big puddle = big problem

[nick -- lumina]

I was recently driving and drove through a puddle about 4 to 5 inches deep at about 30 mph . The car hydroplaned and smashed the front right rim into the curb. The rim looks ok, and I took the car to my mechanic. He changed the spindle and lower control arm. He moved the rim which just appears to have cosmetic damage to the back and that rim to the front. The engine/driveline makes a very discreet grinding/vibration around 1700 rpm up to about 2200 rpm and then diminishes while driving; while in neutral the vibration continues all the way up to the 4000 rpm mark. Also, the back rear suspension area makes a strange rattle/grinding noise now that never existed before. Any one have any ideas why the engine is making noise or what the mechanic did to the right rear area that its making noise now... Any advice/suggestions would be appreciated.

--- its a 96 chevy lumina ls with a 3.1L V6 alloy rims

[richtazz]

If you hit something hard enough to need a new control arm and spindle, the rim is probably shot too. The axle shaft, hub bearing and upper strut mounts also need to be checked. The grinding/vibration could be a coincidence. Since it does it in neutral too, I'd suspect a serpentine belt tensioner or other belt driven accessory.

[jeffcoslacker]

I think Rich is right, your sound in the motor is something belt driven that ate a bunch of dirty water under pressure...A/C compressor bearing or something...take the serp belt off and see if it's gone when you start the motor.

I've seen all kinds of different damage with hard curb checks like that...even just the shock can bend or break brackets and things that weren't directly related...

[jeffcoslacker]

You hear the sound in the rear where the impacted rim was moved to?