"Popping" noises going over bumps
 

My BRZ goes over bumps and I occasionally hear a "popping" sound coming from the engine bay, it sounds like some suspension or frame component. I think it's the engine braces just behind the intake manifold but I've checked the bolts and they're secure on there, and I have no idea where it's coming from.

It's gotta be something in the suspension because it only happens if I go over a bump, or a small pot hole or similar, all other times there's nothing, no groaning or anything.

Anybody have had this issue?

-RyanG

Are you on stock suspension?

No, H&R sport lowering springs.

Lowering springs will sometimes cause a popping or creeking noise to be present in rough / bumpy road conditions. Sometimes this is because of the "Bump guard" and sometimes this is because the suspension is physically that much stiffer than stock. There are other reasons too, but even when installed correctly they can rattle, pop, and creek

I'd also suggest you check the 3 bolts/nuts on your struts where they connect to the body, inside the engine bay. When you changed out your springs and re-installed your struts, did you Loctite the 3 nuts that secure the top of the strut in the engine bay.


When your car is sitting still the strut will appear fine but hit a bump and literally your strut will be popping/slamming into the strut tower mount/body.


This may or may not be the problem.


But if the nuts are loose, secure them with blue Loctite.


Another side note I believe the nuts that secure the strut to the body/tower should be only tightened to around 20ft/lbs. I happen to know for a fact thatif you decide to tighten them a little tighter to say 30ft/lbs, you will shearer the bolt on the top plate of your strut.


I hope this helps.

bad engine mount? or maybe check all the bushings in the suspension.

that's weird, ive never heard of a complain of a "popping" noise with suspension (springs or adjustable coilovers). usually its some sort of clunking or creaking

I actually have this identical problem. I to have lowering springs. I realized the clunk this weekend on a long road trip. I am looking into it tonight. I will post my findings in this thread tonight.

I haven't always had this popping noise either, it only started about a week ago, and I've had the springs on for nearly a year, and the last time I did anything to the engine bay I repainted the strut braces and I put them back in, I looked at them and tried "jerking" them to see if they were loose when the popping started but wouldn't budge. Also I put them in many weeks before this popping started.

-RyanG

neither of these reasons are even remotely responsible for audible popping noises.

Our problems are sounding more and more eerily similar. I too installed springs almost a year ago.

Remove strut bars and try going over bumps to see if it makes the same noise. Maybe check your endlinks to see if there is any play/corrosion and retighten as necessary

Stock sway bars?

If not stock, then pull the front bar and lube the bushings.

Stock tophats?

I haven't changed anything to the suspension other than the lowering springs. Everything else is stock. Perhaps where the shocks attach to the engine bay frame is broken?

-RyanG