This is driving me nuts. I have a rattle coming from the front passenger side of this car. I have checked everything, exhaust, shields, inner fender well, etc. I can not locate what it is. I can get it to make the noise when I press down on the fender, not as loud but I can get it to make noise. While driving it is sounds like the front end is going to come out underneath it.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

idler arm bushing? does it go away when you brake? check the brake pad rattle pins n' springs

 

might sound odd but look really closely at the headlight covers and where the hood latches...

 

if ur describing what i think u r, it's the front struts. the strut cartridges need replacing. the strut rod, as it moves up and down with suspension travel, is making a noise inside the cylinder. i guess one might describe it as a rattle.

 

I'll 2nd this, when my tokico blues blew out in the rear I could hear a rattling that for about a week just bugged the absolute hell out of me and it wasn't until when I was driving down the road that I actually reached back and grabbed the top of the shock that I felt it was what was rattling, pulled it out and you could compress it with 2 fingers.

 

Thanks for the replies. I am thinking it is the struts as well. I am going to replace them. Anything I need to know when doing this? What brand should I replace it with?

 

i'm with Mr.Miles on this. check the idler arm and inspect the bushing. its a very common failure as its close to the exhaust manifold and breaks down over time. the struts won't clunk if they're bad..unless they're bottoming out. a bad strut mount can cause a clunking sound. inspect the idler arm before replacing the struts. when you do struts, its almost always a must to replace the balljoints and the control arm bushings.. then since you are getting an alignment at that point, you might as well replace the inner and outer tie rod ends and do it right.

 

That sounds like alot of work to put into a vehicle that aside from a little issue here and there has not been typical of a car sitting since forever. I will look at it while I have it on the lift. I am hoping it will be a strut, but my neighbor seems to think it is the exhaust. I am getting bored chasing this issue.

I have had the car in some hard turns, both right and left and can not see any issues with it turning or binding or anything else. It seems pretty normal and is in fact fun to drive this way. Just like I can remember it in 1984

 

Not really. It's easy with the right tools available free to use at your local auto parts store.
But if you have no alignment problem while driving, and only noise, it doesn't sound needed. When you get it on a lift or even on ramps and have someone turn the wheel while you look for play from below you will see if something is loose/worn.

An upgrade to better struts and springs will not be regretted, even if it is not the problem. It will be a positive step toward the solution(IMO).

 

Well it is the idler arm, and I have purchased a new one. I need to replace it now. I took the carb off again and found that I am still get junk into the carb. The fuel filter is a mess so I have replaced it again and purchased several others. I am going to change filters several more times in hopes I will not get anything else in the carb.