounts, upper/lower/middle/tranny, they aren’t literally all that’s holding the engine in the bay, right? I mean it obbviously sites on the frame somehow, no? Is it possible when I was lifting the engine up and then when I went back down I didn’t “seat” it properly on mounts or something that it rests on? It’s just real strange the vibrations are in the steering column/wheel and sometimes in the drive-side grill and a layman for the most part, I assume it’s the only thing I touched on the driver-side, and that’s the tranny mount?