Tapping noise - at low speed.. .HEELP

[vrrroommm]

Need some inputs... what to check... ran out of ideas already.

I have a 96 EK4. Bought new Tein SS sussy (noise was already there prior to this). Also installed all new engine mounts (energy+oem for the back). tires are new. CV boot is fine, no noise while turning.

Problem is:..
Driving slow (even as slow as 5km/h).. there's a tapping sound coming from the front.. can't tell which side coz from the driver side it seems like it's coming from the left, but from the passenger side, it's coming from the right... It follows any irregularities on the road, but not the suspension compressing/decompressing (i don't know how else to explain this). Like I said, this noise has been there since before the full suspension change to the Tein. I thot it could be the sussy, or the engine mounts. They were not the cause.
At driving speed, .. more than 40km/h.. there's no noise even though I'm going through the same road.
"Hanny's" checked the steering arm.. and replaced one side.. No change. Still knocking.
I checked the shortshifter, and the exhaust pipe. Didn't feel the knocking.. that's not it either.

Any ideas are appreciated. I'm that close to tearing apart the whole interior to see what else could be knocking at low speed. ...

One more thing.. I know the car is old.. but not THAT old. What has anyone done to stop the creaking noise when on a slope... like the metal is bending...

Heeelp...

[destrukshn]

wheel bearing?
contorl arm bushes?
re tight all the bolts.

[ekhybrid]

make sure u check your front sway bar links, they make a knocking/tapping noise wen the rubber deteriorates.

[vrrroommm]

Thanks for the input guys... but I've checked the sway arm bushing. They're good.
I've tightened all the bolts, and the mech. at Hanny's has also tightened any bolts on the steering arms.

I jjust observed a bit more closely again.. it will stop making the "knocking".. (not really tapping... a little bit lower frequency) at about 70km/h.

Anybody else have a similar problem, and found that it's the wheel bearing? How do I check that, apart from actually removing the CV boot, and inspecting?

Thanks again, guys.

[ekhybrid]

yeah the links can still knock even if the bolt is tight, because the bushings may be all cracked and stiff where the thread of the bolt comes through from the link. So u cant actually see the whole bushings unless u take the whole link off because the nuts will be covering it. lol

[vrrroommm]

hmmm... i'll take it off, and look at it again... But wouldn't it move when u shake it by hand?.. i.e knock against the top metal frame, if it's really loose?

[newmski]

is your wheels nuts on tight?

[vrrroommm]

it's definitely tight. I re-tightened it twice already... heheh... after adjusting the ride height of the sussy. Thanks.

[yourfather]

stones in your tyres?

[zco]

stones in your tyres?

thats what im thinking. something small and simple as that could be causing you frustration. check if you have a nail in the tyre or something..

[dettoz]

it could be the drivetrain as one of my mates had the same problem and it was the drivetrain... might want to take a look at that maybe??

[Limbo]

Take it back to hanny's and ask them to find it for you.

[vrrroommm]

Stone?... hmmm... how come there's no sound above 60km/h?..... I'll check.. but I'm pretty sure when i took the tyres off for the ride height adjustment, there's no sound of stones rolling around in it,... and no screws/nails on the tyres.

Drivetrain - what do you mean?... What's wrong with your drivetrain?.. Clutch spring(s) broken??

I was going to take it back to Hanny, but they're always very busy on the weekend, and the last time I took it there he can't really look at this... too many possibilities. I can't go there during weekdays coz I work in the northern beaches... too friggin far!! hehehe...

Again, thanks for the advices!!

[EuroDude]

I'll throw some ideas around ~

loose brake pads, knocking around in the caliper.
stone/rock loose in the side skirts or front bumper, or in a door, or in the spare wheel well.
a screw that fell down inside the chassis/floor/center console area.
coins/sunnies/objects in a compartment

I would jack up the front and turn the wheel manually to try and replicate the noise, maybe give the front wheels a good kick to simulate a road bump.

But it could be a mechanical problem, like a tappet thats too loose or out of alignment, or a foreign/broken metal object in the oil pan or gearbox. An oil and tranny change may help ...

[Twincam16]

Stone?... hmmm... how come there's no sound above 60km/h?..... I'll check.. but I'm pretty sure when i took the tyres off for the ride height adjustment, there's no sound of stones rolling around in it,... and no screws/nails on the tyres.

Drivetrain - what do you mean?... What's wrong with your drivetrain?.. Clutch spring(s) broken??

I was going to take it back to Hanny, but they're always very busy on the weekend, and the last time I took it there he can't really look at this... too many possibilities. I can't go there during weekdays coz I work in the northern beaches... too friggin far!! hehehe...

Again, thanks for the advices!!

Happened to me one night, happens near construction sites where you get the blue stone chips flying all over the place. Couldnt take it so pulled over in Marrickville, got my bro to slowly roll forward as i examined the wheel/tyre, and saw the stone lodged in there...

Biggest pain in the arse...

[vrrroommm]

I don't mean to be unappreciative by always disputing/"disregarding" what you guys have kindly suggested... but you'll know why it's bugging me when I seem to have tried everything all of you have mentioned, other than tear apart the whole car...
1. Just did a fit of the whole EK9 lip (front, rear, and side skirt)... no stones. Noise was there previous to that... and have taken the bumpers off. Strike one.
2. Did a major service at Hanny, i.e oil change, valve clearance adjustment, etc. (not this kind of noise... a little bit louder, and sounds like metal hitting a wooden object.. more like a thud than a tap..) Strike two!!
3. No screws, or coins in chassis area.. Strike three!!

... I'm screwed!! hehehe...

Buuut... I haven't tried jacking up the car and doing the sway bar inspection of the bushing, and kicking the tires, like what EuroDude suggested..

keep you posted..

thanks again guys...