Banshee365

1996 LS w/ 210k miles. Just replaced steering rack due to a leak. Installed it per the book and bled the system by going back and forth a bunch of tiems with the wheel to bleed the fluid through. Now the car makes a clicking noise that can be heard and felt through the wheel while turning. It's very intermittent. It doesn't add any resisitance to the wheel. I've engaged/disengaged the steering wheel lock to no avail. It seems to be coming from the column. Any chance of a clock spring type thing in the LS column that can be clicking? I notice all the little things and it's driving me crazy. I'm almost the the point of just taking the entire column apart with the airbag out. Any ideas? Should be suspension related with recent LCA bushings, strut bar bushings, lower ball joints, and upper control arms.

Garage7RP

iTrader: (1)

Is it like just a soft clicking sound or a hard one like it is coming from the front end?

Banshee365

It's soft, definetly feels like it's in the column, not the front end. It sounds like the click some cars make while the blinker is on and your turning into the blinker and the ratchet clicks for the blinker disengagement. It's intermittent and doesn't occur all of the time. However, it mostly happens while going from a right turn to center. It will also happen while turning from center to turn. It's pretty aggrivating!

Garage7RP

iTrader: (1)

Ok. That is coming from the steering wheel. It is inside the steering wheel itself there is a "spring/coil" mechanism that says "6 turns" only. If you removed the steering wheel and attempted to put it back, you may have accidentally over-turned or under-turned that mechanism.

Banshee365

When I replaced the rack I did not remove the wheel. I disconnected the slipyoke from the rack, dropped it out and installed the new rack. Installed the slipyoke, centered the rack, removed the yoke again and centered the wheel where it was before then reinstalled the yoke. The wheel didn't end up one turn one way or another after install. Did I mess something up? I didn't do this before I don't think. Do I need to take the wheel off and take some stuff apart and reinstall it all again?

sam12345

iTrader: (1)

It may have moved on you without knowing it. Is your airbag light on? the coil in the steering wheel is what connects to the airbag if you ripped the wire inside I would think the airbag light should be on. Also make sure nothing is rubbing between the yolk to the rack

Banshee365

No airbag light or CEL. Horn and buttons work good on the wheel. Steering linkage is clear and the rack is OEM.

Garage7RP

iTrader: (1)

Disconnect the battery and wait for about 10~15 seconds and remove the steering wheel so you can check the coil/spring mechanism.

Vpanin

I believe that I have the same clicking sound in my 05. It clicks when the wheels hit a road imperfection on mine as well as turning the wheel......It is intermittent like yours............Have you found the solution?