Why does this stuff happen when aircraft-engineer is across the country?

 

Anyway, Dragon's not happy. 97 Impreza L wagon, 2.2, 4EAT, about 178k on her. After coming up from AZ I noticed a weird tick-tick-tick in the front. I can kinda feel it under my left foot, but there's nothing loose. There's no grinding noise when I turn, no problem when I brake. It's come and gone, and I can't hear it with the window open - only when the window's closed and I'm on a quiet road.

 

At first I thought it was a CV. No sign of a tear (not as far as a quick peek can show, anyway). Then a stuck speedo cable. It only happened when the car was cold, and then slowly started doing it when it was warm. It wouldn't start until I was going over 20, disappeared about 45, but then I was aware of a tiny sound when I was going faster.

 

OK, not so bad, but I had a bad tire valve the other day and threw in the FWD fuse. The sound mostly disappeared. Once the tire was fixed and reinstalled, I took out the fuse and voila! Sound mostly gone, but it's still there at a very tiny volume.

 

Trans fluid dealer-flushed less than 8k ago. No other issues. Drives OK, changes gears OK, no warning lights or other stuff. Turning right or left, uphill or down, does not increase the sound or make it change. No vibration in the steering wheel. The only thing I've noticed is a drop in my mileage from 25 to about 21-22, even though I've bumped up my recommended 32-psi tires to 35. Running reg unleaded. Fuel filter, air filter, plugs less than 10k. Timing belt service less than 15k ago.

 

I did NOT have this sound appear until I came back to the higher humidity/colder weather of Washington. Just before I left AZ a dealer went over Dragon and didn't notice anything wrong with the driver's side CV boot, the brakes, or anything mechanical. I also had them install two transmission cooler lines because I had oil damage to both of them (Dragon's on-purchase oil leak, presumably).

 

Was going to try a new PCV/fuel filter/plug wires for the mileage problem, as well as that little round foam thingie on one of the hoses (whatever it is, it's in the center of top of the engine and looks like a small foam donut on a thin black hose - it looks tatty), but I don't think any of those are the cause of this annoying rattle.

 

Money's a little tight right now. I really don't want to go to a stealership to get diagnosed with absolutely no advance clue what might be wrong. Any idea what to look for/how to test Dragon so I can find a likely culprit? When my brother gets back we'll have maybe 8 days before he has to go on the road again, and it might be snowing for half of them.

 

TIA. Glad to see the board back up!

Edited December 11, 200817 yr by four-fleet-feet

is the odometer or hour meter "stuck"

I can't offer much help on the ticking, aside from looking for rocks in between the splash guard and the brack/rotor components. We have a long gravel drive and this happens to my wife's car regularly. It takes the form of all sorts of noises from a high pitched whining (like a wheel bearing) to a clicking to a scraping depending on composition of the rock and location

 

On the mileage, I seem to remember that you got this car pretty recently? Was it before last winter? If so, you may just be experiencing the normal drop in fuel economy due to "winter blend" gas. My OBW usually looses 3 mpg (from 30 to 27) and this winter dropped as low as 22mpg with an average of 25mpg. It's not back up to my normal winter mpg of 27.

 

Just something to consider before you go throwing plugs and wires at Dragon if the ones on their aren't that old.

 

Good Luck!

 

Will-

Edited December 11, 200817 yr by lostinthe202
fix my crap spelling and add some info

Got her last Dec. 24th. The plugs are from Jan or so, as were the tires, but aircraft-engineer 'didn't want to do' the wires. They're who knows how old. So I'm going to do them - after I pay the turnip blood for my insurance the last week of this month.

 

That insurance is why I really can't just go to Smart Service or Roopair or Pacific and just get it diagnosed and fixed. I just need an idea where to look; I can always drive aircraft-engineer's green Imp while he's gone! But he's going on a road trip during the holidays, and I'll be without a backup car if we can't track this down during the time he will be here (17th to the 24th).

 

Had a sound spike as I went across a double set of rough train tracks this AM. That's when the description for the sound hit me. It sounds EXACTLY like when kids used to stick a playing card in their bike spokes. It oscillates, and it's definitely somewhere in the driver's side front. Sound went down to less than a whisper within 100 yards. By the time I was climbing North Hill (another 50 feet) it was gone and we sailed up the hill. I just can't see anything wrong from up top (all fluids are good, nothing loose, all belts OK), and I can't do getting under Dragon, but nothing's hanging loose. Brakes were done just before I bought her, about Nov 07. Last tire rotation showed nothing amiss (Aug or first week of Sep 08).

 

She steers straight, and brakes straight. Climbs like a demon and doesn't wobble or lurch on descents. Curves are no problem, even in the rain. The odometer works just fine. So, other than scaring the wits out of myself by reading all the horror stories on here about sounds disappearing after putting in the FWD fuse (and looking in my wallet to find not even a moth right now), any other ideas where to look?

 

Dragon is leaking at a valve cover again; it MIGHT be driver's side (I can't remember what a-e said before he left). Could it have dripped on something enough to loosen it?

 

Oh - my neighbor thought it might be piston slap. Although it did start doing this when Dragon was stone cold in the morning, it only happens when she's moving. So no piston slap. However, her idle's a little rougher than it used to be, but nothing severe, no stalling. I only noted this when I drove my brother's car followed by driving mine for comparison.

Edited December 11, 200817 yr by four-fleet-feet
No piston slap and mentioned rougher idle.

Dust Cover?

 

Jack the Car up (properly)

 

REmove your front Left wheel and Start look it could be something Stupid, Youd know piston slap if you heard it. It obviously something rotational as the sound comes on and the speed can make it go away, not an Expert but just look closer.

and while you're at it, with front left wheel jacked up, and fwd fuse in, have it "drive" so you can see what it is doing

 

are your balls dry in the axle?