spring noise
 

I installed a set of lowering springs on my 2000 Civic Sir, and now when the passenger side front spring compresses there is a rubbing, friction-like noise. Under normal driving, you can't really hear anything too loud, but on sudden sharp bumps you can hear a sharp chirp like sound. When the car is parked and I compress the spring manually (push down on the car) I can just hear rubbing. Are the little rubber sleaves that come on stock springs necessary? Do springs take time to 'break-in" (stupid question, but thought I would ask)?

jack the car up and see if the spring is sitting on the right position
on the perch and the top hat .. if thats ok
check the bushing on where the shock bolts on the lower control arm
also cehck the 2 14mm nuts on the shock tower
and check the 14 at the top that holds the hat in place

The rubber sleeve you're talking about... is there a metal cylinder under that? If yes, that's the dust cover. I had a problem with those when I put the dust covers back on when I lowered my car. When my shock/spring would compress enough the metal in the dust cover would actually hit something in my shock assembly causing a squeak sound. Also, when I used my own body weight to push down on the car I would hear the squeak too. I could actually see scratch marks from this rubbing and the dust cover ended up being crushed like a battered pop can. I ended up taking the dust covers out and the sound went away. That is my experience... and maybe that can help you.

rubber seat in the top hat of your suspension. how was the condition of it when you installed the springs. if its worn out then you will hear the top of the spring scratching against the metal of the top hat.

Thanks for the help. It turns out it was the control arm rubbing against the spring it self. The car actually has a camber kit (news to me) and the upper control arm was quite a bit more narrow, hence the factory springs would fit through, but the lowering springs would not.