former5.0

1998 Accord, 4 cyl, auto, 90k. I'm hearing a clicking sound over bumps from the front end. One mechanic said that it's the front struts, altho there are no signs of leaking. Any opinions? Thanks.

ForceThis!

what mods are done? generally bad struts will make a low clunk, not really a click. If you have dropped the car on stock shocks, a bad one is not out of the question and they don't have to leak to be bad.

93CivicSI

Could be pillow mount cushions are going or gone allowing the noise from an impact to transmit through the chassis of the car...

Struts.. especially dropped OEM.

former5.0

Stock car, no mods. The noise is like there is something loose or rattling under the front of the car. Thanks for the replies.

1RDROSE

Do you hear the clicking sound during slow turns (like turning right or left from a stop sign)? If so, you might want to check your cv axles. Mine was making a crunching noise when going over small bumps and a ticking/clicking sound when turning right or left from a stop. New cv joints took care of it.

KatyHonda

I had a clunk on my 90 Accord that occurred on LH turns. It turned out to be the anti-sway bar bushings were completely worn out. This is an easy DIY also. I found it necessary to connect both sides of the sway bar before beginning to tighen either side. Other than that it's obvious how to do this job.

Clicking from CV jts is pretty hard to mistake. You usually get multiple clicks under load as you turn. CV boots usually split allowing loss of grease, and damae to ***** of CV joint, leading to clicking under load.

good luck

karpieldisco

It could also be a bad control arm. Mine was bad and made a click.. If you jack the car up then gently rock the tire.. Look at the upper arm.. if the joint rocks with the tire then it is bad..

Also could be a bearing or a cv joint. If you are in a parking lot roll down the windows and turn the wheel are the way to one side then back up in a circle, do again the other way.. If it is a cv joint you will hear it..

Good luck

slo_sohc

karpieldisco is right it could be any of those things... you should just disassemble it and check for loose or worn parts or leaking CV boots.

2+2=5

here some hints for you

1)tie rod-click or rubbing noise when you brake hard, or enter a low parking entrance

2)shock/strut-look for leaks, bent piston shaft. another sign is when your car just bounce and bounce forever after you go over a bump, sort of like you on a fishing boat.

3)cj axle- look for tear and wear in the boot, if the hole is big enough, your wheel and brake compartment should be pretty much covered with grease.
well, you can do a road test if you are not sure. find a empty parking lot, make some circle slowly(15mph), increase the speed slowly, about 35mph if your cv axle is bad it will start making noise. go test the other side after you are done. look for clicking noise.

4)sway bar bushing- like someguy said before, the two little bastard/bushing is getting squeeze and bang everytime you drive, look for cracks and gap in the bushing, they should be tightly fitted. however i don't think the noise is coming from this.

former5.0

Thanks for all the good suggestions. I'll be under the car this afternoon and perhaps can narrow down some of the possibilities. I remember on my last Dodge Caravan, that when it's struts started to go out that it made this funny little clicking sound almost like a piece of plastic was loose under the front bumper.

I hear the noise whenever I go over a little dip in the road--not especially on turns.

It's great tracking down all the little bumps and grinds of our cars, isn't it!?