I have a 1994 Cadillac SLS with 32k miles. It has developed a horrible cli cking sound when turning right only at any speed and sounded like it was co ming from the right front wheel. The strange thing is the clicking doesn't seem to go faster at higher speed or slower at slower speed. I figured it was CV joints so crawled under it and checked the boots, etc. No torn boo ts and everything looked OK. I then jacked it up, chocked the wheels, etc. and put it in gear. The front tires were spinning and when turning side t o side there was no noise. Does this sound like a wheel bearing? Maybe th e wheel bearing only clicks under the weight of the front end?
licking sound when turning right only at any speed and sounded like it was coming from the right front wheel. The strange thing is the clicking doesn 't seem to go faster at higher speed or slower at slower speed. I figured it was CV joints so crawled under it and checked the boots, etc. No torn b oots and everything looked OK. I then jacked it up, chocked the wheels, et c. and put it in gear. The front tires were spinning and when turning side to side there was no noise. Does this sound like a wheel bearing? Maybe the wheel bearing only clicks under the weight of the front end?
My fault, noise sound like it's coming from left front wheel...
Middle part separated........ If the clicking doesn't change speed with the car, then just how fast is the clicking? One click per second? Three? Fifty? Is it the same at walking speed and 30 mph? Is there anything dangling under the car that could swing and tap against other parts? Do you have silly spoked hubcaps that flex with side force on the wheel and go click-pop-sproing?
The hubcap thing makes some sense, except that it should change speed with the speed of the car, just like everything other cause I can think of. The quick check is to drive without the hubcaps.
One other thing to try is to find a big empty parking lot, get some speed up, slip the car into neutral, turn the engine off, and then turn the wheel and coast around the turn. If the noise is gone, it might be engine related. It's probable drive line, though, since it goes away temporarily every time the front end comes apart for axle replacement.
Finally, I still can't think of any cause that would not change speed with the speed of the car.
licking sound when turning right only at any speed and sounded like it was coming from the right front wheel. The strange thing is the clicking doesn 't seem to go faster at higher speed or slower at slower speed. I figured it was CV joints so crawled under it and checked the boots, etc. No torn b oots and everything looked OK. I then jacked it up, chocked the wheels, et c. and put it in gear. The front tires were spinning and when turning side to side there was no noise. Does this sound like a wheel bearing? Maybe the wheel bearing only clicks under the weight of the front end?
Thanks for all the advice. The car has mag wheels with a lugnut cover that I did remove and noise is still there. I changed out the wheel hub assemb ly and noise is still apparent. It's a very fast clicking, say 10 clicks a second. I did take it to a big parking lot, got up to about 40 mph, turne d off engine and turned back and forth fairly sharply in neutral and tickin g sound was gone.
I guess that tells me that it's not in the suspension or wheels but in the drivetrain somewhere? And it does not increase with speed, seems like a co nstant noise. Any other suggestions, I am stumped here.
clicking sound when turning right only at any speed and sounded like it was coming from the right front wheel. The strange thing is the clicking doesn't seem to go faster at higher speed or slower at slower speed. I figured it was CV joints so crawled under it and checked the boots, etc. No torn boots and everything looked OK. I then jacked it up, chocked the wheels, etc. and put it in gear. The front tires were spinning and when turning side to side there was no noise. Does this sound like a wheel bearing? Maybe the wheel bearing only clicks under the weight of the front end?
did remove and noise is still there. I changed out the wheel hub assembly and noise is still apparent. It's a very fast clicking, say 10 clicks a second. I did take it to a big parking lot, got up to about 40 mph, turned off engine and turned back and forth fairly sharply in neutral and ticking sound was gone.
In that case, try the same thing with a change - slip it into neutral, but leave the engine running. If the noise is there with the engine on, but gone with it off (it must be in neutral for this to be valid), it sounds like an engine issue, or something driven by the engine. Also, try it with the engine off, but the key "on". That thing about the HVAC fan in another post isn't out of the question.
clicking sound when turning right only at any speed and sounded like it was coming from the right front wheel. The strange thing is the clicking doesn't seem to go faster at higher speed or slower at slower speed. I figured it was CV joints so crawled under it and checked the boots, etc. No torn boots and everything looked OK. I then jacked it up, chocked the wheels, etc. and put it in gear. The front tires were spinning and when turning side to side there was no noise. Does this sound like a wheel bearing? Maybe the wheel bearing only clicks under the weight of the front end?
did remove and noise is still there. I changed out the wheel hub assembly and noise is still apparent. It's a very fast clicking, say 10 clicks a second. I did take it to a big parking lot, got up to about 40 mph, turned off engine and turned back and forth fairly sharply in neutral and ticking sound was gone.
le clicking sound when turning right only at any speed and sounded like it was coming from the right front wheel. The strange thing is the clicking d oesn't seem to go faster at higher speed or slower at slower speed. I figu red it was CV joints so crawled under it and checked the boots, etc. No to rn boots and everything looked OK. I then jacked it up, chocked the wheels , etc. and put it in gear. The front tires were spinning and when turning side to side there was no noise. Does this sound like a wheel bearing? Ma ybe the wheel bearing only clicks under the weight of the front end?
that I did remove and noise is still there. I changed out the wheel hub as sembly and noise is still apparent. It's a very fast clicking, say 10 clic ks a second. I did take it to a big parking lot, got up to about 40 mph, t urned off engine and turned back and forth fairly sharply in neutral and ti cking sound was gone.
Bill,
Thanks for the help. Just to make sure it isn't something like the cooling fans, I started car early this am and immediately drove in circles in the cul de sac. Noise was very apparent. Doesn't seem to matter if car is hot or cold.
I stopped by a huge parking lot on the way to work this and ran some more t ests. I got up to speed, put in neutral and turned. Nose was there. I th en turned key from run to accel position, noise was gone. I then (safely) turned key to lock position while still travelling about 30mph and noise wa s gone. It seems to me like it's something in the engine and it certainly sounds like metal on metal. One other note, at idle or very slow speed, no ise is not there. Have to be turning at least 5-10 mph to make it happen. Anything over 10mph and turning noise is reproducible consistently. I am stumped. Any other ideas? Anyone, Anyone?
Grab a bar or 2X4 and with the engine running pry up on the engine and see if you have a bad engine mount letting the engine move enough that a pulley or accessory is hitting on the body. Check on both ends and move the engine around.
clicking sound when turning right only at any speed and sounded like it was coming from the right front wheel. The strange thing is the clicking doesn't seem to go faster at higher speed or slower at slower speed. I figured it was CV joints so crawled under it and checked the boots, etc. No torn boots and everything looked OK. I then jacked it up, chocked the wheels, etc. and put it in gear. The front tires were spinning and when turning side to side there was no noise. Does this sound like a wheel bearing? Maybe the wheel bearing only clicks under the weight of the front end?
I did remove and noise is still there. I changed out the wheel hub assembly and noise is still apparent. It's a very fast clicking, say 10 clicks a second. I did take it to a big parking lot, got up to about 40 mph, turned off engine and turned back and forth fairly sharply in neutral and ticking sound was gone.
fans, I started car early this am and immediately drove in circles in the cul de sac. Noise was very apparent. Doesn't seem to matter if car is hot or cold.
tests. I got up to speed, put in neutral and turned. Nose was there. I then turned key from run to accel position, noise was gone. I then (safely) turned key to lock position while still travelling about 30mph and noise was gone. It seems to me like it's something in the engine and it certainly sounds like metal on metal. One other note, at idle or very slow speed, noise is not there. Have to be turning at least 5-10 mph to make it happen. Anything over 10mph and turning noise is reproducible consistently. I am stumped. Any other ideas? Anyone, Anyone?
LIke Steve W. said, a pulley (crank or any accessory) might be hitting the body or possibly a splash shield when turning left. Also, you would need to actually open the hood and make sure the cooling fans are not running when you first start the car. Unless the climate control is completely off, the AC compressor could be turning one or both on. In fact, even with the compressor off, I'm not sure that the low speed fan wouldn't come on. You have to actually look. You can also look for something loose under the hood that can shift against some moving part on the engine.
Does this car have the Northstar engine, or the earlier 4.9? There was an unusual problem with some engine where the cam would shift on left turns, and the sprocket would hit the timing cover. I can't remember if it was a Caddy engine, though.
Try again in neutral, but this time rev the engine a bit while turning and see if the clicks get faster, just to verify it's engine-related, and not something like the ABS system, or the self-leveling suspension pump.
Thanks again. Steve, I think you're on to something. I took a 2x2 and pry ed around where I could with engine running and no noise. I was unable to really get a good crank on the engine (which is a northstar) so I decided t o jack up the left side (drivers side) of the car as high as my floor jack would go. It was probably up about 20" and no noise. I double checked the engine drive pulleys and they were no closer to the fender than when the c ar was level.
Now the interesting part. I jacked up the passenger side of the car and th e chattering/clicking was there. I had the hood open, fans were not runnin g and it actually seemed to come from the drivers side. It's so loud and t he echos in the garage make it hard to tell. As soon as I lowered the car a bit, the noise stopped.
So wth? Do I just need to put bigger tires (truck tires) on the drivers si de? lol.
around where I could with engine running and no noise. I was unable to really get a good crank on the engine (which is a northstar) so I decided to jack up the left side (drivers side) of the car as high as my floor jack would go. It was probably up about 20" and no noise. I double checked the engine drive pulleys and they were no closer to the fender than when the car was level.
chattering/clicking was there. I had the hood open, fans were not running and it actually seemed to come from the drivers side. It's so loud and the echos in the garage make it hard to tell. As soon as I lowered the car a bit, the noise stopped.
around where I could with engine running and no noise. I was unable to really get a good crank on the engine (which is a northstar) so I decided to jack up the left side (drivers side) of the car as high as my floor jack would go. It was probably up about 20" and no noise. I double checked the engine drive pulleys and they were no closer to the fender than when the car was level.
chattering/clicking was there. I had the hood open, fans were not running and it actually seemed to come from the drivers side. It's so loud and the echos in the garage make it hard to tell. As soon as I lowered the car a bit, the noise stopped.
Make sure the crank pulley isn't hitting a shield or something else, maybe even the engine cradle, down there. It's hard to see in that area, so get a bright light. You can also pull the r/f wheel, and then any splash guards so you can see the pulley clearly. Don't stick your head under there unless you're using carefully positioned jack stands.
Does the noise sound like plastic, metal, something else? Heavy noise, or light? Also, do you feel/hear a heavy thud when accelerating quickly from a stop? How about in reverse?
pryed around where I could with engine running and no noise. I was unable to really get a good crank on the engine (which is a northstar) so I decide d to jack up the left side (drivers side) of the car as high as my floor ja ck would go. It was probably up about 20" and no noise. I double checked the engine drive pulleys and they were no closer to the fender than when th e car was level.
the chattering/clicking was there. I had the hood open, fans were not run ning and it actually seemed to come from the drivers side. It's so loud an d the echos in the garage make it hard to tell. As soon as I lowered the c ar a bit, the noise stopped.
I did check all the pulleys and they seem to have clearance. Plus the nois e is on the other side of the engine compartment. It's a metal on metal so unding noise but not a hard thud or anything. Kind of sounds like grinding gears in a manual transmission but has more bass than that. There are no thuds accelerating and no driveability issues at all. Reverse was fine too . Only time noise happens is in right turns.
Did you check the water pump and its pulleys? They're driven off the front cam (driver's side!) by a small belt and spring-loaded tensioner, all hidden under a curved cover.
Assuming this link works for you, skip down past the drawings, and check the photographs so you'll know what you're looking for........
SOLVED. Thank you all for your help. On Sat the car wouldn't start. Woul dn't crank at all, battery was good, power getting to the starter solenoid, etc. I wen to my FLAPS and got a generic starter. Put that starter in an d noise is gone. Upon inspecting old starter, it looks like there was a pr oblem with the solenoid as it would not hold the starter gear back (away fr om flywheel). I suspect turning right gave enough centrifugal force to all ow the starter gear to come in contact with the flywheel. That's the only resolution I can come up with but noise is gone, car runs great and that's one chapter of this vehicle closed and hopefully never to arise again.
crank at all, battery was good, power getting to the starter solenoid, etc. I wen to my FLAPS and got a generic starter. Put that starter in and noise is gone. Upon inspecting old starter, it looks like there was a problem with the solenoid as it would not hold the starter gear back (away from flywheel). I suspect turning right gave enough centrifugal force to allow the starter gear to come in contact with the flywheel. That's the only resolution I can come up with but noise is gone, car runs great and that's one chapter of this vehicle closed and hopefully never to arise again.
Thanks for the solution. Odd one indeed. Who'd a thunK?
crank at all, battery was good, power getting to the starter solenoid, etc. I wen to my FLAPS and got a generic starter. Put that starter in and noise is gone. Upon inspecting old starter, it looks like there was a problem with the solenoid as it would not hold the starter gear back (away from flywheel). I suspect turning right gave enough centrifugal force to allow the starter gear to come in contact with the flywheel. That's the only resolution I can come up with but noise is gone, car runs great and that's one chapter of this vehicle closed and hopefully never to arise again.
The link you included took me to a page about the water pumps on the car. Good lord, the thing has THREE water pumps !!! Two electric and one engine driven. Seems ridiculous but I'm sure they wouldn't be using three if they didn't need them.
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