Shift-Clunk-Shift-Clunk.

[Grifter]

I posted a topic similar to this before but I figured I'd post an updated one. I replaced my extremly worn stock bushings with Al. ones. There were some squeaks and rattles which was to be expected with the Al ones. But now, whenever I shift and the car squats back(old suspension)and then go to shift again(push in the clutch(car "comes back down") there's a clunking noise. I checked the Al. SFB's and they seem pretty tight, I air gunned them on very well. What else can it be?! I'm pretty sure the noise is coing from the driver side, and it sounds/feels like it's under my feet...were the SFB's are....

Now that I read it over this is pretty much the same as my other post, but oh well. Thanks for any help.

 

[Chris Benvie]

although you airgunned them down pretty well are they to spec?


How are your motor mounts and tranny mounts?

What style bushings are they?

 

[Grifter]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure they're not to spec. But I dont see why that would make them clunk. I was thinking it may be the motor mounts or tranny mounts too. I have an idea of where they are but can you give me the exact locations. They're ring style bushing. I'm wondering about that too, b/c now there's a big discussion over ring vs. cup sytle.

Thanks

<small>[ March 15, 2004, 03:39 PM: Message edited by: Grifter ]</small>

 

[Chris Benvie]

2 motor mounts front and rear, do you have any marks onthe intake manifold? Is your motor actually lifting?

Whether or not they were tightened it doesn't matter. Are you subframe recall kits in good shape? You should see if not being to spec is causing them to move around in anyway. If this is the case, they need to be "reinstalled" and another alignment needs to be done on your vehicle.

Are you sure its coming from the subframe?


Once again what style bushings are they

 

[Grifter]

Ring style.

You mean wheel alighnment, I need one badly.

The recall kit is brand new.

I'm not sure if the motor is lifting.

 

[Chris Benvie]

How long have you been out of alignment? this could have something to do with it. Get it aligned and quickly.


Please search and find out what the correct TQ specs are have them re-tourqed when you get the alignment done.


Ring style, Interesting. Same thing happened to me with the Ring style, which is why everyone is switching to cup, well not everyone but we are now figuring out that the ring style is unsafe.
Why am I not surprised.

 

[Bizzy]

AutobahnSHO1130:

Ring style, Interesting. Same thing happened to me with the Ring style, which is why everyone is switching to cup, well not everyone but we are now figuring out that the ring style is unsafe.
Why am I not surprised.

I love how the speculation of a few people on this forum becomes gospel so quickly. Prove that they are unsafe, cause up till now no-one has.

Grifter FWIW - have you looked at the front sway links, when I put my AL SFB's on my car I got a shift-clunk-shift-clunk like waht you describe. Mine appeared about 100 miles after I installed the bushings. I just accepted it as the NVH that ppl say happens, then when I swapped out my swat bars I found where the clunk was comming from. After I unbolted the sway link from the passenger side strut the ball on the sway link on the bottom just poped right out of the socket. It appears that it was doing that for a while, but I hadn't checked them since the clunk had started. From what you described it sounds just like the ball popping out of the socket then clunking on it's way back into the socket when you shift.

To see how much your motor is moving, pop the hood and cycle the car in and out of first gear and reverse. It shouldn't move all that much more than about an inch either way IIRC.

Also I believe PAracer had mentioned something about a tension strut mount plate weld on the sufbrame breaking on his car and created a similar noise. I'd check that out too, perhaps he'll see this and post.

Anything that is connected to the subframe, rack, motor mounts, sway bar, sway bar bushings, tie rod ends, lower control arms, Tension strut rods will all if worn make noise. Those noises will be much much more audible/tactile (under your feet) with anystyle of AL SFB, as they translate 100% of the sound from the subframe to the body of the car. If you tightened down the AL SFB's to anything over 70 lb/ft then the subframe is not moving around and causing the clunk, there has to be something else that is causing the sound and the subframe bushings are just making it hard to locate cause they transmit the sound to the body of the car as if it were them causing it.

<small>[ March 15, 2004, 07:02 PM: Message edited by: netviper ]</small>

 

[Chris Benvie]

Lets not have this turn into another "Bruce-Bashing" session because that was not my intent.


He stated it was his Alum bushings and i gave him what i thought it was. No dig on you at all. But i have not had good luck with the ring style myself.

 

[LOUDSHO92]

You might have donw what I did. I sheared one of my front motor mount bolts. I would get under the car and check. There should be 2 bolts holding the mount to the engine. Mine was sticking out half way.

 

[Grifter]

I went to work today and told some of the guys that work ther what I was experiencing. One of the guys lefta nd called back about 5 minutes later and toldme how much negitive camber I have in my driver side rear tire. It's pretty bad, and I knew about it befroe he told. He said, like autobahn said, it may be causing the noise. BUT, I did a little "testing" up and down my driveway. There's a small bump to get into the garage, when the front of the car goes over the bump I hear the noise, not the rear. It sounds like something is moving around popping in and out, like net viper described. I dont think it is the bushings, they're on tight, not in specs I'm sure, but they arent moving anywhere. I'll check the sway bar links and motor mounts. So in order to check if the motor is moving I dont have to turn on the car?

Thanks.

 

[Bizzy]

AutobahnSHO1130:
Lets not have this turn into another "Bruce-Bashing" session because that was not my intent.


He stated it was his Alum bushings and i gave him what i thought it was. No dig on you at all. But i have not had good luck with the ring style myself.

None taken Chris. I didn't think you were bashing them or me, perhaps just a little swayed by the recent made up controversy over bushings and your own personal experiences.

 

[DHMag]

im thinking either sway bar endlinks or strut bearings/mounts.

 

[PAracer]

netviper:
Also I believe PAracer had mentioned something about a tension strut mount plate weld on the sufbrame breaking on his car and created a similar noise. I'd check that out too, perhaps he'll see this and post.

This doesn't sound like the popping noise that I had. I'd go along with the people who are calling out the sway bar links. Try testing this by moving along pretty slow and saw the wheel back and forth. If you are experiencing increased torque steer, then you may have a broken motor mount. Another choice could be a bad strut mount.


Does anyone remember whether the delrin bushings were a ring or cup style? It's been a couple years since I installed them on my car.

 

[Bizzy]

the delrins IIRC started out in a ring format and then moved to a cup design from SHOnut. When they changed from ring to cup I don't know.

 

[Grifter]

Thanks for all the input and suggestions. I currecntly have Eibachs and Tockio's along with brand new mounts and bushings ready to go in the car. So that may fix the problem if it is one of those. I also bought some Moog sway bar links. So I have most the possible problems ready for install. Hopefully it's one of those.

 

[Bizzy]

BTW did you notice that yelloSHO is selling some rear control arm adjustable bushings in the classifieds section That might help out your rear negative camber we were talking about on the phone last night.

 

[SHO92]

Hey Mark, I wonder if you are having the same clunk that I get. I only get it when going over a bump that compresses and then rebounds the suspension slowly, like where the road slopes down toward a sewer grate on the side of the road, not while shifting. When we do the suspension, I'll bet it goes away. I'm pretty sure its a strut mounts, its what I thought was teh cause of your original clunk when you first told me about it.

 

[Grifter]

netviper: Thanks! I'll check those out.

Sounds like that could be it too Bill. I get it when I shift as well though and go over bumps. You only got it going over bumps? Well hopefully it is one of those.

 

[Bizzy]

I skimmed the responses and didn't see anyone ask about your tranny mount. It's on the driver's side near your feet as well. You might want to look into that.

To check the front and rear motor mounts do the following.

With the hood up so you can see the motor, put your foot on the brake pedal and ensure that the car doesn't move forward or backward when doing this.

Put the car in first and give the car slight gas while holding the brake down and watch the motor. Does it move? Do the same thing in reverse. If it moves up on either the front or rear of the car when doing the above then you have yourself some bad mounts.

Sway bar links will cause a clunking sound also as will improperly installed struts and springs and bad strut mounts.

Scott Patterson also outlined how to remedy a clunking sound caused by the spring. Though I don't have time at the moment to search it out for you.

Just a few things to check.

Edit: Also, was the subframe plate nut recall done on your car?

<small>[ March 16, 2004, 06:19 PM: Message edited by: Bizzy ]</small>

 

[Grifter]

I just installed a brand new recall kit while installing Bruce's AL. SFB's.

I got my Moog sway bar links today and installed them. While doing the install, I believe I found the culprit. I tried to turn the wheel slightly to get a better angle on the bolt and clunk/pop! The lower ball jolt moved. This is most likely the cause of the sound, all the mount seem fine. I also have some pretty sloppy steering, a lot of play in the wheel, which may also be cause by the ball joint. So I ordered some tonight and will hopefully be able to install them soon. And we'll see if that was the problem.

Thanks for all the responses.

<small>[ March 18, 2004, 11:40 PM: Message edited by: Grifter ]</small>