Noise from front-end while turning

[psymon]

Frank, I have the same exact sound on my wagon when turning as you described. Almost sounds like a plastic slow fan blade hitting something. I think it is only when i turn left actually and it sounds like it is coming from the front passenger side of the car. I asked the question for diagnosis a year or so back and did not get anywhere definitive. Could have something with power steering as explained above. The noise very faint and has no drivability issues and has not gotten any worse over the last year.

The clunk is most likely one of the enging/tranny mounts.

[nordwulf]

I am going to lift up the front-end so both wheels are off the ground and turn the front wheels by hand. I imagine if it is a cv joint, you should be able to hear it, although maybe not as noticeable when the wheels are powered by the engine. I also need to check again if it happens when turning left, right or both.

Anyone tried using a microphone or small voice recorder and put that at certain places to figure out exactly where the noise comes from while you're driving?

I looked at that transmission mount and looks the same as Finding posted the picture off. Definitely will replace that if it is not too difficult.

Thanks for the great suggestions so far. Nothing more difficult than describing and troubleshooting a car noise in writing.

[bullet]

When my transmission mount was shot, the clunk was more of a thump and was heard once and only on hard accelerations or in kick down mode. It wasn't continuous. It felt like the whole power train wanted to escape from the engine bay

[nordwulf]

I am going to lift up the front-end so both wheels are off the ground and turn the front wheels by hand. I imagine if it is a cv joint, you should be able to hear it, although maybe not as noticeable when the wheels are powered by the engine. I also need to check again if it happens when turning left, right or both.

The sound is still a mystery. I lifted up the front-end and turned the front wheels at various steering angles a month ago. There was no noise at all, everything was turning smoothly. Whatever it is, it'll have to break first and then we'll know for sure. With the outside temperature much colder, it seems the noise is there at smaller steering angles. But not sure if it really has to do with the temperature.

[toxicavenger]

Hey Frank I just had a issue on my wife's car like this ended up being one of her boots on the power steering rack had come off and the shaft was exposed to the elements. So I cleaned the steering rack shaft off and used a water hose clamp for the boot.

My turn to ask the question "What noise is this?"

After I turn the steering wheel when the car is moving (after about 1 turn of the wheel), I hear taktaktaktaktaktak from the front-end. Not very loud but noticeable. I can't feel anything in the steering wheel and there are no other issues. No noises when driving straight.

[nordwulf]

Where is this power steering rack boot? Do you have to access it from the top or bottom of engine? Sounds like an easy fix if that's the problem.

[toxicavenger]

Hey Frank you can look down from the back of the engine next to the master cylinder and you will see the rack. But it is really hard to see both sides of the boot. The best way for me to check was to jack up the car, take off the splash pan (big plastic shield that covers the underside of the engine) and then slide under the car past the oil pan. When you look up you will see the steering rack mounted on the cross member. Now look to see that the boots are still connected on both sides of the power steering rack.

In this pic I have the arrows pointing at the clamps. One of my clamps had come lose so the piston was exposed, so when turning the wheel and moving the front end would make a weird noise.

Hope this helps out.


This link might also give you some insight cozmopolitan - ..a blog about me, my projects and the answers to how the world really works.. .

Where is this power steering rack boot? Do you have to access it from the top or bottom of engine? Sounds like an easy fix if that's the problem.

[nordwulf]

Thanks for the detailed info. I checked it out a few days ago without removing the splash guard and couldn't see anything wrong with those boots. But I need to take a better look when there isn't so much snow on the ground and temps are a bit more comfortable for laying under a car.

[Finding41]

Frank I've read somewhere about a bushing or something the like at the top of the strut that can make noise when turning.
This may explain why you couldn't replicate the noise with the wheels in the air. There wasn't the same pressure on the bushing thing. (Sorry about all the highly technical wording,,, It's been a long day.)
Check the drawings...

[Kenneth Pain]

Rear SubFrame Bushing might be shot to hell .....

It will do it while turning both directions - even louder with a manual transmission -

Saab 9-5 subframe bushings - YouTube