mtommer

Alright, so I recently became the owner of a '95 SC400. Lately, I've noticed a sound coming from the car after about 5-10 minutes of driving. I will get (it's hard to describe exactly) a bzzzztttt sound, often after making a turn but it doesn't only happen when turning. I can only describe the sound as being a piece of thin sheet metal vibrating against something and it can get louder or softer. It doesn't occur concurrently with accelerating or decelerating per se as even when I let off the gas pedal the sound continues for a bit and accelerating again can stop it, though not always. The sound also doesn't occur if I'm just idling (such as at a street light) or in neutral.

I do know that I will have to replace something in the steering as when I back up in a tight turn I often get a "thump". Reading through some threads already I'm guessing either new swing arms or bushings for that?

There's a lot to read in this forum so I'm hoping someone simply knows "Yup, it's probably..." and direct me to the likely candidate or a previous thread.

Thanks

Tabaka

iTrader: (8)

Doesn't sound too bad. I've been trying to diagnose the sounds coming from every angle in my car for three years. It's like I'm driving a fawking haunted house on a daily basis. Everyday I hear a new rattle, whine, scrape, clunk, whoosh, grrrrr, crack, bop, ajogijaogiahjgoihaegoianeboiean

Pretty sure my car is a decepticon ready to kill me.

Subjug4tor

iTrader: (1)

I'll bet it's an exhaust heat shield.

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

most common on the exhaust is where it comes down next to the transmission, there is a bracket that connects the exhaust to the trans (1 on sc300 passenger side, I would guess there are 2 on the sc400). over time this bracket snaps and the 2 halves touch eachother when driving usually right after accelerating or right after decelerating or turning. this happened to my automatic sc300 once and It drove me insane only saw it with the car up on the rack at the third mechanic place I took it to. trying to replicate the sound was also quite difficult when it came time to show the mechanic.

another source of funny noises can be the driveshaft doughnut (more of a continous noise and vibration) or trans or engine mounts. lower control arms are more of a clunk and are obvious when you go from drive to reverse or from reverse to drive especially when the front wheels aren't straight you get a nice solid clunk sound when the bushings are shot.

mtommer

Ali. thank you (and everyone else too). The heat shield as the culprit makes a lot of sense, especially now that I know it connects to the transmision. Now I just need to get under there and have a look.

Studiogeek

iTrader: (6)

i had it twice, First the heat shield, next a hose clamp that came loose rattling on an exhaust pipe.

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

heat shield is separate but on my old car it wasn't the heatshield it was the connector piece. I would get under there sometime (when its not very hot) and start tapping the exhaust pipes with something that won't cause damage and listen for whats loose or see if you can spot it. its most likely gonna be underneath the car.