My car is 99RS with 02 WRX swap. It's been swapped for about a year now.

I kept the original RS steering rack in the car. However out of the blue 2 days ago I started getting a intermittent creaking / grinding noise when I'm turning left. Going straight and right turns I hear nothing.

I have not changed any front suspension stuff since the swap. At first I thought it was my front swaybar cause the drivers side mount bolt was backed out 1/2 way for some reason. I put the bolt back in nice and tight but I'm still getting a noise specifically on left turns while going forward.

All steeing rack bolts on crossmember are tight.
Tie rod ends seem fine
Rubber boots are not leaking on steering rack
No power steeiring fluid has leaked
Power steering reservoir still at normal level
Power steering pump operating normally

Any ideas what it could be? I tried to troubleshoot as much as I could myself but now I don't know what else to do. My car still feels the same turning left it just makes that noise now. Let me know if you guys have any good ideas.

 

I'm not sure if I would call it creaking/grinding, but my '02 WRX made a squeaking type noise every time I made a left turn before. It started happening after my brake pads got stuck during an auto-x.

Found out it was the dust shield on my l/f brake rubbing on the rotor, but would only happen during left turns.

 

edit