The case of the squeaky seat--1977 Canadian Newport

[Pclancy]

You guys have helped me with many issues. First, a strange clunking noise that I thought was coming from the trunk or trunk hinges. Turned out to be a bad rear shock (I have since installed new KYB gas adjust shocks all the way around). Then, an intermittant starting issue, where the engine just cranked but only started sometimes--a problem that I originally wanted to change carbs to fix. It turned out to be a bad wire between the coil and the ignition.

Now the Newport has been running fine for at least a week, almost a record, and my mechanic has told me to lay off him for at least a month. But there's always stuff on the punch list. Can I ask your advice again?

My Newport has the standard seats--in this case, a brocade green fabric (with vinyl down the middle and a vinyl arm rest). The driver's side of the bench seat near (er) to the edge (and not in the middle or on the passenger side) squeaks when you go over bumps slowly. Sounds like a spring or springs squeaking. Not super loud, but loud enough that at least I hear it. You can make make it squeak just by moving your body up and down a bit on the seat as well, at a standstill with the engine off. But it's worse when you drive it, up to 30 mph or so, and go over bumps in the road. But no noise on the road going fast (er) unless the bump is really big. This squeaking becomes annoying. It's really the only noise in what otherwise is a really quiet cabin.

There's a screw on the plate behind the seat which was a bit loose--I tightened that. Still squeaks like before. The seat works properly otherwise.

Here's the vehicle, with many shots of the interior.

1977 Chrysler Newport Coupe

Any advice before I haul off to the auto upholstery repair shop?

Many thanks!

 

[1978 NYB]

Does the seat rock a little bit? The seats have studs that go through the floor and secure with nuts from under the car. Check and see if the nuts are tight, Look at the exhaust while you are under the car to make sure the exhaust isn't moving or rubbing (squeaking) against something.

 

[live4theking]

Does the seat rock a little bit? The seats have studs that go through the floor and secure with nuts from under the car. Check and see if the nuts are tight, Look at the exhaust while you are under the car to make sure the exhaust isn't moving or rubbing (squeaking) against something.

Oh, my yes. As crazy as this may sound that the noise is coming from outside you need to check outside of the car too. The weekend before Carlisle the NYer was running a little rough and I noticed a rattle that over the following days only got more pronounced. It sounded like it was coming from the dash. The bad part was it would only do it when you were stopped with the car in gear, park no noise. I crawled under the dash and was checking things and almost tore into the dash the Thursday before Carlisle. I had driven the car to work and when I got home parked in the driveway. After dinner when I went to put the car in the garage to tear the dash apart it made the noise in park. I jumped under the dash to try to find it and low and behold the noise was coming from the floor. I got out and looked under the car, the exhaust hanger right under the drivers seat had a loose nut, almost completely off. I tightened it and no more noise.

So, I encourage you to not limit your hunting to just the seat.

 

[Polara-Star]

Good advice to not limit your hunting to just the seat... Having said that, however, the seat is likely the culprit. Especially in a Newport. Look for water incursion under the doors... if the carpets are discolored, there's likely some uncomfortable disintegration going on. Tighten the bolts. But pay particular attention to the surrounding surface, it might just be a bit cheesy... tightening the bolts may only squeeze the nuts through the soft bits and loosen things even more...

 

[Pclancy]

Good advice to not limit your hunting to just the seat... Having said that, however, the seat is likely the culprit. Especially in a Newport. Look for water incursion under the doors... if the carpets are discolored, there's likely some uncomfortable disintegration going on. Tighten the bolts. But pay particular attention to the surrounding surface, it might just be a bit cheesy... tightening the bolts may only squeeze the nuts through the soft bits and loosen things even more...

Thanks for all the replies. Still working on it.

 

[Pclancy]

Thanks for all the replies. Still working on it.

Turned out the problem was that the seat itself had become a little loose. So my guys tightened the bolts to the floor and so far that seems to have licked the problem. Many thanks to all for the helpful guidance.

 

[1978 NYB]

Easy fix......glad you got it figured out.

 

[live4theking]

Way to go.