JAMAS' noises o' the day‏

So first of all, I just got all of my fluids changed with synthetic. Holy crapoly, that makes a HUGE difference. When I let off the gas and coast, its smooth not mechanical. When I move from park to reverse,drive,etc,its like butter.

Which leads me to my noises of the day. When leaving the isuzu shop, there is a monster curb. Keeping in mind I have larger tires, I turn right out of the driveway and there was a wierd "pop" noise that I believe was my tire rubbing on the cladding. It happened when I was pitched down hard with the wheel turned to the right and after all tires except the back right where down I heard a quick "pop" and after freezing in fear, I put two and two together and figured it had to be the tire catching on the cladding and "popping" as it released itself. Never heard it before so it was a surprise. I drove 30 miles home and up into my driveway without any more popping noises.

Noise 2... The rattle that I thought was a heat shield where its stamped "TOD" I think is going to turn out to be the O2 sensor rattling. Anyone else have experience with that?

Noise 3... Still getting the normal driveline "lash" clunk when slowing to a stop. I think they re-greased the u-joints and yoke with lower grade grease than I used. I guess I will have to push theirs out with fresh stuff.

Noise 4... All the money leaving my wallet. Its kinda a squeaky sound.

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Originally Posted by JAMAS

Noise 2... The rattle that I thought was a heat shield where its stamped "TOD" I think is going to turn out to be the O2 sensor rattling. Anyone else have experience with that?

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Check the exhaust system from front to rear, there are several known rattle culprits in the form of heat shields.
My guess is an o2 sensor shield...:_wrench:

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Originally Posted by Ldub

Check the exhaust system from front to rear, there are several known rattle culprits in the form of heat shields.
My guess is an o2 sensor shield...:_wrench:

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Are you just talking about the large heat shield that goes over the whole O2 sensor area. (the O2 sensor that is close to the "TOD" stamp), or is there another smaller shield that is just covering the O2 sensor?

I was underneath the beast hitting further down the pipe and was able to hear the rattle so I know its coming from that area, but after holding everything, the only thing that seems to lessen the noise is if I hold the O2 sensor. It almost sounds like there is something dangling in the inside of the pipe and rattling.

I also have that stupid PV2 muffler so that probably adds to the vibration.

IIRC, there are two or three smaller shields within the scope of the exhaust system, & they're known to rust through the clamp & start rattling.

I guess I will just start removing them till the rattle goes away. Then start putting them back on.

Good idea???

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Originally Posted by JAMAS

When leaving the isuzu shop, there is a monster curb. Keeping in mind I have larger tires, I turn right out of the driveway and there was a wierd "pop" noise that I believe was my tire rubbing on the cladding. It happened when I was pitched down hard with the wheel turned to the right and after all tires except the back right where down I heard a quick "pop" and after freezing in fear, I put two and two together and figured it had to be the tire catching on the cladding and "popping" as it released itself. Never heard it before so it was a surprise. I drove 30 miles home and up into my driveway without any more popping noises.

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Has anyone else had cladding rub that sounded like that pop/clunk noise while going down a giant curb (or rock) at a weird angle or anything? Or does anyone think I should be worried about a "pop/clunk" noise that I heard while driving in that position?

Thanks!

Jamas, the "pop/clunk" sound that you are describing does sound like a cladding issue. When I had my larger tires installed I had some horrible noises until I could get it home and trim off a small triangular piece of the front cladding in front of the wheels. Have you always had the larger tires, or are they new? If they are new, have you trimmed the cladding any? Before the trim my cladding/tire noises would happen when the wheels where turned because that's when the tire contacts the point of the cladding in front of them.

One way to tell would be to let someone drive the VX (I know, I know...SIN!!) with you walking along side to see what might be rubbing.

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Originally Posted by MSHardeman

Jamas, the "pop/clunk" sound that you are describing does sound like a cladding issue. When I had my larger tires installed I had some horrible noises until I could get it home and trim off a small triangular piece of the front cladding in front of the wheels. Have you always had the larger tires, or are they new? If they are new, have you trimmed the cladding any? Before the trim my cladding/tire noises would happen when the wheels where turned because that's when the tire contacts the point of the cladding in front of them.

One way to tell would be to let someone drive the VX (I know, I know...SIN!!) with you walking along side to see what might be rubbing.

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I have had the tires since I purchased the VX about 2 months ago. After I readjusted the torsion bar so that the VX was correctly level again and not pointed towards outerspace, I dremelled the front inner corner of the cladding. Everything looked good for no rubbing from the front of the tire. However, I don't usually drive forward out of large curbed driveways. I usually back out. I think/hope that with my tire turned to the right, the outside edge of the tire was close to the inside edge of the back of the cladding (are you still with me?) and then with the added gravity and wierd angle the tire caught the cladding. And not the front cladding, but the rear cladding (of the front tire).

Holy crap. I think I just went cross eyed.

jamas- i think your estimation is correct on the popping noise...trim a little more off the cladding and your problems will be solved there ;)

also, with the rattling, check your exhaust touching near the rear axle, i know mine hits the rear axle sometime at idle and cruising speed

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Originally Posted by pbkid

jamas- i think your estimation is correct on the popping noise...trim a little more off the cladding and your problems will be solved there ;)

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Do many people trim the cladding on the rear of the wheel well? I am pretty sure that is where the contact was made. Although, I have been wrong before.

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Originally Posted by pbkid

also, with the rattling, check your exhaust touching near the rear axle, i know mine hits the rear axle sometime at idle and cruising speed

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I will check out the rear axle, but I swear its coming from the area of the "TOD" stamped heat shield. However, I will definitely check though because weirder things have been the cause of noises before.

I know some of the guys with bigger tires have "trimmed" the rear of the front wheel wells. I think maybe Zeus, tom4bren (although he bought it with "the offset from hell") and Ldub have done the trimming so hopefully they will chime in.

I say "trimming" because I believe that there was a BFH used to persuade some of the metal at the back of the wheel well.

Mine still hits at full lock. It doesn't hit the cladding though. Mine hits deep inside the wheel well. I'm due for tires soon so I'm sure I'll be performing some metalic deformation before that happens.

JAMAS - there should still be some pix in my gallery of the trim (mine are trimmed both fore & aft of the front wheels).

etlsport took a good pic of my Proton nose to nose with Cobrajet's. It shows the differences in finished product well. I'll see if I can find the pic & post the URL. http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/sh...user/2141/sl/e

or

http://www.pbase.com/tom4bren/080419_trip_to_shenandoah

Tom

BTW, if the tire hits the cladding, stop & look at the tire, it should have left a mark.

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Originally Posted by JAMAS

Do many people trim the cladding on the rear of the wheel well? I am pretty sure that is where the contact was made. Although, I have been wrong before.



I will check out the rear axle, but I swear its coming from the area of the "TOD" stamped heat shield. However, I will definitely check though because weirder things have been the cause of noises before.

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I get the tire tread rubbing the rivets and screw tabs that poke into the well when the tires are articulated big time.

The driver's side tire was rubbing in the wheel well on this shot...

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/3184/VX_4.jpg

It happens because I trimmed down the rear bumpstops. To mitigate this rub I'd have to extend the bumstops so the axle does not articulate into the wheel well so much.

Also if you have oversized tires and stock springs, you could be rubbing easily too. Go get 912's.:)