Help me diagnose a noise. (updated with videos)

"BaconSandwich is tasty." (baconsandwich) 09/10/2018 at 20:04 • Filed to: None

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It’s a 2001 Honda Civic, 4 door. When doing a (legal) U-turn earlier today, I heard a loud popping noise coming from what I thought was the passenger’s side front wheel. When straightening the wheel after the same U-turn, I got a very similar popping noise. I also got the same popping noise making a tight left turn into the garage. (The U-turn was also to the left). Any guesses on what it could be? I’m planning on taking a look at the following tonight:

Lug nuts

Lower ball joint

Sway bar end link (seemed fine)

Outer tie rod (seemed fine)

Bolts that hold the strut onto the steering knuckle (seemed fine)

Bolts that hold the strut into the strut mount

Strut mount

Strut

Lower control arm bushings (both) (seemed fine)

Bolts that hold the brake caliper to the steering knuckle

Sway bar bushings

CV joint (suggested by both Haadkoe and sony1492 - thanks guys!) - see video(s)

The noise was loud enough to be heard with the radio on. When first turning to the left, it was a single loud pop, then when turning the wheel back, a second pop.

I have my doubts that it’s the lower control arm bushings, as the entire lower control arm was replaced earlier this year (both sides were replaced). Sway bar end links were also replaced, but I’m still going to check them. I’ll update this post as I’ve looked at each item, and update the list with any new items.

Any other guesses on what this could be?

Update : I put it up on the jack stands and tried moving things around by hand. From full lock to full lock, I tried moving and shimmying things around as much as I could. No popping noise when moving things around side to side , but there does seem to be a bit of play when rotating the tire back and forth. I couldn’t quite tell if the clicking noise was coming from the transmission (it was in neutral) or from the CV joints:

(Forgive the shaky-cam - I was holding it with one hand). The grease boots are as clean as a whistle. Once I got it down from the jack stands, I took it around a local parking lot for a few tight turns. No popping noises present. The clicking noise was likely my keys clicking against the ignition.

I still need to check out any sway bar bushings and bolts, but everything else looked pretty decent.

LOREM IPSUM > BaconSandwich is tasty. 09/10/2018 at 20:24

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One of the CV joints is probably shot. Check for a ripped rubber boot. When you find it, that's the one. 

sony1492 > BaconSandwich is tasty. 09/10/2018 at 20:24

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Sounds kind of like the cv’ s, at full lock it should make multiple pops as it rotates

BaconSandwich is tasty. > sony1492 09/10/2018 at 20:29

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This seemed pretty loud - definitely louder than I’ve heard in the past.  Is there any way to test them when having the car up on jack stands?

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > BaconSandwich is tasty. 09/10/2018 at 20:31

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Another vote for CV.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > BaconSandwich is tasty. 09/10/2018 at 20:32

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Sounds like the rack and pinion to me. On my 2009 there was a TSB about the bolts not being tight enough and it had this symptom. On hard turns it wow shift and make a lout pop with no other external signs. Then it would (sometimes but not always) re-pop when I returned the wheel.

They tightened the bolts several times and it never went away though. Turns out mine was just bad from the factory and skipping a tooth. They replaced it under warranty and I never had a problem again. Don’t really know more than that because I wasn’t in to working on cars at the time.

Also one of the many reasons I ditched Honda.

You could also try this: http://mycarmakesnoise.com/

Edit: Edited to add more info.

sony1492 > BaconSandwich is tasty. 09/10/2018 at 20:33

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I guess you could tun the wheel at full lock in neutral and spin the tire, it might bind in spots and have resistance if the cv is bad enough. It wo uld be easier to just listen for the sound while turning in a tight circle, it would make a steady click or pop as it rotates.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > sony1492 09/10/2018 at 20:40

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That’s what’s throwing me off - it was just a single pop - just once.  Then just a single pop when turning things back.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > BaconSandwich is tasty. 09/10/2018 at 20:42

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That’s what my Impreza sounded like when the CV axles went bad. I’m used to a more continuous noise but they would just pop once or twice then go quiet for a while.

sony1492 > BaconSandwich is tasty. 09/10/2018 at 20:45

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M aybe some form of binding, move the wheel back and forth by hand, it may have a tight spot

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > BaconSandwich is tasty. 09/10/2018 at 20:56

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If it was a single pop I would make sure your sway bar is good and tight. My Miata was loose on one side and would make a pop every once in a while. It took me an embarrassingly long time to figure it out. This is at least easy to check.

Khalbali > BaconSandwich is tasty. 09/10/2018 at 21:31

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Cv joint was my immediate thought but after reading the rest my money would be on lower ball joints. If the control arms were replaced they probably came with new ball joints afaik so maybe the bolt that holds them in is loose/stripped? I did lots of control arm recalls as a Mazda tech lol and what you’re describing sounds like when my apprentice stripped the bolts holding them in the knuckle by over tightening them.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Khalbali 09/10/2018 at 21:43

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Ah, now you are testing my memory. :P  From what I remember, I had to buy the ball joints separate from the control arms and had to push them in.  They are a friction fit with no bolt to hold them in.  The taper to the hole in the control arm pushes in such a way that, in theory, they force themselves together, and shouldn’t ever pop apart unless being pushed apart by a tool.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > SPAMBot - Horse Doctor 09/10/2018 at 21:44

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I’ll have to take a look.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 09/10/2018 at 21:46

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How long was a while?  Minutes?  Hours?  Days?  Even weeks?  This has happened in the past as well, but it seems so incredibly sporadic.  Like it’s probably been a few weeks at least since I heard it last.

Captain of the Enterprise > BaconSandwich is tasty. 09/10/2018 at 21:46

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Maybe tie rods

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Captain of the Enterprise 09/10/2018 at 21:46

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The outer ones seemed okay. Maybe the inner ones?

Captain of the Enterprise > BaconSandwich is tasty. 09/10/2018 at 21:53

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Maybe, I know on the family expedition  every time they went (don’t buy duralast but that’s all my dad would pay for) when parked you could turn the wheel lock to lock and they would make a loud popping noise. We actually had one go while driving once not good but it ended well. 

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > BaconSandwich is tasty. 09/10/2018 at 21:55

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I heard it once every few days then had the mechanic check it out, confirmed cv axles were bad.

Spamfeller Loves Nazi Clicks > BaconSandwich is tasty. 09/10/2018 at 21:55

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Former drivability tech.

CV look s fine. Probably the  wheel bearing that’s shot. Either that or four rounded out lug holes. So yeah. Wheel bearing. Throw it in neutral, spin, listen for the grind. The back and forth rattle is the remaining bearings sliding against each other. Probably need a hub too. Yes, you can have a bad wheel bearing with no lateral play.

Audio’s no good from in-car but I’d bet money if I slapped chassis ears on it, I’d pick up a growl from the front p/s. On smooth pavement? Won’t reproduce. Momentum. May produce a thunk going over bumps. CV’s moving exact same rate as the wheel which makes me doubt it’s spline play.

Bad news: press fit . Not an easy afternoon job. It is a total fucking shitshow.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Spamfeller Loves Nazi Clicks 09/10/2018 at 22:02

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Is it possible to buy a steering knuckle with the bearing already pre-pressed into it?

LOREM IPSUM > BaconSandwich is tasty. 09/10/2018 at 22:06

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Update: If CV boots intact, I also would look closely at sway bar bushings. Also, shock/strut to p mount bushings come  to mind.

Spamfeller Loves Nazi Clicks > BaconSandwich is tasty. 09/10/2018 at 22:21

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Nope, because Honda fuckery.

This is the “complete knuckle assy” for a 2001 Honda Civic EX 4 door with KA 5MT.

Note lack of wheel bearing? Yeah.

Because of this bullshit.

Bearing goes in the hub. With a special Honda-only circlip involved.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Spamfeller Loves Nazi Clicks 09/10/2018 at 22:29

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Ugh. Somehow this doesn't surprise me though.

brianbrannon > BaconSandwich is tasty. 09/10/2018 at 23:19

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Put it in the air and grab the tire and turn it lock to lock by hand to feel if the strut bearing is binding. The spring will pop . If not put a pry bar in the ball joint gap and check for play. Rotating the tire like you did in your video is not going to tell you if a part is bad    

oldmxer > BaconSandwich is tasty. 09/11/2018 at 22:43

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this classic cv joint noise

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > BaconSandwich is tasty. 09/12/2018 at 12:04

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My truck used to do this when the slightly bigger than stock tires would catch the plastic in the wheel well, especially if I hit a bump when turning sharp. I also know where you live now haha

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif 09/12/2018 at 14:10

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Ha ha! Well, maybe you can come over and do some woodworking now! :p