Non-Celica tech question, Nissan Maxima grinding in the front... Options

[blu94gt]

Ok, have a question I'll put up here because so far the Nissan forum has been totally useless for tech info lol, and I'm completely baffled on it now.

My wife's 2000 Maxima SE has been making a grinding sound from the front right. Only happens every once in a while, can't really reproduce it on demand. Thought it was a dragging caliper from the sound, but it's fine. Checked the wheel bearing, there's no play, doesn't make different noise as the car turns or anything. Now I'm thinking more along the lines of a CV joint, but the boot looks fine other than seeping a little bit of grease out the clamped-closed end.

[GriffGirl]

^ I agree with this about the boot being fine but the internals being shot. A "little seeping" means that if something's getting out, something could be getting in. Could very well be that your CV joint is just starting to dry up and with the road debris that could be in there, could be causing this noise you're hearing. I *think* if it was a bearing, you'd hear a high pitched whirring sound and not the grinding noise you're hearing. I'm not positive about that though.