99exMD

Hi

I just bought my fourth honda and to be honest I can't be happier about it. After driving some other american and german cars... there's definetly nothing like a honda. By the way, I bought a 1999 accord ex coupe 4cyl.
As any used car it has a few problems that I'm trying to fix, but the main one that is bothering me is the following. I live in a city where the streets are not in very good condition (full of bumps and potholes). Sometimes when I drive over one I hear a noise coming from the front of the car.You can feel/hear the shock absorb the impact but the noise comes either very close to the impact or a little bit afterwards (kind of like a rebound). It is not metallic, is a little muffed and you can feel something hit on the passenger's side floorboard/firewall. At first I thought that it had something to do with the suspension but after 2 trips to different mechanics they told me that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the suspension. I'm lost with this and to be honest the noise is VERY anoying. Any ideas on what it might be????
Thanks

flyromeo3

maybe the muffler is loose. or the cat. Have you checked to see the hangers?

99exMD

Well yes and no. I saw that in the front it has two rubber hangers and one on the back but I have not been able to get comfortably underneath the car to move the muffler to see if it's hitting the car. Now let me ask you, if the muffler was loose, would it be making the noise so far on the front of the car (floor / firewall passenger side) instead of on the back?? I ask because my 98 gti vr6 had a busted hanger but the noise was on the middle/back of the car!!

flyromeo3

The cat sits i believe is below your shifter or slightly ahead of it.
Your description of the noise seems to be from that area.

I looked at my cat and noticed I have two hangers holding it on.
If one hanger is broken than it would bang around and make that noise.


omg...you have a vr6 too?.....So do I..

99exMD

Well thanks for the advice, I'll try to check that this weekend. I'm worried that it won't be that because while i was going up a speed bump a little bit side ways, when the right tire went up I would hear the noise on that side, then when the driver's side tire went up then I heard the noise on that side. Oh well, I'll check the cat and see if that is it.

BTW, yeah I have a 98 vr6 red on black leather, the only mods that I have is the neuspeed pflow kit, the garret chip and the A4 conversion headlights from hella!!!

thanks again for the advise. I'll let you know if it was the hangers.

99exMD

Well again I need more help!!!!

It turns out that it is not the cat nor the muffler, all of that is ok. Could it be a busted shock???

flyromeo3

Have you tried just pushing your car up and down and see if the noise appears again that way?

I know when a shock is busted it will start to make squeeking noises.

98CoupeV6

No, it's highly doubtful that it's a busted shock. I have a noise very similiar to this and it turns out that my right engine mount was broken, a tranny mount was broken, and (the apparent culprit of the noise) a tie rod end link was broken. Check those out.

My car makes a popping/clunking noise in the right front side, especially when it hits highway expansion joints.

99exMD

Yes I've tried pushing the car down and no noise, in fact when I drive the noise does not appear all the time the shocks seem to absorb the road very well.
Now I'm not a very mechanical guy, is there and easy way of cheking the engine and tranny mounts??

My noise is very similar to the one 98coupeV6 describes, mine sounds on the right side when I hit small bumps at regular speeds.
Which was the problem on your car (98coupeV6) the mounts or the tie rod end link??

Does any one have a picture of a tie rod end link or a good description of how its supposed to look if the tie rod end link is broken??