Steering noise?

[FrOsTyShO]

I have just recently noticed that when i turn my wheel to the left while im driving there is a slight moaning or whirring sound. It only does it when the car is moving not stopped. Also what happens to the car when you have a broken boot and no grease on the lower ball joint?

 

[jasonty]

Lower ball joint is not your problem... If it only happens when you're turning it could be number of things. Could be a bad outer CV joint, could be a faulty proportioning valve in your power steering pump, or it could be a bad rack and pinion. Please describe the symptoms and noises a little more, and I'll try to help you out.

 

[jasonty]

By the way, if you have a bad lower ball joint, the only problem you will notice is bad camber, or a slight clunking noise in extreme cases. Lift your car up under the suspension of the wheel you feel to be faulty. Then shove a long ass bar underneath the wheel. Have a friend watch the balljoint, if you see play in the balljoint while prying up on the wheel from the bottom, then it's bad.

 

[FrOsTyShO]

Well, the noise i have is almost like a whirring or a whining sound coming from the left side when i turn left, im pretty sure its not coming from the right side when i turn right. Also, there is a scraping sound when i accelerate from a stop too. Could it be the cv joints making all these noises or tie rod ends? About the lower ball joint i have noticed a knocking sound when i hit bumps, but the broken boot is on the left, and the knocking seems to come from the right. shrug

 

[ChitownA34DR]

FrOsTyShO:
Well, the noise i have is almost like a whirring or a whining sound coming from the left side when i turn left, im pretty sure its not coming from the right side when i turn right. Also, there is a scraping sound when i accelerate from a stop too. Could it be the cv joints making all these noises or tie rod ends? About the lower ball joint i have noticed a knocking sound when i hit bumps, but the broken boot is on the left, and the knocking seems to come from the right. shrug

You are coming up on 100k miles on a 94' car. I would recommend a complete overhaul of the suspension. Gather a list of all the wear items you need to replace and just toss it all on at once. I guarantee it will be worth the money.

 

[jasonty]

That's very true. Replacing all of your suspension stuff now will give you a much better handling SHO. If you can afford it, try throwing some high performance stuff in there too. But, if you don't have the money for all that, the "clunking" noise you're hearing when going over bumps is most likely a bad strut or upper strut mount. Could also be a very loose lower control arm. Your problems about the "whirring" noise could quite possibly be your outer CV joint, and the "scraping" noise you hear when starting out could be the inner CV joint. I highly doubt it's your outer or inner tie rod. When I start out in my car, I hear a grinding kinda noise coming from the tranny. It only lasts a couple seconds, but this is the 2nd tranny I've had in this car, and they both do it. I'm starting to think it's normal. So if that's what you're hearing, I wouldn't worry about it. Good luck!

 

[FrOsTyShO]

Thanks alot guys. I look and see what i can do $$$$ wise.

 

[shojuan]

SmOkE93SHO:

FrOsTyShO:
Well, the noise i have ... and the knocking seems to come from the right. shrug

You are coming up on 100k miles on a 94' car. I would recommend a complete overhaul of the suspension. Gather a list of all the wear items you need to replace and just toss it all on at once. I guarantee it will be worth the money.

It is very expensive to replace all those wearable parts but it's much cheaper than buying a new car. I just did it...spent more in parts than my car is worth but it rides like a new car and it's more enjoyable with the performance replacement parts than it was when the car was brand new (yes, I remember when my SHO was new. ****, I got to drive it off the dealer's lot! Mom was in England when my parents took delivery of the car. I got to break it in with numerous romps down highway 1 to Big Sur and back in nice August weather! ) I won't NEED to buy a new car for quite some time now. The suspension should be good until at least 300,000 miles now and if my engine poops out before then (No way my engine is going to be in as good a shape at 280,000 miles as Scott P.'s is) I got all the fixings to build a 3.2.

Here's a list of all the crap I replaced: http://www.shoforum.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=21;t=000835#000003 Cheap? No. Worth it? Yes.

Note, the Moog TPR (thermoplastic rubber) bushings will last MUCH longer than stock rubber replacements and the cost is probably much lower than factory as well. As long as I give an occasional shot of quality grease to the balljoints, outer tie rod ends, and endlinks and replace the rubber boots when they crack, they should outlast the original parts by a good margin. I'll probably have to replace the inner tie rods again in 100,000 miles but that job is easy (although some people complain that they don't like doing it. shrug )