Well, I'll start by explaining my situation to give a better understanding of the car.
New as of this year: Transmission, timing chain, tires, belts, exhaust, misc tubing/filters etc.
The car is in excellet condition, at only 118K city-type of miles, 1 owner who is an older woman that claims to have always kept premium in it and that the car has never been wrecked/abused. The interior is in great shape, and as far as I know, there isn't a single non-working item on the entire car.
I changed the oil today and ran it for 5 miles and then realized I forgot to change the filter like an idiot, so I went ahead and changed it yet again and the filter too, so I know the engine is nice and clean now.
Anyway, the problem I'm concerned with I don't believe has to do with the engine itself. I'll try to explain this in the best detail possible. When I turn, it feels and sounds like something in the front end is being knocked around. For example, if I were going straight for say, 50 feet, whatever it is would reset itself and when I turn, I will hear it go "bump" and feel it too.
Let's say I turned right, I would hear it bump and if I made another right, I would not hear it again, as if whatever the part bumping around is a loose object of some sort that is already on that side.
If I turned right, heard the bump, then turned LEFT, I'd hear the bump again! Anyway, I hate to spell it out like that, I don't take anyone here to be an idiot, I just wanted to make sure I explained myself and if I need to do so further I'll be glad to. Any help at all would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Ryan
Check the sway bar linkages. One of mine was rusted through and when ever I would turn the sway bar would hit what was left of the linkage.
Levi
Welcome and congratulations on the new car.
Check the end links like grovelj said. But also check the big inner bushing because if the end links are bad, the inner sway bar bushing may be bad also. If they look compressed and pulled away from the bar they are bad. If you can see daylight through them they are really bad.
It would probably be good to check all the other ususal stuff like tie rods, wheel bearings, ball joints.
I took the car to a few mechanics to get an idea of what is wrong, I have no idea how to fix suspension / steering stuff, nor do I have the resources to do so.
I asked my boss at work who works on cars and he said it might be the CV halfshafts. Went to AutoZone's site and found the same answer. Does this sound correct? Also, is this a home job (air wrench, sockets, crescent wrenches, average tools)? I'm willing to learn if it saves me money. The AutoZone link to thier pre-fabricated diagnostics test is below.
http://www1.autozone.com/servlet/UiBroke...ROMJSP=typ e
Thanks for the help,
Ryan
TCs do not have CV half-shafts, so I can assure you that the problem lies elsewhere. CV halfshafts are used on front wheel drive cars and on rear wheel drive cars with independent suspension. The noise-when-turning is common if the CV joint in a FWD halfshaft goes bad. Again, you don't have CV joints or halfshafts, unless you randomly picked some up and they are rolling around in your trunk.
DO NOT EVER GO BACK TO ANY MECHANIC WHO TOLD YOU YOUR CV JOINTS WERE EVEN POSSIBLY THE PROBLEM.
I'm thinking you are about to learn how to replace a steering rack, but I could be wrong.
------------------
Mike Walsted - NATO member
1986 5-speed TurboCoupe and
1985 5-speed XR7
Quote:Originally posted by digi:
I took the car to a few mechanics to get an idea of what is wrong, I have no idea how to fix suspension / steering stuff, nor do I have the resources to do so.
I asked my boss at work who works on cars and he said it might be the CV halfshafts. Went to AutoZone's site and found the same answer. Does this sound correct? Also, is this a home job (air wrench, sockets, crescent wrenches, average tools)? I'm willing to learn if it saves me money. The AutoZone link to thier pre-fabricated diagnostics test is below.
http://www1.autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker?UseCase=S001&UserAction=viewSimpleDiagResultsInfo&Parameters=Front+Wheel%28s%29|~25|~Turning|~44|~Clicking|~33|~Sounds+Like|~4&FROMJ SP=typ e
Thanks for the help,
Ryan
What MORON suggested the problem is CV half shafts? FRONT wheel drive cars have half shafts and CV (and tripod) joints. Rear wheel drive cars have a drive shaft, differential, and axles.
If you have questions about your car, come here and ask...... there is more collective knowlwdge here about these cars than anywhere..... local mechanics and Ford dealers included. We will all be happy to help!
In addition to the possible problems mentioned by the others (which are the most likely causes of your noises), check the front brake calipers to be sure the retaining bolts / slider pins are not loose or missing.
------------------
Jeff Korn
88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 21 psi, forced air intercooler, water injection, bypass valve, Ranger roller cam, subframes, etc., etc.. // 86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP nitrous, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.... // 91 Escort: Bone stock winter car // 02 Taurus Vulcan(wifes car)
Wow, thanks for the heads up... I myself was wondering where the hell the CV halfshafts are "hidden" when I jacked the car up today... lol
What tools would I need besides an air wrench / jacks to check the ball joints? A guy at (cough) AutoZone told me that all I'd have to do is jack the car up, take the wheel off and remove a retaining clip.. Sounds too easy to me. Your opinion?
btw everyone's help here is awesome. Couldn't find a better online community.
Ryan
Quote: A guy at (cough) AutoZone told me that all
You can get bad advice anywhere. At some places getting bad advice is more dependable than other places
[Image: biggrin.gif]
Do you know for sure that you have a bad ball joint? Do yo know how to read the wear indicator on the very bottom of the ball joint?
Changing them is not a cresent wrench job.
The old ball joints will have to be pressed out of the control arms. You can rent a tool to do that but it might just be easier to have a shop take the old ones out and put the new ones in.
[This message has been edited by Pete D (edited 09-09-2004).]
[This message has been edited by Pete D (edited 09-09-2004).]
Thanks Pete. I'm gonna check it out tomorrow, if it doesn't look like anything I can do then I'll just have to swallow my pride and take it to a shop
[Image: frown.gif]
AutoZone has the tool free to rent with a deposit, so thats cool if it looks like a job that I might be able to do.
Thanks again,
Ryan
I got a recommendation this morning to a mechanic that does free estimates, etc. I had my mom drop me off at work and bring the car by and she let him take it for a drive.
He said it was either the tie rods or the ball joints and that he could replace either on both wheels for around $120. I'm gonna ask how much it would be to just go ahead and replace both tie rods / ball joints so I don't have to worry about this crap anymore. $120 seems reasonable to me for parts + labor for either job.. How does that sound to you guys?
Ryan