Crunching/grinding noise while accelerating.

lilolneon · Post by **lilolneon** » Sun Oct 07, 2012 1:22 pm

I've taken my car in before for this problem already complaining about a grinding/crunching noise coming from the front end that was really pronounced when I would hit rough road. Stealership said it was the lower control arm bushing and I had them replaced. Well, I still have the noise, took it back in they couldn't figure it out and told me it was just "body flex" and to not worry about it.

Today after the temp has dropped to ~45-50 outside (cold for us Texans

) I noticed that the noise is occurring when I am accelerating. Its really pronounced in first, second and third gears. If i barely push in the accelerator it doesn't make the noise, BUT if i give it gas like normal, it sounds like a crunch monster is eating my front end. The same noise is also noticeable when I am making a turn. I have a hard time trying to pinpoint where the noise is coming from exactly other than in the front end close to the wheels.

Anyone have any ideas of what it could possibly be?

Donkeypuncher · Post by **Donkeypuncher** » Sun Oct 07, 2012 1:38 pm

I want to say one of the cv joints on the axle, but usually there will be vibrations along with it. I hope it's not the trans or differential, but it sounds like something drivetrain related.

I don't trust dealerships so I'd recommend a different shop to diagnose it. The dealer will often just blow you off like that when they can't figure it out.

lilolneon · Post by **lilolneon** » Sun Oct 07, 2012 2:07 pm

There is a subtle vibration when it makes the noise.

lilolneon · Post by **lilolneon** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 7:18 pm

After taking it back to the dealership to have another look. The clamp on the exhaust pipe was loose.

Donkeypuncher · Post by **Donkeypuncher** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 8:56 pm

Maybe crunching/grinding wasn't the best description

lilolneon · Post by **lilolneon** » Mon Oct 15, 2012 4:15 pm

Well, the sound came back and so its back in the shop. The techs cant figure out what is causing it. They have ruled out the struts, wheel bearings, cv joint, lower control arms, motor mounts. They have used wireless noise sensors to pinpoint it and still haven't figured out what is causing the noise.

But it is a crunching/grinding noise

Maybe I have a ghost haunting my car...

RobsProjectSOHC · Post by **RobsProjectSOHC** » Mon Oct 15, 2012 9:35 pm

I think I know the noise your talking about. Mines more clutch/tranmission mount vibration sound....thats what ive narrowed it down to. Do you have motor mount inserts or trans inserts?

Post by **occasional demons** » Tue Oct 16, 2012 8:00 am

lilolneon wrote: They have used wireless noise sensors to pinpoint it and still haven't figured out what is causing the noise.

Lolz. I still think shops need a set of rollers to put the car on, the steering rollers to pivot with the wheels, to simulate road conditions, loads. That way they can stand there, outside the car hood up, and actually get a good idea of what is actually happening. Of course OSHA would never go for it.

lilolneon wrote:But it is a crunching/grinding noise

Maybe I have a ghost haunting my car...

Langoliers

lilolneon · Post by **lilolneon** » Wed Oct 17, 2012 12:56 pm

RobsProjectSOHC wrote:I think I know the noise your talking about. Mines more clutch/tranmission mount vibration sound....thats what ive narrowed it down to. Do you have motor mount inserts or trans inserts?

No inserts or solid mounts.

RobsProjectSOHC · Post by **RobsProjectSOHC** » Wed Oct 17, 2012 6:11 pm

I wasnt sure if my motor mount inserts could be the cause of such a vibration...but im almost certain its either transmission mounth or weak trans. I have a brand new clutch in and still get the sound, so im ruling that one out.

lilolneon · Post by **lilolneon** » Sun Oct 21, 2012 3:30 am

At this point I am sure its more of a ghost than anything. The shop said that my mounts had a little play in them and the tech didn't like them, but they aren't "bad". The noise becomes apparent tho when I drive down my crappy washboard bumpy road by my house. Almost like something is loose and rattling. I doubt its anything with the trans, the shop said everything inside of it sounded fine and I have never had a problem with it.

I thought it could possibly be the CAI rubbing, so I bought a a couple feet of hose to make a bumper around it, but the shop tech apparently had the same idea and already did that for me while I had it in the shop. (1$ spent on 2 feet of hose for nothing lol)

RobsProjectSOHC · Post by **RobsProjectSOHC** » Sun Oct 21, 2012 10:58 am

Can you make a vid of the sound....ill take one when I get out of work

Post by **occasional demons** » Sun Oct 21, 2012 12:12 pm

Sway bar links/bushings, top hats... LCA hardware. These will all rattle/clunk make 'orrid sounds when subjected to bumps.

lilolneon · Post by **lilolneon** » Mon Oct 22, 2012 3:48 am

When i first took it in for the noise, they replaced the LCA's. I still have this feeling that it might have something to do with my CAI (idk it just seems like a sneaky culprit to me) So I am going to look into possibly doing this viewtopic.php?t=35816&start=0 since I have 2 airboxes collecting dust. Gonna crawl around under the car and give some of the underworks my own personal inspection as well. At most, ill crap up an old spare airbox and get dirty under the car.

NickKo · Post by **NickKo** » Mon Oct 22, 2012 7:48 am

lilolneon wrote:When i first took it in for the noise, they replaced the LCA's. I still have this feeling that it might have something to do with my CAI (idk it just seems like a sneaky culprit to me) So I am going to look into possibly doing this viewtopic.php?t=35816&start=0 since I have 2 airboxes collecting dust. Gonna crawl around under the car and give some of the underworks my own personal inspection as well. At most, ill crap up an old spare airbox and get dirty under the car.

You might be onto something.

When my brother and I bought the 2000 Neon we have now, it had that very same cheap 'E-bay' CAI on it.
The CAI was banging around inside the hole in the fenderwell, and it had worn a hole into the aluminum.

When I replaced it with an Iceman, I made sure to use something as a 'grommet' to protect the intake, so it wouldn't cut itself open on the fenderwell hole.
Using the factory airbox will help protect the CAI, too, since it will keep it in a 'fixed' position and keep it from banging around.

- Nick

lilolneon · Post by **lilolneon** » Sun May 26, 2013 10:33 pm

I forgot to continue with what happened. I took it to another garage and as it turns out, the front shocks were bad, after replacing them, car drives like new.

Skitlz · Post by **Skitlz** » Sun May 26, 2013 11:19 pm

occasional demons wrote: Lolz. I still think shops need a set of rollers to put the car on, the steering rollers to pivot with the wheels, to simulate road conditions, loads. That way they can stand there, outside the car hood up, and actually get a good idea of what is actually happening. Of course OSHA would never go for it.

Awesome idea.