"clicking noise" update (with pics)

[rice]

ok, if you guys remember, i made a thread a while ago with my wheels making a "clicking noise" when i slowly roll, it doesn't always happen when I make a turn, but if i slow down enough it will. This clicking only happens when I go slowly and goes away once i speed up. I looked at the cv boots on the outside and they look fine, but when I look at the boot on the inside, here is what i saw



this must be gear oil thats leaking here? (i have a manual trans)



as you can see here, the outside boot looks fine, the boot in the 1st pic is connected to this rod on the very top

so is this my inner cv joints that i have to fix?? what do you guys recommend?? help!

[Tercel GTS]

Does it click when going straight?

[billsif]

this might be stupid, but have you tried testing your front struts? i have a similar post on here "pop-corn noise" and narrowed it down to my struts. with the hood open (probably not necessary) i put my hands on the fender on each side and pushed down with all my weight. when i let go (or let the car come up slowly as i released pressure on the struts gradually) you could definitely hear the popping/clicking/snapping sound on the driver's side. still dont know if it's a strut or strut mount or how serious it is (can i keep driving?) but i could feel it inside the car and the road noise at high speeds seems to drown a lot of it out? worth a try if you havent ruled the struts out yet.

[Flashmn]

Thats not a CV boot, thats the steering rack boot.

[punter]

I can't see any problem with the cv's.

Can you feel the click at all or just hear it?

[rice]

Yes, it clicks when I go straight too, thats why i'm not sure if its the cv joints since people been telling me that it will click while TURNING if it's the cv joints, and mine will click ONLY when I slowly roll straight or slowly turn a corner, if i take the corner quickly or take off quite quickly it sometimes wont click at all.

The clicking returns when I slow down for a stop sign or a stop light, it seems as though its clicking with the turning of the wheels, errr...clicking with the wheels as they are rotating. Well, somethings leaking, on the first pic, you can see the boot on top is wet, the other boot on the other side is fine. It only clicks on this side. If its power steering fluid thats leaking, shouldn't it drain the reservoir? the power steering fluid reservoir looks full though.

On my first thread about this clicking noise, people told me it could be the inner cv joints, i checked the inner cv joints and they seem fine?? or should i check them again?

PUNTER, sometimes i think i can feel it while slowing down for a stop sign, i can feel when it makes the "click (1 second pause) click (1 second pause) click (1 second pause) click, etc" with my feet as I press down on the brake pedal to slow down.

I havn't tried the struts yet, i'll do that tomorrow morning

Keep the comments coming guys, i need your help!

[Gerson]

strut mounts maybe? or replace the damaged CV axle. My noise is the ring and pinion on my tranny, its a 94 4AFE w/ 5 speed. it makes clicking noise when go after a complete stop.

[Flashmn]

Really worn out CV joints click even when going straight.

[REN69]

I was just gonna say that too..

[rice]

**UPDATE**UPDATE**UPDATE**

well, jacked up the wheels today and rocked them around a bit, both the front wheels have very little play so i'm assuming my wheel bearings are still good

This is the passenger "clicking" side's cv boot, and it seems fine


Now, as I roll the passenger side I hear the same "click", I follow the sound and pin pointed to this thing

this must be my inner cv joints?? thats connected to the trans? Could it be what Gerson has stated, the ring and pinion on the tranny? how do i fix that? the clicking sounds like its right inside that thing, here's a further away shot of it

[Flashmn]

I seriously doubt is the ring and pinion, those are pretty strong. Might be the inner CV joint, it has needle bearings, if water or dirt got in and messed with the needle bearings, they'd be busted.

[rice]

^damn.........i checked that boot and it looked fine to me, not sure how dirt or water got inside, what else should i check? what do i do now???

[Flashmn]

pop off the ties from the boots, take the driveshafts out and inspect them. No use inspecting the outer CV joints, as you wont be able to remove them without breaking them.

[diver9000]

While you have it torn apart, you may as well change your tranny fluid too.