Hello Everyone and Thank you for all suggestions. The mystery continues.

Within the last 2 weeks, I have replaced the upper ball joints, sway bar end links, a brake job and a new intake manifold. Three mechanics and myself have examined and test driven the car without pinpointing the problem.

Here's my latest theory: the noise is not coming from the front end parts but from the steering column inside the engine compartment. It's a kind of "crunch wrapped in wool" sound. When the car's driven over humps, the noise occurs and as I do this test, I keep a hand under the dash and can feel a conduction of noise-force, to coin a phrase, coming through the brake pedal. When stopped and I tap on the gas, I can feel that same dull-clunk-crunch energy through the gas pedal. I had the brake guy double check his work. No problem with the brakes.

The noise started/first observed when I picked up the car after it's new intake manifold was installed, 2 weeks ago. Accessing this part to replace it is difficult. I have this theory that the mechanic either leaned on or stepped on the steering column universal joint that's close to the firewall inside the engine compartment and the guy's weight loosened, even possible broke, something in the steering column. Anyone ever heard of this?

All standard front end inspection tests/tricks to duplicate this problem noise haven't worked.


When the car's in "park" and I turn off the engine, I can hear the dull-crunch-clunk for as few seconds as the engine dies.

When I brake while driving for the first time, I hear the noise. When I immediately test brake again, I don't hear it. I'll drive for a few minutes and test brake and feel it. Something's obviously loose.

It's a loud noise. People hear it. One person described it as: "An old wooden ship creaking." Hmmm....kind of like that.

All suggestions gratefully accepted.

 

Mystery sounds can be anything. Suspension, brakes, something that is on its way out. You almost need a mechanic to check it out to get a good diagnosis... Can you get the sound on a video? Maybe that would shed more light for us here.

 

Could have bent the lower or intermediate steering shaft just enough to cause binding that POPs...Just a thought...