Strange sound that i cant trace! Options

[enderswift]

hey everyone,

i got the celi on the road recently and ironed out my clutch issues thanks to the members on here. The car runs great and i couldn't be happier with it except for a strange sound every time i drive over a crack in the road. The best way i can describe it that its a light tssss sound everytime i go over a very light bump/dip/crack, almost like air escaping a tire (its not i checked). it seems like its coming from the drivers side since any friends driving shotty think im losing my mind. I checked EVERYTHING and nothing rattles. I even had my friends bounce on the door sill and checked if it was the shocks. I know im asking you guys to pin point a tricky problem with pretty vague info, but im hoping someone may have had the same issue and found a solution. My theory is that the spring mounts could use some anti-sieze or maybe the sway bar bushings are making noise..

any help is appreciated

[ZGear]

Maybe strut related? Making the hiss sound when it compresses and fully extends.

[enderswift]

i was thinking the same thing but thats not it. there is no sound when i rock the car to compress the springs

[ZGear]

Lol, reading owns me.

[RavenAegis45]

SO you only hear it when your driving and its only noticeable on the driver side so any passengers don't hear it? Hmmm and you say its only over bumps or cracks right? So you haven't heard any other time? it could be something in your suspension rubbing against something else. Not hitting it but my just loose enough its sliding on another component. Check all your suspension parts maybe tie rods bushings and see if any bushings are a little worn in the center thats pretty much all i can think off if its not your struts or tires?

[ComaDave]

I get a hissing sound from the front shocks when I go over speed bumps, is it anything like that? I'm at 232,000 miles with the stock suspension, and I've almost always noticed that noise, even after replacing the shocks. I don't get any sounds like that from the super strut suspension in car #2 though.

[enderswift]

200+k miles yikes. im barely into the 70's and i've ruled out my shocks with every test i could think of O.o

so i think i found out what it is. On usdm celicas, the crash bar has holes in it where the front bumper clips in. These clips arent needed and break easy when pulled out. Well, thats exactly what happened when i took my bumper off ( i was resealing the highbeam). anyway i never replaced those clips and apparently the bumper likes to smack against the crash bar making that strange sound. I still havent bought the replacement clips so i cant be certain that this is the source, fingers crossed.

if its not the bumper then im gonna start looking at the clutch linkages and such, maybe theres a loose bit that i've overlooked.

[enderswift]

I completely forgot about this thread. the issue has been solved. The sound turned out to be what i think is called hub centric ring. Its supposed to be pressed into the hub where the cv joint goes in. Mine got knocked out somehow and would rattle everytime i went over a small crack/bump. Apparently its not important so i removed and car has been quiet since... but now theres another noise