Annoying Squeak...Any Ideas?
 

Loping along at say 3200 rpm's in 2nd gear, for example...lift off the gas and as the weight transfer occurs there is a high pitch squeak coming from the back of the car somewhere (almost sounds like a whistle..but definately a squeak). It also occurs if I break while rolling along...again, weight transfer from back to front. Sometimes it will squeak on a hard right turn, when going up a driveway, etc. It'll even do it when I depress the clutch to downshift from, say 3rd to 2nd. I thought it was a sway bar bushing so I removed them, greased them and reinstalled...no difference.

Could it be my spring-plate bushings? They were replaced with Neatrix last summer when the suspension work was done. It was done by a reputable mechanic but I suppose it's possible that he didn't grease them. I cannot reproduce the squeak by bouncing the car up and down at standstill...definately seems to be related to weight transfer.

Open to ideas as it seems to be getting more noticeable.

My guess would be either the Neatrix or possibly the rear trailing arm bushings if they were replaced with poly.

The Neatrix shouldn't squeak (unless someone greased it). The go in dry or with glue.
-Chris

Make a point of removing the Targa top and recheck for noise. Clips that lack coating squeak all the time.

Else, check decklid hinge and other bits of this sort. Then get into the susp. stuff.

John

JDub,

You brought up an interesting idea for me. My Targa top is in very nice shape visually, but does squeak alot when the car bounces around driving. What type of coating are you refering to on the clips? Thx

I know you said you greased the sway bar bushings, but do you have an adjutable sway bar in the back? My 86 did this when I first got the car. The hiem joints were the culprit, and I solved it with some dry silicon spray. You might want to check the sway bar mounts real good as well, for that could be the cause.

Mike--
You might also check the PCV valve. Mine went recently and it sounded to me like I was getting feedback through my rear speakers. Hard to describe sound, though it more like a whistle than a 'squeak', but your description that it happens on a downshift makes me think it 'might' not be suspension related.

Just another possibility