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2G GST - LOUD Popping / Plastic Cracking Noise Under Hard Accel/Decel

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Drop Top Road Trip

Proven Member
230
59
Oct 13, 2015
St. Louis, Missouri
Hi guys.

Not a real problem (thus far), but more of a heavy concern. About a week ago, while braking hard, I hit some maybe inch deep by 4 inch across divots in the pavement. When I did, while turning slightly to the left, I heard a loud CRACK - like a thick piece of stiff plastic breaking from the left front wheel area. Car felt fine and I was a couple blocks from home so I puttered home and checked around that wheel, but found nothing.

Last night, while gunning it onto the highway on modestly broken pavement (2nd gear - car WAS scrambling for traction), same sound...this time first from the left, them about a half second later the right. It was so loud that I thought I had maybe un-beaded my tires and "popped" them. Nope, and again I could find no apparent issues and the car drives perfectly.

Anybody ever had this issue before? What do you think?
 
The only plastic piece around the wheel well that it might be is the splash shield. I tend to scrape mine when going over bumps. Or maybe the bumper hit the ground, but neither would affect the way it drives. I would get the front up in the air, take tire off and look at all the suspension parts just be safe.
 
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I do have the plastic "mud flaps" behind the front tires and I thought maybe there was some sort of contact with those, but I doubt it...especially since they are still intact. Tension / Compression bushings maybe? The traction isn't an issue. The "scrambling" was simply due to my aggressive acceleration on crappy pavement and is what I believe caused the sound.
 
Take the front tires off and inspect the suspension. grab the axles and try to shake them, look for a tear in the CV boot.

could be a wheel bearing going bad if its a intermittent cracking sound.

When's the last time the lower control arms were inspected?
 
I do have the plastic "mud flaps" behind the front tires and I thought maybe there was some sort of contact with those, but I doubt it...especially since they are still intact. Tension / Compression bushings maybe? The traction isn't an issue. The "scrambling" was simply due to my aggressive acceleration on crappy pavement and is what I believe caused the sound.
I wasn't talking about the mud flaps, I was talking about plastic cover that protects your harmonic balancer and the other pulleys/belts from debris, it bolts up to the frame of the car in between the tire and the engine. But either way, I would still do what the post above me said.
 
Just from you description I'd suspect ball joints without further diagnosis. Time to jack the front end up and start checking suspension components like mentioned. CV's can technically cause that, tie rod ends, occasionally wheel bearing but you'll generally notice them howling and poor driveabilty long before they make that kind of sound. I'd be weary though, you don't want a ball joint failing while driving along...
 
I had the front wheels off the car just a few days ago (anybody notice my fancy "new" rims?!) and didn't see anything untoward...but then, I wasn't looking for anything either. Guess it's going back up on jackstands this weekend.
 
Quick update: I decided to do a lil experiment. I drove the same on ramp to the highway this evening as I did last evening and accelerated the same way at the same place...and heard the same noise. But this time I was anticipating and expecting it...so I could more easily identify it and where it might be coming from. Now I'm thinking it might be the exhaust banging against the floor pan. I haven't gotten under the car to see if this is even possible...but it definitely sounded more like something banging against the floor.
 
I Think I've solved the mystery. I noticed my front motor mount looked like crap, so I bought a new one. The original was completely in two pieces. After installing the new one I haven't heard the noise again.
 
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