popping noise

[Lowpros24]

Well I'm pretty sure my rack and pinion is starting to go.
when in park or not in motion, and i move my steering wheel
from side to side, i keep hearing a popping noise.
i havent gotten underneath yet, but looking through my rims
i can see that the rack and pinion boot is hitting
the frame, whitch i think is causing the popping noise
Im hoping its not anything to major, but it might still need to be replaced
more info when i get underneath and look.
BIG BUMMER!!!!

[xXManwhoreXx]

Is it popping or is it a painful grinding noise. Also do your RPM's drop at all cause I had these same issues and it was my power steering

[Ttop191]

could be strut mounts, if they are really bad they will pop why turning at stop/low speeds, do you hear a rattle going over bumps?

[Lowpros24]

could be strut mounts, if they are really bad they will pop why turning at stop/low speeds, do you hear a rattle going over bumps?

Its not my struts but i do need new ones, yes they rattle a little but its been doing that before i heard this popping noise. I'm going to be replacing the struts
with KYB gr2 gas struts with my eibach springs,
No theres no grinding, just the popping noise. I looked at the steering
gear boot and its torn by hitting the frame, thats were i think the popping is coming from. I noticed also when looking at the inner tie-rod, not only does it moce from side to side whitch its supposed to do when turning, but it also
goes back and forth a bit. but only hear popping noise when going over a curve slowly or in a stop position.

let me take a pic or two for you to see what i see

*edit* And no my RPM's idle just fine. sometimes when its really cold it goes up and down a little
till it warms up a little but thats normal.

[zzyzzx]

On older Escorts it's common to have the steering rack bushings go.

[Ttop191]

they rattle a little but its been doing that before i heard this popping noise.

classic sign of a strut mount

[Lowpros24]

Heres pics i took real quick through my rims, i was going back a forth with the steering

http://i53.tinypic.com/21d22ad.jpg
this is where its popping i think
http://i52.tinypic.com/2cehll.jpg

http://i52.tinypic.com/2w2lutv.jpg

[$hawn]

I would check the rack to frame bolts make sure their tight, I had a noise like what you're describing and turned out the bolts were loose, might even be why the boot is rubbing the frame.

[Lowpros24]

well, i got underneath last night finally to see what the problem is.
and its bad. very F'n bad!!!!!! The frame that the bolt goes into rusted right out
the bolt and clam are still intack but frame rusted out. so now i have to go buy a bottom fram for the car and replace that to fix the rack and pinon. look slike a fairly easy job, its only six bolts to replace the frame. but to get around it is gonna be the tough part. looks like i have myself a little project this winter. might be redueing the whole front end now i guess. i mean EVERYTHING

[03Sleepr]

how is there THAT much rust on your car??

[Malibu369258]

how is there THAT much rust on your car??

Look at his location.

That's one thing i check on a carfax, make sure the car hasn't been in the midwest or the east. :lol:

[Lowpros24]

yea the salt here in ny for the snow kills the frame work for the cars, my body on the other hand has no rust, . so whoever had the alero before i bought and modded it, was obvioulsy driven through the winters. and anytime i did i always when for a full wash with an undercar wash to get the remaining salt off,

but i do know, when i finally get this situated im picking up a
electronic rust preventor for my car. i had it for my 95 blazer and it worked like a champ. its to bad i forgot to take it off the blazer to put on my alero

[Lucalare]

You're safe buying North Dakota cars, we lay sand here not salt, cause most of the time it's too cold for salt to make a difference anyway.

[Christato71]

Hmmmm this is interesting. Sometimes when I stop hard or slow down hard while turning I also hear a popping noise. Could this be the same issue?

[Lowpros24]

Hmmmm this is interesting. Sometimes when I stop hard or slow down hard while turning I also hear a popping noise. Could this be the same issue?
well its possible, i dont hear the popping noise while in motion turning forward,
i only hear it when im not moving or also turning while backing up, cause
as im reversing it forcing the rack and pinion toward the rear of my car whitch it making it the frame.

your problem sounds like a ball joint, try lubing them

[Christato71]

I'm not sure where the ball joint is at lol

[Lowpros24]

I'm not sure where the ball joint is at lol

The ball joints are what the wheel pivots on. there is an upper ball joint right
by the strut and a lower ball joint connected to a steering knuckle thats connected to the outer tie rod. on the ball joints you should see two flat round rubber pieces. throw some grease in between them and work you steering wheel back and forth to work it in the ball joint. if that dosen't help then replace them