Sven With A EA

Hi there,
I have an 89 Ea Fairmont and resently the front suspention is getting squeaky when you drive (i can hear it in the cabbin).

I just wanted to know how to get rid of this and what it could be like dusty rubbers.

thanks

SiX_iN_a_RoW

if you can hear it in the cabin its most likely the upper shock absorber bushes.
Could be a few things causing it
The top bolts may need tightening
the Bushes could be old/deteriorating/worn etc etc
or they could just be one of those things that squeak because they feel like it!

first I'd recommend tightening the top shock absorber bolts ( if thats where the noise is coming from of course )

if that doesnt help, try hosing gently through the hole on the strut tower ( careful not to wet engine and accessories etc ) as this may help get rid of some of the dirt.
If that doesnt help get some silicone based lube or a good grease ( make sure you can use it on rubber )
and see if you can smear it over the bushes....

if THAT doesnt work, swear a little, kick the tyre and start pulling it apart and replace the bushes!

Hope this helps

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Black Steelies ( too cheap to buy proper mags )

donuts2001

Nooo... don't do all that just yet.

First step.. check your engine mounts. Get under the car and see if they still look hunky dory.

I had squeekies, and I was really really sure it was one of the suspension bushes... so off I went replacing them all. First I did the swaybar ones... nope, didn't fix it. Then I did the lower suspension arm bushes... nope, didn't fix it. Then I got the upper bushes replaced... nope, didn't fix it. Got a lower ball joint done at the same time which was dodgy... nope, didn't fix it.

After these were all done, I decided to "rock" the suspension a bit to see where the noise was. So what i did was I parked it on fairly level ground, had the handbrake off and the car in park... and rocked the wheel back and forth. *Squeek Squeek Squeek* came the noises, and it was clearly in the engine bay. Still can't see the engine mount because there is a big intake manifold in the way(MPFI) so i figure the cross member must have come loose or something... because how rocking a wheel backwards and forwards when it's a engine mount is stuffed was beyond me.

Anyways it came time for changing my 3 speed Auto to the new 4 speed. I jack the car up and have a look. The engine mount had basically turned to powder and the engine was now rubbing against the metal engine mount part.

Sometimes it's the last thing you expect that turns out to be the answer. I dont mind having spent time and money doing the bushes on my car, cos they were stuffed anyway and I have asmooth ride now :-D

TopGhia

Donuts,
What make,model,year is your car. Just so one of us might have one and we can check for this.

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SiX_iN_a_RoW

The first thing you should ever do is locate wher eit is coming from......that kinda goes without saying

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Lowered EF Futura
Black Steelies ( too cheap to buy proper mags )

donuts2001

I've got an EA Falcon MPFI. The engine mount under the intake manifold on the MPFI can only be checked from underneith as it's impossibly to see it from the top.

Xmfordfalcon it's pretty hard to check where a squeek is comign from when it's suspension related. Even getting someone to drive it backwards and forwards slowly while you have your head near the suspension doesn't help because the engine noise still makes it hard to locate. I couldn't get it to make the noise by bouncing the car up and down... as the sound only came when accelerating quickly and strangly enough... when stopped releasing the brakes(bit of k-frame twist maybe?).

If you get the noise when accelerating... and when your stationary and release the brakes and when going over some bumps, then chances are it's the engine mount.

SiX_iN_a_RoW

agreed - I thought you were saying that I told him to do all of what I said without at least attempting to locate the exact problem first.

You will find that jacking the front of the car up and forcefully wiggling certain components of the suspension will SOMETIMES reveal where the noise is coming from...
if you can heard it in the cabin when the windsows are up, driving along over bumps I'd say its the upper shock bushes squeaking against the body.
Does it sound like its coming from just under the front guard near the front edge of the door ( were the rear view mirror is located )
If so I can almost guarantee it is the shock bushes....I just fixed that squeak on my EA.....

Anyway let us knowhow you go

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Lowered EF Futura
Black Steelies ( too cheap to buy proper mags )