Loud Squeeking Noise!

[justinlandis]

Hey guys! Ive got this loud annoying squeeking noise that I can't figure out. This noise is coming from the front drivers side fender well(the spring, shock, or something in there). It makes this loud sqeeking noise whenever I hit a bump or pulling up into my driveway. Also I only hear this noise after my car has been running for awhile and it heats up. I can never hear it until the engine heats up. As soon as it heats up this noise is VERY loud! Any help or suggestions will be very appreciated! Thanks!

[VChula]

(Sorry for the lengthy reply in advance)

I lived with a similar problem, during similar operating conditions, for about 70,000 miles on my 1996 SS. The noise first started when I was making a right turn and encountered a very slight dip in the turn. My car would only exhibit the noise after is was driven for about 30 minutes - and only when encountering dips, pot holes and speed bumps. Over time, this noise became louder, and more frequent - after driving the car for only 3 minutes.

Over the last year, I have replaced every single rubber chassis item - control arm bushings, ball joints, coil spring supports/mounts, panhard bar, torque arm bushing, engine mounts, transmission mount, sway bar bushings and the tie rod ends. I also replaced the exhaust hangers, coil springs, shocks, front sway bar chassis mounts and sway bar end links.

After the first drive, the noise was still present. It was as if I did absolutely nothing to the car in the first place. Needless to say, I was pretty frustrated.

After driving the car about a month ago, I finally decided to investigate the problem further - right after the drive (while things were still hot).

I jacked up the car from the front cross member. While lifting the car up, I could hear a loud snapping sound with each jack pump. This snapping sound went away after the wheels were no longer touching the ground. I then placed the car on jack stands and removed the front tires. I then tried to jack up a lower control arm to see if I could isolate the noise by feeling each component (coil springs, shocks, end links, control arms) for vibrations while the noise was encountered.

It turns out that the main source of the noise was coming from near the drivers side sway bar chassis mount bushing. When I placed my hand in this area and applied more pressure from the jack, I could feel the snap in the sway bar itself. I then proceeded to remove the sway bar end links to see if the noise went away while jacking up the lower control arm. The noise was now gone. I then proceeded to test drive the car, without the end links, so I could rule out any remaining suspension components. No noise was encountered during the drive.

I thoroughly inspected the end links for cracks and damage, but found none. I ordered a new factory 1LE sway bar (32mm) and installed the part, with the same end links.

During the test drive, no noise was encountered.

Turns out that there is a crack somewhere in the original front sway bar (the factory 1LE bar is hollow). After inspecting the bar, I can't pinpoint exactly where the crack is. Having the bar tested is probably more expensive than buying the new one, so I am not going to persue the matter any longer.

I'm just glad that my particular noise problem was resolved.