2003 1.8 Auto FWD Chirping noise(not belt related?)

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jsto69
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Joined: Sat Apr 08, 2017 10:24 am

2003 1.8 Auto FWD Chirping noise(not belt related?)

Post by jsto69 »

So I've got an 03 Auto, 225k miles. The old girl suddenly makes a chirping noise while shifting to reverse back to drive occasionally, as well as during driving through gears. I've replicated the noise when the car was parked and was being shaken, but also haven't been able to recreate it while doing the same. A much more knowledgeable friend of mine suggested it could be a gear box issue considering it makes the noise while driving. I've seen several posts about the tensioner being an issue in this model but I don't think it's what im experiencing, but im not ruling it out either. I'm quite sure it's not a belt as it's not a constant noise or a whirring noise.


Any thoughts here? I do have a bad cat in the old gal that's starting to get real loud so I shift into neutral while stopped quite often, which would make me lean toward a gearbox or some sort of other transmission issue.
zbyers
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Re: 2003 1.8 Auto FWD Chirping noise(not belt related?)

Post by zbyers »

very well could be the belt or a pulley. have you popped the hood and visually watched the belt/pulleys?
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jsto69
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Joined: Sat Apr 08, 2017 10:24 am

Re: 2003 1.8 Auto FWD Chirping noise(not belt related?)

Post by jsto69 »

I have popped the hood and watched the pulleys and belts during parked idle and neutral idle and haven't seen anything egregious, anything specific I should look for? It certainly doesn't make the chirping noise I'm referring to.
jsto69
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Re: 2003 1.8 Auto FWD Chirping noise(not belt related?)

Post by jsto69 »

I believe I noted in the OP, but I can replicate the chirping noise by shaking the car in park sometimes. Today in fact, after putting it in park and just getting out of the car it made the same noise. This lead me to believe it could be some sort of structural issue like struts or something of that nature, but the aforementioned more knowledgeable friend said it looked like everything was fine as far as the chasis goes. I just think it's strange that the noise can be heard when shifting, while driving occasionally, and while in park and the car shaking, doesn't seem like a pully or belt would be able to make a noise when the car is parked and turned off.
SeattleJeremy
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Re: 2003 1.8 Auto FWD Chirping noise(not belt related?)

Post by SeattleJeremy »

With the engine turned off can you replicate the issue by rocking the car?
When was the last time the struts where changed? When you changed the struts did you also change the strut bearings (the part that connects the struts to the fender). Chirping noise is normally associated with a baffle failing, like the stuff that's in a strut.

Less likely, but it could also be an engine or transmission mount that, when broken, will allow the engine/transmission to move around too much and make banging noises.
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jsto69
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Re: 2003 1.8 Auto FWD Chirping noise(not belt related?)

Post by jsto69 »

Yes, I can replicate the sound when the car is off. Yesterday I just put the car in park, turned it off, and the act of me getting out of the car replicated the noise. I've never changed the struts and doubt they were ever changed. How would i be able to identify if it's a strut issue? Like what should I look for when inspecting that would possibly create the noise? I ask because I assume that it could simply be one strut, or all 4, or some number in between. Can you easily identify if a bearing is bad?

Thanks a lot for your response, the more and more I think about it I do think it's strut related.
SeattleJeremy
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Re: 2003 1.8 Auto FWD Chirping noise(not belt related?)

Post by SeattleJeremy »

When you do this please be careful not to dent the fender or scratch the paint with a ring. Stand next to one of the front wheels. Place your hands over the seam between the hood and fender. Push the car down and let it recoil a few times, then let go and watch. Then do the other side, and the rear.
*If the car goes up and then down more than once it's time to replace the struts.
*If the car is making the noise when the car moving it's time to replace the strut bearing plate.

Struts and strut bearings must be replaced together and in pairs (both fronts or both rears), but it's advisable to replace all four at one time. The car will need an alignment after doing this work.

It's fastest, and easiest, to replace the strut assembly as a unit from a name brand company like Monroe, KYB, or ACDelco. Strictly speaking you don't need to replace the spring, but buying the parts individually and the extra labor to disassemble/reassemble isn't really worth the hassle.

I recommend shopping around for the parts. I purchase all my parts from Rockauto.com . They are generally less expensive (even when factoring shipping) than the national brand auto-parts chains, and way less expensive than the mechanics (which buy their parts from the national chains and tack on 50%).

Side note: There are a bunch of bearings in a car. I'm specifically talking about the bearing plate at the top of the strut. If you go in to a mechanic and say you need new struts and bearings, they might think wheel bearing, which are totally separate.
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