still have loud click... not CV joints

[mattster]

okay so i posted a while back that my car makes a really loud click every time there is stress. i still am clueless as to what is making the noise. it happenes with a sudden acceleration, down shifts, sometimes even a hard break will do it. the noise seems to come from the front right corner of the car, and it seems like it started happening after the timing belt/water pump was changed. any advice??

[sep42]

do you think it's coming from the engine or the suspension? maybe brakes? <p>"click" can be lots of things.. my keyboard is making a "clicking" sound too <p>do you hear any noises if you kick the tires? how about if you shake the car?
what about if you open the hood and push on the engine?<p>also, right side, I'm not sure which one you mean. Is it driver or passenger side?<p>[ June 22, 2003: Message edited by: S.N. ]</p>

[IanL]

One possibility - front stabiliser bushings. They seem to make a single "crack" if they're binding.<p>I get a similar effect from the back occasionally. If it was there all the time, I'd try some lubrication to see if that cured it, but it's so infrequent I could fool myself.

[mattster]

passenger side. originally i thought it was coming from the suspension, then for awile it sounded like the engine i cannot tell for sure. how do you describe a sound effect through typing anyway... click is the best i can describe it as. maybe "pop" or "snap" is a better word? either was, it is a very loud single burst sound and it comes from the passenger side.
stabilizer bushings... i am looking in my chiltons right now, do you mean like the "end link" or are you talking the bushings which go inside the stabilizer braket which is located further toward the center of the car. it says in bold print in the manuel "Check the bushings inside the brackets for wear of deformation. A worn bushing can cause a distinct noise as the bar twists during cornering". this sounds promising. tell me what you think. thanks.

[IanL]

My money's on the one inside the bracket. (No. 6 in the diagram).<p>I'd not noticed that note in Chiltern's; rather conclusive, I'd say <p>[ June 22, 2003: Message edited by: IanL ]</p>

[Bri94GS]

does it ever do it when the car is not moving? or only when it's moving?

[mattster]

no i have never heard the sound when the car isn't moving. like i said in an earlier post, it really only happens when the suspension is stressed. i am thinking its those bushings as well, however it never happens while turning. oh well there's only one way to find out and thats getting under my car and taking a peek. i will post after i take a look.

[lazzyie]

Matt I told you to check those endlinks months ago all it takes is a 14mm socket and a prybar, they are ~$30 at Mazda.

[Maddbuck]

check your stabilizer bar end links both front and rear. grab onto the bar and if you can move it - theres you problem/noise. I doubt the bushings are done - but possible. The front bushing are extremely difficult to get to btw. Rear bar is easy.

[Hector Gomez]

Well, i have the same problem, firts i changed the end links (link kits 33.60 at El Cajon Mazda)
in both sides and it stopped to make that sound for a while but after 2 weeks the sound came again,now im guessing its the tie rod (inner and outer 264.50 at the dealer). Ive noticed that some bolts of my suspension are loose and need to be fastened again (wich is odd because when i got my lionk kits i adjusted every bolt in the suspension, and now they are loose).
Im not done with this thing but this is the closest solution i can think of : get new stiffer bushings for all your suspension, change the inner and outer tie rod ends, check the end links, and finally adjust every bolt in the suspension.

[Guest]

How about an axle shaft!! Ive had the lefty and right side go on me, and its like a clicking grinding noise, sounds worse in a turn, thats probably it man.

[mattster]

lazzyie, yes i do remember you telling me that the endlinks (control links) were the problem a while back. however, i took a look at them right after you mentioned them and they looked like they were in perfect condition, so i figured they weren't my problem. could either of you guys who changed endlinks actually see some sort of deformity in the endlink? because mine looks perfectly fine. the stabilizer bar itself does have some give to it but not very much.
in the chiltons manuel page 8-10 in fig. 36 we can see not only the control link (13) but the stabilizer bushing (15) as well . one of these two parts just has to be the problem but both look to be in perfect working condition! its not like im afraid to spend the $30 for the links but it just doesn't make sense to be fixing the wrong thing if you know what i mean .<p>[ June 24, 2003: Message edited by: mattster ]</p>

[Hector Gomez]

The end link would look normal on the outside but, the bearing or whatever they have inside will be pretty flexible or loose.
Normally they should be hard to twist or move.