Hi all, I've been doing a lot of searching but I'll just save some running around and get specific. I have a 2000 or '01 protege with a popping noise that gets faster as I accelerate then suddenly stops. It sounds like its coming from the front driver's side. The thing is it only happens when I am driving straight which steers me away from a CV joint. I've read that a bad wheel bearing will make more of a humming or grinding sound. Also, when I brake and come to a stop I hear(and feel) a louder POP that feels like something giving or shifting somewhere around the wheel. Caliper maybe? What do you fellas think?

Many thanks
Wes

 

Check your ball joints and tie-rod ends, jack up the car and stick a long bar under your tire and lift, if it moves and makes clunking your ball joints are shot, next grab the tires sides and wiggle left right left right, if it clunks then its a tie-rod or possible bearing. A bad tire is also a possibility but a remote one I think, could even be a bad shock/strut as well.

 

X2 fwiw. It might be a strut also?

 

Thanks for the replies. I conveniently had to plug the same tire where the popping comes from so I wiggled it and it seemed fine. I didn't want to pry up on it however because I was using the original jack on gravel and didn't think it would be a good idea. I did however put it in neutral and turn the tire just to see if it would pop and no dice. I'm guessing it either has to have weight on it or actually being turned by the motor.

 

That's a puzzle. But I like puzzles.
I am thinking it could be that the caliper sticks enough to create the popping and once the pads have been pushed back the sound disappears.

Are wheels balanced? Unbalanced wheels can cause some strange things. Rotate the wheels and if nothing changes you eliminated the wheels as a potential cause.

When you apply the brakes the momentum of the car is putting forces on the struts and the lower ball joint. Considering the age of the car I guess the struts are done. Check the ball joint as MazdaTirol suggested.

The sway bar links tend to go quickly. And that could be the key: when you go straight they are not loaded. When you steer the sway bar gets loaded and the popping stops. Let is roll straight on an unpaved road or on grass and you will probably hear that popping pretty good. The soft ground will muffle every other sound.

I bet it's the sway bar links.

Tan

 

Thanks tan for the reply. I forgot to mention I had a broken sway bar link a while back and replaced both of them hoping to fix the issue. Now I'm pretty sure the shock/struts are in need of replacement, but I wouldn't think tha would cause the pop perfectly in time with tire rotation. Now if it IS the caliper, what is the prognosis? Replace it?

Thanks
Wes

Oh and I will rotate the tires jus to be sure.

 

"but I wouldn't think that would cause the pop perfectly in time with tire rotation"
You are thinking correctly. Let's see what rotating the tires will do. While you have the wheels off push and yank on the caliper. They should move in and out on the sliders with little effort. But they should have no play in the same plane as the tire rotates.
I am slow and deliberate when it comes to replacing things. On my '98 Protege I cleaned the sliders and the rubber parts. I sanded the rust off where the pads move relative to the caliper and I replaced the stainless steel anti rattle shims. I put hi temp grease on all the moving parts and replaced the pads, springs and rotors.
Use a long screwdriver or piece of wood between the studs and rotate the hub with the wheel off. Just look at everything and feel out if there is something happening every 360 degrees.

good luck!

 

I have to periodically tighten the upper strut nuts on my tribute. I think it's because of crappy roads here in Tulsa. I've only seen calipers "lock up".

 

Based solely on your OP, I wonder, have you checked the brakes?
It sounds like it may be that the pads a shifting around within the caliper. You may have a situation where the caliper hardware needs to be replaced. Tension springs and pad shims do go bad, as do retaining pins.
If this is the case, it should be a cheap and easy fix.

 

the brakes are almost new. so i put the car on jack stands today and put it in drive and let the hubs spin. it didn't make so much of a popping sound as just an awful racket. i made a video, is there any way to post that here? or can i link to youtube? don't wanna break any rules.

thanks
wes