Just when I had gotten used to the creaks and groans and rattles of the first two cars (still haven't figured them out, just gotten used to them), along comes Sammy with her own unique cacophony to wonder about.:p

She has one sound that really has me puzzled. During acceleration and deceleration I can hear this soft 'pop'. It doesn't always do it, and at first I thought it was coming from somewhere other than the car, but it followed me everywhere :p (I have no sense of where sound is coming from ). It sounds like... well it sounds like knee cartilage.:p She's not limping though.:p
Hubby heard it too, thinks it's coming from the floor, or the front. It's not very loud, but it is quite frequent. The steering is quite sloppy, could it be related to that?

Any suggestions? Besides taking her for xrays?

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Natalie

"During acceleration and deceleration"

Nearly dead giveaway...guide rods (strut rods...whatever they're called).

I'm not saying this is 100% certain, but that sort of description sets off big red guide-rod flags

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Chris
1985 300SD - 'Grace' (198K mi.)
2018 Honda Civic Sport
2018 Honda CRV LX
2010 Honda Fit Sport (RIP)
2013 Honda Accord Sport (Sold)
1996 Lexus LS400 (Retired)
1995 Ford Contour SE (Retired)
1976 Porsche 914 (Sold)
1972 Datsun 240Z (RIP)

...ck42 is right- Guide Rods!

I am betting WITH these guys...

Okay, just to be sure I understand what you mean.... are you talking about item 10 in this pic? Track rod?

Thanks, btw!

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Natalie

I can not tell by that picture... but it is the round rod which goes from the back of the tire lower area , attaching below the coil spring, and to the lower arm carrying your spindle... and goes back to under the firewall area and has a large... like four inch bushing.. this rod is almost in the same line with the longitutinal axis of the car.. ( fore-aft )...
In the old days it was called the Track Rod... but younger people often call it a " control arm ' these days...

Item 10 looks like a tie rod. The guide rod goes from the lower control arm to a rubber bushing (guide rod mount) almost directly behind it. If you're into antiques of hot rods, think of the wishbone in a Model T.

The far end of the guide rod is held by the bushing by the upper left corner of the left arrow in the picture. Find the bushing and follow the rod forward.

I'd clarify the recommendation to mean that you need new guide rod mounts since the guide rods themselves don't wear as quickly. But maybe that's California thinking.

Sixto
95 S420
91 300SE
87 300SDL
83 300SD

Look at item #20. That's the actual mount itself which is attached to the frame/body. The rod (#21) can be reused and does come apart from the mount itself.

Chris
'85 300SD

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Spells it out in black and white (and yellow!).

Thanks guys!

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Natalie