Hey guys,

I lowered my car a few months ago on the eibach springs, shortly after i started to get a slight popping/clicking sound while moving at low speeds on the driver side suspension area. Doing my research i came to the conclusion it was probably the CV joint. Anyway today i was just pushing her around to hear my AEM CAI and while redlining second and shifting to third i hear this nasty LOUD "pop". . . almost as if a baloon just popped. I was switchin lanes when this happened, any idea if it could be the CV boot? I did a quick look around the car and couldn't find any loose a-spec skirts coming off nor any major components hanging by a thread.

Thanks for the input ...

 

Probably wasn't the CV boot.
Could have possibly been a backfire; were you bouncing off the rev limiter?

 

No i shifted at 6200 well before the rev limited would have kicked in. In the past the check engine light blinked during the same scenario (reving high in second) but i was told to ignore it since it didn't leave a code (not a solid check engine light). Shoot! Backfiring is not good. . .:S Any suggestions on what to do next, also anyone else here a pop during a cylinder misfire?

 

Did it sound like a backfire? It could be something else.
Was it metallic? If you get the clickety-clickety when you turn sharply under throttle, one problem is the CV. I don't think a CV could cause a noise like a backfire, though.
Your suspension noise might be as simple as loose lug nuts.
Have Autozone (do you have those in Canada, eh?) see if it stored a code, even if it didn't keep the light lit.

 

Who installed the springs?

My guess is that a top nut holding the spring assy to the car is not tight and the shock/strut is bouncing around. The play is the popping you hear.

I could give you a better idea of what I think it loose if I had a picture/diagram of the front suspension of a TL.

Why don't you have someone double check the install.

 

I would also make sure that the spring is seated correctly on the shock and that everything is tight. If it was a CV joint you would hear the noise like a clicking or clacking mostly then turning, i doubt that is your problem. Just double check tightness of everything that was taken apart during your spring install.

 

This is the one topic that I fail see mentioned on our forum. I have the same issue.

I don't really think that it is just me. I think this problem happens to others with CAI's too.

It happens very infrequently. And when it does happen, the conditions must be just-right for it to occur. Since I had my CAI installed, the popping has occured about 6 or 8 times within the past year.

I don't really worry about it anyone. I just "brush it off" as being a harmless odd behaviour of the car with CAI. Hell, who knows ? The popping might even happen with the oem intake, but the oem intake just "muffles" the pop noise. Whereas, a CAI acts as a megaphone to amplifly the pop, where the pop is much louder to be heard as opposed to being muffled by the oem intake.

Another theory is that it only happens to newer TL's with Drive-By-Wire. Why ? Because the DBW momentarily closes the throttle during shifts, and then the computer quickly opens the throttle again after the shift has executed. This closing/opening quickly of the throttle might provoke a small backfire due to a momentarily lean condition. Quess what? a CAI might make this lean conitioner even more lean. Of all the pops that I have had with mine, it has ALWAYS occured during a shift with my foot deep into the throttle.

One other possible cause is that the pop sound is the throttle (butterfly valve) slamming closed while the trans shift during WOT. The TL is Drive By Wire. This means the computer operates the throttle opening. So during shifts, the computer closes the throttle. And, the CAI is acting as a megaphone to amplifly the sound (pop).

ok, so much for my ramblings.

 

Forgot to add more comments.

I think it is just coincidence that it occurs after lowing your car. My car is not lowered, and it happens to me. And, I KNOW that you and I are having the same pop.


"almost as if a baloon just popped" Yes, this is exactly how I would describe my pop sound too.

I was switchin lanes when this happened, EXACTLY same as me !!!! Of all the times that it has happened to me (about 6 to 8 times within the past year), it has ALWAYS been while I was switching lanes or going around a fast curve. In all of these times, I was punching the car to get around slower traffic. So, this means changing lanes with my "foot into it" which happened to coincide with a shift point.... pop.

I am a very mechanically inclined person. I know this is not any metal rattling against other pieces. My best quess is either the sound of the butterfly slamming closed or a lean-out condition causing a mild back-fire (I hope this never happens to anyone shooting NOX... boom with NOX).

 

Actually, i had the "clickity clack" sound of the CV joint, start to surface a couple days before the eibachs arrived at my house. It was then i decided worse come to worse i'll just have one of my mechanics rebuild the CV joint and load it with grease and then made the decision to lower the car!

This was the first time i heard the "popping" sound, its more subtle than the "clickity clack" Like a big boom, really shook me tell u the truth! I was worried i popped my tire!? Only realizing it could be a backfire when sandynmike mentioned it.

My cousin and i lowered it. He has a compressor with power tools and after the installation i had no sounds except for the usual chitter chatter from the CV.

Both my uncle and cousin have different versions of the OBD II whcih we checked for codes and there were none! My cousins suggestion was to bring it to the dealer since his OBD scanner could only read solid codes. Both dealers within my city told me that if there were no solid codes then nothing could be done(this being almost half a year ago). With the gas prices rising, i never ever pushed her hard until the last month or so. I really don't think the sound is coming from the springs, everythign was carefully tightened and the springs were seated properly. . .i'll check the top bolts under the hood again.

Thanks agian for the input. . . i'll let u know if i see a cylinder flying through the hood!

 

I mean piston*******

 

Take this to a pro, sound abnormal!

 

wow I thought the pop sound came out of my procats.. so apparently its from the AEM CAI?
It only happens when i step on the gas hard tho. Usually after a turn, or after a stop light.

 

I had this happen a few times as well. Check your intake where it connects to the throttle body and make sure the clamps are tight and not loose.

 

Yea i think your right, i tightened the clamps about 3 months now and haven't had the problem since! Same driving habits...and so far so good

 

i had this happen twice to me..on WOT switching first to second..both days it happened it was very humid out and the engine was barley warm..im not sure if that has anything to do with it but those were my scenerios..exactly as stated "sounded like a balloon popping" and mine is a 2005 - i dont think it was anything to do with the drive by wire since my 05 doesnt have that i dont think