iamit

Hey fellow Maxima addicts:

(98 SE Auto)
So today I was driving through a parking lot, when i begin to hear a weird noise. After first thinking that it wasn't my car... I quickly realized it was, as it was quite apparent from the forward section of the vehicle. This is what I know about it:
1. Metallic grinding, crunching, whining sound when I first pick up, that is: when I first engage the transmission.
2. At first it was only when I put it in drive, not at all in reverse, but just now, I noticed it there also.
3. The noise is apparent when picking up, but disappears when the accelerator is not applied. Also, I believe it either disappears or drowns out when the car catches speed, and will not reappear until I slow enough to have to pick back up.
4. Loudest and even more noticable when the wheels are turned away from straight forward.
5. There is an initial crunching sound even without the accelerator, when I shift into drive or reverse from neutral or park.
6. It does not seem to be the engine, as it is perfectly fine when the car is in park or neutral, and I rev up.
7. also, I don't think it's the brakes, as it happens when I do a little brake torque, just the same as when I shift without having the brake applied.
8. I recently added a FSTB, if that might have had a bearing on this!
9. Additionally, I had a 150 mile trip this morning in the car, where I did not notice this noise, but does not mean that it may not have been there, just not as loud.

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE HELP!
(I will take it to the dealership, but till I get an appointment, leave suggestions please!)

Daniel B. Martin

Thank you for the detailed report of symptoms. These unpleasant sounds may be coming from a damaged Constant Velocity joint.

The usual test for a bad CV joint is to go to a quiet parking lot and drive the car slowly (3 mph) in tight clockwise circles, and then tight counterclockwise circles. Do this in a forward gear, and also in reverse. A bad joint will usually make distinct rhythmic clicking or snapping sounds. Snap, snap, snap!

cooler2000

Same experience here and also it could be worn out engine mounts, bec when you have same symptoms at begining speeds it could make the same noises while you accelerate

iamit

Thank You both very much for the input! So I took the car in to Glendale Nissan (I dread the people there!!) and it turned out that it was the FSTB causing the noise, as the engine rubbed against it. Well, I should say that it did, but does not anymore. That is, I just played with it a bit, without removing it or anything but the sounds are now gone. I expect that they will come back, but has anybody else had this exeperience? I hope I won't have to remove the bar!, I love it! it is the Streetbeats bar on a 98 Max. Please leave suggestions.

bill99gxe

iTrader: (1)

this post a "sticky" for all to see on how to make a post if you are relatively new here. Great detail.

vmok

which stb are you using? i have lots of clearance in mine.

btw, the weakest link is normally the cv boots which are made of rubber or rubber like material. they'll have a tear or some crack in it over time or by some road hazard. this either let's all the grease that's packed in the cv boot come out, letting the cv joint run dry, or the grease will get contaminated. either way, the joint then wears very fast running without lube or with a contaminant. so every so often, like whenever you rotate a tire, or look under the car, you may want to take a look at the cv boots. the maxima should have 4, with the two inner near the shafts that come out of the transmission and the two outer near the wheels. if it is damaged and you catch it early, you can get a new boot and the joint cleaned and repacked relatively inexpensively (around $100). you'll normally want an alignment after a cv boot/joint service as well, as they normally need to unbolt the lower mounts for the front struts.

Daniel B. Martin

Perhaps. This depends on the procedure used.

You can remove the lower strut mounting bolts to move the steering knuckle far enough to detach the axle stub from the hub. This is the method illustrated in Haynes. If you do it this way, an alignment will be needed.

You can remove the ball joint tapered stud from the steering knuckle to achieve the same purpose. This is the method illustrated in the factory service manual. If you do it this way, no alignment will be needed. However, this technique requires the use of a special tool, a ball joint separator. The familiar inexpensive "pickle fork" tool will often tear the ball joint's protective rubber boot. The expensive separator uses a forcing screw to do the work, and it will not tear the boot.

Rone

Installed my FSTB about three weeks ago. Right it sounds like the CV joint is going. Dang, think I, somehow the FSTB has screwed up the CV joint. Or maybe it's one of those coincidences that makes life 'interesting'. Then, in near panic, I ask myself, "does the FSTB void the warranty?" Does anyone know????

Anyway, I'm probably over-reacting here, so, guys, help me calm down. The noise has EXACTLY the same symtoms as described in the 1st post. Only hear it when pulling away, goes away when the speed hits 5mph. Its a creaking/rough sound like a bad CV joint, is louder when the wheels are turned. I didn't notice the noise at first. When I first heard it thought it was this old Volvo that was beside me at a light, was heart broken when I realized that it was my Max.

The FSTB is a Courtesy, the Max is a '97 SE, 40k miles, the FSTB is the only mod. When installing the FSTB I had to cut off a bit of the right side bracket because it was rubbing on what I think is the heater return pipe. The FSTB didn't come with instructions, so I decided that the right thing to do was to tighten everything up (allen bolts, bar lock nuts) so it's nice and stiff (incredible handling difference!). The FSTB does rub on a couple of cables near the middle of the engine. I think that one of these is the throttle cable. I put some foam between those and the FSTB.

Advise please....

Daniel B. Martin

Take ten deep breaths. Take two aspirins with a full glass of water. Lie down for a while.

Removing the FSTB is fast and easy, so do it. If the sound vanishes, the FSTB was the cause. If not, you have narrowed the field of diagnostic inquiry. When you reinstall the FSTB use a torque wrench to properly tighten the fasteners.

gtr_rider

iTrader: (50)

try making a sticky, of common problems of maximas over time, you know like starter grind, rattles, and bose audio systems.

Rone

good advice on both counts. thanks! i was being a bit of a ninny. i've done some work on autos over the years, but always beaters, where risk was low. never messed with a more expensive and warrantied job like my SE.

anyway, i put some foam tape between, what is (according to other posts) the air conditioning return and the fstb bracket. no more noise, at least this morning. i had cut the bracket so there was clearance (about 1/8"), guess that wasn't enough.

vmok

that's a damn good point and idea. removing from the steering nuckle won't move any of the pieces that effect alignment. never thought of it! guess I never had 'the tool'

-V

iamit

Thanks again for all the input, and btw, what was it exactly that was mentioned about putting foam tape near the middle of the engine? (that's where the bar comes into contact with two other pipes) The noise, disappeared for about a week, returned yesterday. I guess I have to find a permanent solution like the foam... I guess my question is just how it would help to put even *more* between the engine and what it is hitting, couldn't that be bad since it is pushing against something then?

One more time :-),

Amit

Rone

Amit,

I had about an 1/8" clearance to begin with between the fstb bracket and the air conditioning return pipe (i think that's what the pipe is). The foam was a tight fit, and may need replacing at some point if it gets cut thru. The foam i used is pretty dense. I used the same foam tape in the middle of the engine and it's got some pressure on it as those cable like things were actually touching the bar. But so far so good, no noise and everything seems to be holding up.

Dave B

Ummm....you can simply push down and bend the return line hanger that sits right below the FSTB. That's what I did. I had a buzzing sound that happened at 3000 in 3rd and 4th. It turned out to be the return line rubbing the FSTB.


Dave

iamit

yup, my mechanic just bent the a/c tube as it was initially, but i'm still not sure if the two pipes in the center should get any added pressure with the tape. Thanks, as always!

Amit