Horrible Noise

[ScooterBovine]

Before we begin figuring this one out, let me make some info known up front:

1) I just had the front brake pads replaced.
2) I just installed a front top sway bar in the engine bay.

I don't know if those things affect the answer to this question, but here we go.

While driving, I can feel vibrations through the driver side floor boards. Not really through the pedals themselves, or the steering wheel. Along with these vibrations, there is a constant "rotating" noise. By that, I mean that a few times a second (depending on speed), I hear this noise, which I assume is due to some rotating part, just as the wheel or axles...

Now, this noise is not present while accelerating or braking (moderate braking, not just touching the brakes). It only seems to be present while "coasting" or when the clutch is engaged.

I crawled under my car (I am not mechanically inclined, so I have no real idea what to look for), and nothing was torn on any boots, nothing was leaking anywhere, no grease or oil anywhere, and nothing "seemed" out of place. I tried moving the axles on both sides, and they moved a tiny bit from the wheel towards the motor, and vice versa, but not any other direction. I think this is normal because it does it on my other MX-3, and that one drives fine with no noises (But on my sister's Honda Civic, her axles do not budge at all...). The only thing I see that I don't really like is that the axles have a light coat of rust.

So, anything else I should look for? I believe this noise is mainly on the driver side of the vehicle, and it feels like it is under the feet, and towards the engine a little bit. Also, when coasting at a really low speed, the noise sounds... I dunno, like rubber mushing or something. But like I said, the boots all seem intact. All I know is that the noise sounds terrible, and I'm afraid to keep driving the car with it going on.

I did a couple of searches on "noises" and I got various things, but does anyone else have any suggestions? Or should I just fork out the money I don't have to get it looked at professionally?

Thanks for the help!

[PATDIESEL]

Make sure your lugs are tight on the wheels. Then check the bearing. Take a look at your brake job and make sure the caliper is snug and that the pads seem to be in place. You can also rotate the wheel and make sure the brake pads are not rubbing on the rotor. If it is then the brake place sold you a warped rotor or F'd one when the turned your old ones and reinstalled them. You will need to take the wheel off to check the brakes, so do that first, then make sure the lugs are tight. I hand tighten two lugs as tight as I can by hand, then start the other two, then let the car down and use a wrench to get them all torqued. This makes sure that the wheel is seated. If they use a impact on the wheel and didn't seat the wheel it will make a funky crunching kind of sound as it wobbles.
How long since the brake job did this noise start?

[ScooterBovine]

I'd say about three weeks. I got the brake job done, then drove home from Illinois (about 350 miles) and then parked the vehicle for a week while I was away on some military stuff. I got home and drove the car, and didn't notice the sound until I had my stereo off one day pulling into a gas station. Then from there it seemed to get worse.

[Zoso124]

Make sure the dust shield isn't rubbing against the rotor. That one always gets me. Just make sure everything is tight like Pat said. I but the wheel is loose.

[mx3autozam]

it could very much be a wheel bearing. make sure all the lugs are tight, then jack up the vehicle, and grap the wheel and try to check if there is any play anywhere,

If there is play at top and bottom then its a balljoint
If there is play side to side then it is tie rod ends.
if there is play all around then its most likely a wheel bearing, can possibl be a cv as well, but more so a bearing

let us know what you find. You could also take it to a garage and ask them to take a look for you!