Tranny Mount?

I was wondering if it is possible for a transmission mount on a 2001 Bu Ls 3.1 to squeak like the sound of dry sway bar bushings? I have this sound on the front left of my car, and cannot figure out what it is. I have replaced the struts (all 4) lower control arm bushings, and sway bar links, but this sound still is there. The weird part of it is, I can park the car in my driveway, and bounce on it, and it will not make the sound. I am so stumped. Any ideas at all? Thanks..

I had a mount making noise but it was only when in gear with high idle before the engine warmed up to temperature. I found this front mount with the car on 4 jack stands. I had my wife put it in gear and rev. the engine slightly. Watch both front and rear mounts with a light as this is done. The rear mount is hard to change if you have to do it I can tell you how I did it.
The instrument panel screws came loose and made noise above the speedometer. I had a couple of bad idler bearings. The power steering pump made a lot of noise and really bounced the tension adjuster. Water pump bearings make noise. Take the belt off and run it for a short period of time if the noise goes away start checking for a bad bearing. Watch the exhaust joint at the manifold they go bad sometimes if a mount is bad. My wifes car seems to be falling apart at 79,000 miles.

rhandwor (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/member.php?u=475028)
Thanks for the reply. I forgot to mention that this sounds is on the drivers side only, and sounds exactly like a bumping or squeaking in the suspension. This morning, I unhooked the sway bar and tied it off to eliminate it and sure enough it is not the sway bar. I was 100% sure before I started on this project, that the sway bar was what was causing the sound. I was just thinking the tranny mount may be sagging enough to creak and make a slight bumping noise. It,'s not a loud thud or squeak, but since I invested this much time and money, I wanted my car brand new quiet. It has 97,000 miles on it and has been a good car. I only drive on the street, and never on dirt roads. However Arkansas streets are far from smooth. It just sounds like a dry rubber bushing moving around. I know the ball joints are good, I have checked them twice. Like I said, it sounds like a dry bushing. The thing that throws me is I can't make it do it sitting in my driveway. It has to be rolling and on slight bumps. Also it does not make that noise once speed reaches 40 or higher. That tells me whatever it is gets in a bind and stops. It does make the noise with brakes applied so it is not a loose caliper or pads. That's a different sound anyhow. I am frustrated because I am so close to a totally quiet car. Thanks again and if you or anyone else comes up with an idea please chime in ! Thanks again,,

It sounds like it probably is your inner CV joint. You eliminated a lot of other things and you say it only does it while the car is rolling, so it probably isn't an tie rod or ball joint. It makes since that it would be the inner-joint. I say inner joint because usually a bad outer joint makes a clicking noise on turns. A lot of times CV joints start acting up around 100k miles. I can't say for sure it's the CV joint but that's what I'd suspect.

As far as the powertrain mount, it would probably make noise when you shift out of Park or when you make abrupt throttle changes. You might want to inspect the mount and maybe get some rubber lubricant to spray on it.

Also, when you replaced the struts did you replace the upper mounts and get it tightened down good? I ask because Malibus had break prone strut mounts. My front ones and rear ones were busted. That makes a rattling sound over small bumps though.

Thanks for the reply again. I did inspect the strut mounts and they looked good as well as the rubber spring seats. You may be on something with the CV joint. I was looking at them this morning while I had the tires off. Should they have any slack in them length wise? I could pull back and forth on mine and actually get a little play out of them. It wasn't much but they did move and made a clunking sound. I did this check with the car jacked up and the wheels hanging and not supported under the control arms. With 97k on my cv's I figure they could be going bad. They don't click while turning as you described for the outters. When I replaced the struts, I hit the top nut with an impact to make sure they were really good and tight. I should have sprayed the tranny mount with lube while I was there. I did take a pry bar and pick up on the engine and got no clunk or squeak at all. What about a steering arm? Could it be worn and bouncing around on a 2001? I looked for it from under the hood and I never actually seen it to grab hold of to shake? I just got back home from a 5 mile drive on the hiway, and at 35 to 40 mph the noise it totally gone. Weird... thanks again for helping me. I'll definitely put cv joint checks on my list of checks. Is there a simple way to check them? Thanks again,,

I always found a CV joint by going to a Cul-de-sac going both directions around the circle. They will make a racket on the bad side. I always purchased a rebuilt axle. This company sells new no exchange.
Check with a company like this.
http://www.cvaxles.com/frame.htm Get a price from your supplier first.

So you didn't replace the strut mounts? I'm not sure they would make the noise you are describing because they usually make a rattling noise but I guess it's possible for them to make a squeaking noise.

I don't know for sure it's the CV joints but I think the inner-CV joints can make the noise you're describing. Although usually its the outer Cv-joints that go bad and they make a clicking sound when turning. Inner tie rods can also make a squeaking sound too. That should've show up when you bounced the car by hand but not necessarily. I think the CV-joints will normally move some if you yank on them.

Does the noise get worse or just stays the same when you are turning? You inspected the Cv boots and inner tie rod boots right?

Hey guys,
Thanks for showing interest in my problem and giving me suggestions. No, I didn't replace the strut mounts but did inspect them pretty close since I have read here that they do break, or crack. Mine looked good and I especially checked the drivers side sine this is where the noise was coming from before I replaced the struts also. I swear it sounds exactly like a sway bar that is dry in the rubber and loose enough to rattle around. However as stated before, we undid the sway bar links this morning and tied it off so eliminate it from the picture. The noise was still there so I pretty much determined it wasn't the sway bar. I keep going back to thinking maybe the spring rubber were just bad enough to cause the noise but then I remember that I can't replicate the sound while the car is sitting still. I even had my daughter sit inside the car while I really bounced on it hard. NOTHING ! LOL I did notice today, that sometimes it makes the sound of dry bushings, but then sometimes it sounds like something loose or worn and it turns more into a distinctive rattle sound like something slightly hitting the frame. most of the time it's the dry creaking sound though. I also swerved the car back and forth hard today on a smooth road, and it never made the noise at all so I figure again that it is not a sway bar or strut. I also climbed a very steep hill today thinking maybe if it is a motor mount or cv joint that the car would be in a hard pulling bind and not make the noise. Well, I was wrong because it did rattle or creak while in a hard bind. This hill was very very steep, I might add. In another post, I wrote here, I stated that when I replaced the lower control arm bushings, I noticed the vertical one had thread marks in the bore and it fit sloppy on my bolt, so yesterday, I welded the bolt up slightly and ground it down until it was a very snug fit with no slop to rattle. I really wish I had a better way to describe the sound to you guys. I mean I feel really stupid on this one because I have worked on cars and bikes all my life and have only on 3 or 4 rare occasions ever had one in the shop for repairs. I guess what blows mymind the most is that the sound disappears around 40 MPH. I guess that's why I think maybe the CV joint idea may be true. My thinking is that once it gets up to 40 mph then there is enough centrifigul force on it to prevent it from being able to rattle or move???? My car needed struts, for peformance and handling, but everything else I have replaced was to prevent this noise and I feel like I am supporting my local car parts store on a which hunt ! LOL Before I blow money for a tranny mount or cv joint, I figure I'd best get as many ideas as possible from you guys. I really do appreciate your help. I feel like giving up, but anyone who knows me knows I will never let this beat me no matter what. I guess to prove them right, I have had the car on jacks ever evening after work trouble shooting it. LOL Thanks again, and keep posting and asking me questions.

Did you ever find out what was causing the noise? I have a similar problem with my '94 Century with the 3.1 and I can't seem to figure out what the noise is as well.

Nathan

Yes,,, I finally got mine fixed. The strut tower bearings were what caused it. I changed them along with the struts and the car drives and sounds like a new one again. However, just a few weeks after fixing it, I got hit by a deer in the passengers side and now my quiet car looks like crap! LOL Go figure! Hope this helps!