Follow up...

Turns out (no pun intended) that the passenger's side end of the center drag link has a fair bit of play. The popping noise was the drag link end, popping up and down in the tie rod assembly.

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1991 300D 2.5 "Rocinante"
2002 Golf TDI "Teen Spirit"
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1984 300D
1966 Mustang I6 3sp
1985 Mazda RX-7 GSLSE
1982 Toyota Supra
1977 Datsun 280z
1971 Datsun 240z