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Topic: Snap, Crackle, Pop... (Read 964 times) previous topic - next topic

Snap, Crackle, Pop...

New poster here.

My Cat is a '87 XR7 that I bought new and so far I have resisted the urges to dispose of this 150k jewel. Although she's no longer a daily driver, it's still a fairly solid car with only a few issues, some minor, some a bit more severe.

Usually my Haynes Manual gets me through the stuff I gotta' fix to keep her rolling, but the time has come to consult those that know these car intimately. Here's my issue.

Like Red_LX, I too have a noise I can't seem to isolate. Red, I was about to post this in your noise thread, but, my noise is a bit different, plus, I don't want to make my first post here a hijack.

My noise is a popping sound that resonates through the floor pan during braking, tight steering, and acceleration. I suppose it is at it's worst during braking. I can't replicate the sound when the car is static. I can manually bounce the car up and down, push it side to side, and pull and tug on the front wheels and I hear nothing. However, if I put the car in gear, inch it forward, then touch the brake, it pops.

To date I've replaced:

  Rotors, bearings, and calipers
  Engine Mounts (L/F was broken)
  Transmission Mount (This too was broken)
  New Bearings, clutches, and shims in the rear-end

Everything else has inspected, pried, shook, and, reinspected. The ball joints/control arms are tight, tie-rod ends are tight, sway bar bushings are good, u-joints fine, and the yoke was torqued to spec when the rear end was built.

The struts aren't new, but, they're not worn out. They are OEM replacements that have maybe 50k on the clock. I see no leaks, and I get no extra bounce when flex the suspension. The car drives great, but, the snap, crackle, pop has gotta' go.

At this point the struts are my strongest (only) suspect. Primarily, I'm thinking the upper strut mounts. They weren't replaced when the struts were, so they're as old as the car.

Anyone have a similar episode and a sure fire fix? Thanx, in advance for any input.

Snap, Crackle, Pop...

Reply #1 –
Check for cracks or broken welds around the front a/s bar mounts, frame rails, and shock towers.  You might need a couple of floor jacks to twist it a little bit, a friend to jostle the car, and hand held lighting.
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Snap, Crackle, Pop...

Reply #2 –
Is it in the front or back?
Does it do it at any speed?

And also Welcome Aboard
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***** Project "EVOLUTION" 1987 Cougar LS  & 1985 Cougar Convertible *****
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5.0 HO 306 roller block, machined GT-40P heads, Wiseco dished forged pistons, Eagle forged floating I-beam connecting rods, Lunati pushrods, ARP bolts, Scorpion aluminum 1.6 rockers, Comp Cams Magnum 266HR, Explorer intake, 65mm TB, MAF Conversion, 19# injectors, Ford Racing stainless P-headers, 2-1/2" cat-less exhaust w/ Flowtech Afterburner lers , SC AOD with 2800 BDR torque converter, 3.73 T-Lok rear, CHE rear control arms, full 2-1/2" frame w/1" jacking rails & seat supports, Rear disk brakes, Turbine wheels, All original interior w/ floor shift upgrade .......
Pretty much every panel on my 87 is new, rebuilt, or re constructed. :D
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Gotta' love old cars...

Reply #3 –
Quote from: daminc;216253
Is it in the front or back? Hard to determine. I'd bet front, but with a uni-body the entire floorboard sounds like its popping.
Does it do it at any speed? Yes, but seems more predominate going slow.

And also Welcome Aboard Thank you.


I'm going forward with the strut idea, and replace the struts and upper mounts. It won't hurt anything but my wallet, and that portion of the car will be "good to go" for a long time. Maybe I'll get lucky and that will cure it.

t3skidoo, I'll look again when I replace the struts, but at this point no structural damage has been found.

Now that this relic is semi-retired I can tear into it more than one would a daily driver. It's gonna' fun. :D