mysterious popping sound

[wescook]

Greetings all,

I was hoping to get some advice on a sound my Spyder is making. I have already been to a Toyota center twice and the can't find anything (I don't think they tried very hard). When driving over rough terrain (bad pavement etc) I get a popping sound from the rear passenger side of the car. Sometimes this noise occurs again the next time I'm letting the clutch out in 1st. Those sound like something popping back into place. Has anybody experienced anything like this? This car recently had a major 30k checkup and came back with no issues. it only has 36K miles! Thanks in advance for any light that can be shed on this.

Wes Cook

[supunna_picta]

Does the car have stock or modified suspension? Does it sound like it is related to transmission issues, or a result of moving (rattles and pops over bumps)? Also, does it occur only on start up, or even after the car has been running for awhile?

[lbridges]

Originally Posted by supunna_picta

Does the car have stock or modified suspension? Does it sound like it is related to transmission issues, or a result of moving (rattles and pops over bumps)? Also, does it occur only on start up, or even after the car has been running for awhile?

+1.

A better description of the car & problem are needed to help narrow down things to look into.

For example, I recently had a very similar problem. But without knowing I had added rear lower member braces AND had undergone a recent tranny swap, I doubt anyone would have suggested checking the torque on the rear member brace bolts. And that's what my problem fix turned out to be.

So, describe anything else you can think of to help - include any non-stock parts, and if other work has recently been done on the car.

[crmantx]

I know this is an old thread, but I have same issue. I just bought used 2003 5sp. Same popping sound over rough terrain, no matter what gear/speed. Sounds like something rolling or tipping back/forth hitting something in the storage compartment. Mine happens on both sides, seems to be almost random. I suspected the folding tray but stuffed rags all around to hold it in place, no change. I removed the jack bag, no change. I now suspect the pivots for the seat belt guides. Haven't stabilized those yet to test. Or perhaps the seat belt pre-tensioners or locking mechanism. Car is 100% stock to my knowledge, only 19K miles.

[ivyboy]

You may also want to check the heat shields over the exhaust manifold header and the muffler.. they seem to be a common source of mysterious noises in the engine compartment.

[crmantx]

Interestingly enough, I had my first occasion to drop the top for a recent tint job and to transport a large cabinet door in the passenger seat. Noise disappeared when I dropped the top. Noise stayed away when I put the top up until I put a couple of items in the cargo tray behind the seats where the top is stowed. Once I removed the items and with the top still up, the noise returned. I'm guessing it is definitely related to the cargo tray in some way. Maybe the weight of the items stretched the cords that support the tray enough to let it start bouncing off of something below it once the items were removed?

[Alake2244]

Ive had the same problem, in my case it was the ball joints.

[crmantx]

Ball Joints in the rear of the car?

[Alake2244]

Originally Posted by crmantx

Ball Joints in the rear of the car?

Yep the rear ball joints were shot, the passenger side was the worst it made a real nasty popping sound when going over bumps.

[crmantx]

Your picture shows a Gen II car. Mine is Gen III. Are they the same? How to test for loose ball joints?

[Alake2244]

They should be pretty close, the ball joint connects the lower suspension arm to the wheel hub.

to test, basically just jack the car up and grab the top and bottom of wheel and try to move it, if it moves and kinda makes a popping sound they are bad.