TWM, look through the wheel well and see if the upper spring seat has slipped out of the coils. That will cause the noise you're referring to.

When installing the new strut mount:

1) The upper rubber spring seat needs to sit just right on top of the coil spring with the end of the coil aligned with the stop partition in the spring seat.

2) The spacer block needs to line up with the bite marks on the upper spring seat.

3) The strut bearing needs to snap down tight onto the the spacer block; not just sit on it.

4) All of the above needs to remain where it'* at as you lower the mount plate onto the bearing.

5) And then all of that needs to remain exactly where it'* at as you slide the strut rod through the hole in the mount plate.

6) Now you put the washer over the strut rod and thread the nut onto the strut rod.

7) Here'* the trick: as you're backing off the spring compressor, you want to keep checking to make sure that the end of the coil rung is staying butted up against the seat partition.

One final note: Under any circumstances do not put any silicone grease on the rubber upper spring seat. It needs to stay dry so that it will grip the spacer block. Don't ask me how I know this.