Help Diag. The "CLUNK". I Was Thinking MM, But Not Sure. NEW SYMPTOM!....

[SHO_ROLLER_2]

Some of you know I have a "clunk" sound coming from the front of my car. It usually only did it in reverse, but it seems to do it froward gears too.

If I start out slow, I won't hear anything. Now, if I start to roll into the gas in 2nd, there's a "clunk" sound coming from the passanger side of the engine bay. I know the rear MM is right there, but why would it make the noise in forward gears? I tested the front mount and it seems to be fine. The rear lifts up about an inch and a half.

I'm just wondering what else I should look at if it turns out to NOT be the MM.




THANKS!

 

[TYSHO]

Uh, oh... sounds like an axle ready to give and leave you stranded. Been there, done that.

 

[hawkeye18]

Also check the strut rod where it goes through the subframe. The subframe there likes to crack, fall out, and make horrific clunk noises. You'll never see it if you aren't looking close for it. But yeah, it could certainly be a CV axle.

 

[frosho]

If the rear lifts up 1.5", you need an engine mount. That's way too much play.

 

[SHO_ROLLER_2]

Uh, oh... sounds like an axle ready to give and leave you stranded. Been there, done that.

I've never had a CV axle make this sound. It sounds like something is falling on the subframe or something. That's what made me look at the MM. But, I'll look at the axles too.

What should I look for? The boots aren't ripped or anything......

 

[TYSHO]

Yeah, mine sounded like that, too. My boots were perfect and everything. The part that went bad was inside the boot on the hub side of the axle, not the transmission. On the hub side, you have a ball cage with six balls holding the axle in place, within the race. When they wear, they start clunking from the slack until the point it just spins around like a ball bearing and leaves you stranded.

You can probably go under the car, grab the axle with two gloved hands, and check for the amount of play in the axle.


I can also tell you, having a worn rear mount on one of my SHO's where the insulator is hanging out, I do not have clunking from the mount.

 

[SHO_ROLLER_2]

Yeah, mine sounded like that, too. My boots were perfect and everything. The part that went bad was inside the boot on the hub side of the axle, not the transmission. On the hub side, you have a ball cage with six balls holding the axle in place, within the race. When they wear, they start clunking from the slack until the point it just spins around like a ball bearing and leaves you stranded.

You can probably go under the car, grab the axle with two gloved hands, and check for the amount of play in the axle.


I can also tell you, having a worn rear mount on one of my SHO's where the insulator is hanging out, I do not have clunking from the mount.

I just re-checked the MM's and I think you guys are right. Axle. It doesn't have as much play as I thought. Maybe .5" front and back. I'll get under the car tomorrow and play with the axles.

SHould I change the axle now or just wait 'till it pukes? I have another car and AAA, so getting stranded isn't a HUGE deal. Plus, $$$ is tight........

 

[TYSHO]

Well, if you can get stranded and get the car home without coming out of pocket, I'd do that until you can save up for an axle. My clunk lasted for a month or two, and I was road racing that thing everyday on an empty street back in the country trying to get a perfect launch for incase I needed it on the street when a ricer tried picking on grandmas car!

 

[SHO_ROLLER_2]

Well, if you can get stranded and get the car home without coming out of pocket, I'd do that until you can save up for an axle. My clunk lasted for a month or two, and I was road racing that thing everyday on an empty street back in the country trying to get a perfect launch for incase I needed it on the street when a ricer tried picking on grandmas car!

So with the way I drive, It'll last about two years, give or take!


I didn't have a chance to get under the car yesterday. I might just throw it on a lift today at work and have a peek.

 

[sperold]

I would check the subframe mounts (hockey pucks), especially the rear ones. Jack up each side and see if your can see any daylight at the top of the puck. To tighten up the bolt, pull back your carpet on the passenger side and put a 22mm closed end wrench on the nut part of this assembly. You can see it through a factory hole in the firewall with a big rubber plug on top. Use an impact gun with an 18mm socket and take it easy, allow about 20 seconds on low impact. Othewise you can rip the nut and little rectangular pad out of the factory body mount in the floor. Sometimes the body metal fails around this puck holder and you have to do a home-made fix with a metal plate.
This problem usually shows up when making turns as well with lots of unusual noises.

 

[SHO_ROLLER_2]

I would check the subframe mounts (hockey pucks), especially the rear ones. Jack up each side and see if your can see any daylight at the top of the puck. To tighten up the bolt, pull back your carpet on the passenger side and put a 22mm closed end wrench on the nut part of this assembly. You can see it through a factory hole in the firewall with a big rubber plug on top. Use an impact gun with an 18mm socket and take it easy, allow about 20 seconds on low impact. Othewise you can rip the nut and little rectangular pad out of the factory body mount in the floor. Sometimes the body metal fails around this puck holder and you have to do a home-made fix with a metal plate.
This problem usually shows up when making turns as well with lots of unusual noises.

I checked my SFB's and everything there seems tight. No noises except a groaning when making a turn.

 

[SHO_ROLLER_2]

Now it feels like it shakes a little bit upon take off. Only in first gear. Feels like maybe side to side. If I go real easy, it hardly does it.

Any opinions?

 

[SHOMON]

Pull the pass. side rear subframe bolt and the lower mount. Check to see if the subframe is rotting. My car had some of the same symptoms. Then I took A hard left bang! I had been keeping an eye on too! The metal that is still left I can bend and fold by hand. Which makes me think the subframe had been flexing up and down at the mounting point for a long time but didn't look broken.

 

[SHOMON]

My car is an ATX but definatly felt like the subframe was shifting left to right. Especially under hard acceleration.

 

[TYSHO]

Have you checked the axle yet, it will give you some shake/vibration on initial take off as it worsens.

 

[SHOMON]

Have you checked the axle yet, it will give you some shake/vibration on initial take off as it worsens.

X2. You can check both the subframe and axle at the same time.