I just finished my b20 swap.... motor run pretty good so far, but my car makes a loud ass grinding sound (sounds like metal on metal but not loud pitch'd or anything) when I turn HARD left or HARD right. Basically if I turn the wheel all the way to the right or left when I'm moving, the car will grind like that. It doesn't make the sound when I'm not moving though. At first I thought it was my 16" rims rubbing the fenders... I'm not entirely sure it's NOT that, but it sounds more like metal grinding or something....

Anyone got any clues?

My manual steering rack seems to make a loud CLUNK noise when I was manually pushing it left and right to put the axles back in... The driver axle seem'd pretty new to me (new car) and the passenger side axle I just redid the inner CV boot with grease and all (didn't check or open the outer boot though).

 

Grinding or roaring noises when turning could be wheel bearings. When you were doing the engine swap, did you at any point roll the car forward or backward without the axles torqued into the front wheel spindles? If you did, you more than likely damaged the front wheel bearings. Check all 4 wheel bearings, that could be where the grinding sound is coming from.

The clunk in the steering rack could be tie rod ends or a bad ball joint. Ball joints can clunk when they get old and loose.

You can't judge an axle by its look. Could look clean and shiney but be totally junked. Axles will make a clickitty clickitty sound when turning if they're going bad, but it won't sound like grinding, like you described.

 

roll the car forward or backward? Hmm... the car was on jack stands... Can't really roll the car... But how do I check wheel bearings? ANd how do you check those other two? I have a helms, maybe I can find it in there...

 

Don't worry about rolling the car without youra axles in, it won't affect anything. Could be the power steering pump. Jack it up, start the engine, and crank the wheels lock to lock. Any noise?

 

Low tire pressure: Check and adjust tire pressures.

The wheels are out of alignment: Have the wheels aligned.

The power steering box or rack or power steering pump is bad: Repair or replace steering gear or pump as required.

The fluid level in the power steering reservoir is low: Fill fluid to proper level.

The power steering drive belt is damaged or broken: Replace power steering drive belt.

The steering gear needs to be lubricated or repaired: Lubricate or replace steering gear parts as required.

 

UPDATE:

The car actually makes that sound when turning slightly too. It's like a rubbing/sanding/grinding sound. It also makes a high pitched sound sorta like the rotor dust pan is touching it (but I checked, and it's not) when turning LEFT... But NO knocking sound like bad cv boots or anything... BOTH sounds sound like it's coming from the LEFT/DRIVER side axle/rotor/suspension.

Not sure if this means anything, but I did check the wheel bearings like almost everyone suggested. Both wheels do seem to have a slight play when I rock the rotor back and forth (when the car is jacked). Not much though, but both do it.

I found out the left front suspension does something pretty weird. I dont' know if the left one does it but when I turn the front right rotor with my hands from right to left (Imitating steering RIGHT), it SHAKES the motor. IS this normal? I don't have an A/C mount yet but that just seemed weird to me. I have a crappy movie clip of it. Check it out...

http://home.socal.rr.com/tr0ll/motor/axle.wmv

Also, I'm not sure if I put the axle in all the way. The last time I did a swap on my integra, I never really paid attention how close the gaps are suppose to be. Here are a few pix of the driver axle. Anyone see any problems?

http://home.socal.rr.com/tr0ll/motor/inter.jpg
http://home.socal.rr.com/tr0ll/motor/axle1.jpg
http://home.socal.rr.com/tr0ll/motor/axle2.jpg