Hello Maxima.org -

Long Time. I am still driving my 98 i30 with cracked timing cover - leaks some oil but oh well. Seemingly no damage from milkshake incident.

I mention the leaks because the car has quite recently developed an insanely loud creaking/bumping/clunking noise from the front passenger side. I have yet to get in there and examine but it sounds like the strut is making loud noises whenever its compressed.

HOWEVER - the noise eventually goes entirely away. The noise usually goes away after a mile or two (on the way to work)...it then stays quiet through any number of Ignition Off/On cycles, but is always once again present on the way home after a full day @ work. As before, the noise always goes away after a time.

If the oil leaks had degraded a rubber mount or other suspension part I would expect the noise to be a constant...but that is not the case.

The car is currently running Monroe QuickStruts that were installed "not that long ago".

Any thoughts as to what is going on here?

TIA -

BrianA

 

Jack it up and give it a shake down. It could be anything in this case. I have both timing Covers if you need them...

 

I had that years ago with a front poly sway bar bushing. It would only make noise when I pulled in the driveway. The noise was transmitted from the sway bar to the body at the point where the bushing horseshoe was mounted. I replaced struts and other parts looking for the creak. I finally bought a Steelman (basic wired) chassis ear and found the creak was coming from the sway bar. It took two or three testing sessions to isolate the creak. I couldn't believe the sway bar would be the source. Especially since it had fairly new end links and bushings. Steelman chassis ears have gone up in price over the years. It would be good if an auto parts store could rent or loan the most basic model. I recently used it to find a suspension noise on one of my other vehicles. It turned out to be coming from the rear bumper. Creak and squeaks can come from some of the strangest places.