I need some help with an "off-topic" problem.

Our "grocery cart" is a '96 Olds Ciera with a 2.2 liter 4-banger, 157,000 miles. This summer I replaced the rotors, pads, and calipers. I have had plenty of occasions this winter to use the ABS with all the snow and ice. About a week ago, I noticed a noise when the brakes are applied lightly - a tock-a, tock-a, tock-a, tock-a rolling noise that is maybe twice the frequency of the wheel revolutions. At twenty miles an hour, you get about 4 "tock-a'*" per second. If you apply the brakes hard, there is no noise. At first, I thought the noise was coming from the LF wheel. I pulled the wheel and checked the rotor, pads, caliper, ABS sensor, caliper mounting bolts, backing plate, CV boots, and found nothing out of place or loose. There is no ABS, or Check Engine light. Other than the noise, the car stops normally; does not pull or grab.

It'* really hard to tell where the noise is coming from, sometimes it sounds like it might be coming from the booster on the firewall. And as you are nearly stopped, it sounds like: TOCK-ticka-ticka, as if on each "beat" something spring-loaded was striking first hard, then bouncing more lightly to a stop. The "lightness" and "bounciness" of the noise makes me think it is not a suspension joint or a drive axle, but it definitely speeds up and slows down with the rolling speed of the car.

This is pretty much driving me nuts. I'd be working on it now if it were not raining and if the engineless SLE wasn't occupying my sole driveway working spot.

Any ideas?

Well, when it'* wet outside, mine does that too. But eventually it goes away.

Makes same noise wet or dry, cold or warm. Hasn't gone away yet.

Wheel bearing?

Are the brakes lubed up? Could be a sticky cylinder... My brakes have some high pitched squeeling, you think napa pads and rotors would work well together. (They stop great, but make noise)

It sounds like it'* the CV joint wearing. Are they both original?

I've only owned the car for 6 thousand of its 157 thousand miles. The CV joint could be going, I guess. But it is such a light noise. Most CV noises I have heard are lower frequency, heavier snaps and clicks. And I don't remember the classic bum CV noise: clicks on accelerating while turning. Hmm, maybe I better go check that out

Yeah, the pins are lubed with silicone, and the calipers are factory rebuilt less than 6 months old. :?:

Well, procrastination pays! The noise just went away all by itself. I'm thinking now that it was maybe something in the ABS.