I took the steering wheel off a couple times to mess with the turn signal cam, and now, when I turn the wheel, I get popping sounds, almost like a high pitched metal-to-metal ping when it pops. It still turns both ways, but feels like something is sticking in there. I am afraid to drive it until it stops. Any suggestions? Worked fine last night when I was driving, this is new, just from swapping turn signal cams a couple times. The sound is not from the cam. You can feel it like it is binding somewhere in the steering column, the actual "axle" inside the steering column.
After taking things apart a bit, it seems like something is popping in the column shift sleeve. When the pop happens, the column shift sleep "jumps". I have a floor shifter installed, and I use pressure on the column shift sleeve from the hose clamp that holds my tachometer to keep the column in "Park" so the key will turn on and off, and lock the steering wheel. Is there a way to get into this and maybe take it off? I think something may have fallen down into that area and is jamming it.
Took as much apart as I can, and I am pretty sure it is the column shifter binding on my steering column. Now, when I rotate the shifter, it does the popping, but not so much as it did at first. Some small chunks of green plastic came out when I blew some air in there. I am guessing that something in there has broken off and has fallen down and is sticking between the actual steering column (the part that with the splines at the top) and the column shifter. I need to get that off and get whatever it is out. Any suggestions. (sorry for the back-to-back posts...I added on as I went out and messed with it and found more details).
turn the wheel all the way to the left and remove then put nut on and tighten with a socket so you can see whats poping
Did you take off both collars? There are 2 bolts that hold both collars on to the column. It sounds like one or both bolts is loose and maybe the flange nut from one fallen off and is causeing the problem. This will cause the shifter to grind.
I can't see what is in there, but I got the pop to go away. To do it, I had to take off the bracket the holds the metal "accordian" sleeve firm to the firewall, near the firewall gasket. As I loosened those 3 bolts, and used my other hand to turn the gear selector back and forth, the sound and poppping went away. I am guessing that a piece of crap fell in between the steering shaft and the sleeve around the shaft that is the shifter. When I loosened the pinch at the bottom, the crap fell out, or at least moved to a place where it does not bind my steering shaft. Can I leave the bracket off and safely drive? Remember, I am using a floor shifter, and the column shifter is just flopping around unless I cinch it or tape it, or somehow fix it and hold it in "park". The steering wheel and column feel like they are just as sturdy as before, ie. the sleeve I took off appears to hold the column shifter steady, and not the steering shaft. As long as that bracket is loosened or removed, it is smooth and silent again. Still haven't identified what is popping, but 3 small washers fell out (don't appear to be part of the car, but cheap washers I have used in other projects that may have fallen into the plastic cover between the column and dash panel), and some rounded edges of something plastic that is the same color as the plastic interior of the car. See picture, finger is in there to get an idea of the size of the particles.
Two ways to do this. 1 remove both collars from the column and see if you can look and see anything wrong. 2 remove the steering column than remove the shaft from the column and see whats going on. What ever happen is still in there and will cause problems later.
Are you referring to the two "sleeves" at the top of the column near the steering wheel? If so, how do I get them off, especially the shift mechanism. I would be willing to take it off and leave it off if I could.
This is where the grinding was occurring. It was the plastic spacer/bearing at the bottom of the steering shaft where the neutral safety switch was that melted, broke, and started to bind. Will I need to replace this plastic spacer before reinstalling, or will it flop around in there without it?
Nope, took it all out, cleaned it up, painted the visible parts with por-15, and put it all back together. Works fine. I was afraid the ring would act as a bearing or guide to hold the pieces in-line, but apparently it was just a mounting ring for the neutral safety switch.
If you undo the screw that cinches it at the steering box, then all the bolts under the dash, it will all come out as a unit (need to remove the steering wheel, turn signal, and all the wire-harness junk in there). The inner shaft (pictured) and the column shift and the outer accordian looking thing will all come out together. I took mine out one piece at at time, not knowing how far in I would have to go before I found the problem. Ended up going all the way in. Once you get all the stuff out, you should be able to pop off the snap ring and bearing at the top of the shaft, and slide it out the bottom. May as well take it all apart, as you are already almost there by then. If it is your second time, you can disassemble in about 45 mins. First time may take much longer, if you aren't familiar with the order that everything comes off. Take notes or pictures, as there are many, many little parts going to come off and out, and need to go back in in almost the same order.
I did for a while, but it got to be a GRIND, with some actual binding when steering...see picture of the steering shaft? It felt like it was going to gald together. Smooth as a baby's bottom, now. Think I will join you
