Clunking - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

Savage_Messiah · 01-12-2005, 06:15 PM

Noticed tonight that when shifting into or out of reverse (A4, open rear)that there's a clunk, the sound comes from the rear. Differential fluid was changed a couple months ago. Also if I have my left foot flat on the floorboard when I'm driving I can feel a bunch of little vibrations and shakes mainly when going over bumps, this has always happened tho so I don't think much of it. A friend is coming up Saturday and we're doing a gear swap, so I'm gonna be back there anyway. I did a search on camarov6.com boards but found no definite answers besides check u-joints, which I'll do later or tomorrow. If it is u-joints, how much is it to replace them? and can I do it myself, or do I need to take my car in? What else may it be?

camaro2you · 01-12-2005, 06:44 PM

my car made a clunk when i shifted into gear
is your idel to high?
that was my problem

NJSPEEDER · 01-12-2005, 07:04 PM

check your tranny and torque arm mounts. they are very easily broken because of the suspension layout.
also check to make sure your control arms are tight and there is not play in teh bushings. 4th gen stock bushings are genuine pieces of crap. poly upgrades make cars happy

later
tim

9secfirebird · 01-12-2005, 07:58 PM

check the u joints then go from there

Savage_Messiah · 01-12-2005, 09:28 PM

How can I check the tranny mount? thats someplace ive never been before :P not sure what to do to check it

90FormulaWS6 · 01-12-2005, 10:38 PM

ok if you stomp on the gas and you hear a big clunk like you htitting a huge pothole, then its your transmission mount.... if you want you can check it by unbolting the trans crossmember and the mount and it should be in 2 pieces... its a $10 part and easy as pie to replace

foff667 · 01-13-2005, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 90FormulaWS6

ok if you stomp on the gas and you hear a big clunk like you htitting a huge pothole, then its your transmission mount.... if you want you can check it by unbolting the trans crossmember and the mount and it should be in 2 pieces... its a $10 part and easy as pie to replace

thats what i would assume.

Tru2Chevy · 01-13-2005, 10:40 AM

Yea, it's prolly the tranny mount. Instead of spending $10 on another junk rubber mount, spend $25 - $30 on a poly mount. Local autozone should have it on the shelf....

- Justin

Savage_Messiah · 01-13-2005, 01:31 PM

OK just checked u-joints, they seem to be fine. Â*went for a little drive to check the trans mount by seeing if theres a clunk when i stomp on the gas, well it did it once as i was leaving the driveway and stomped on it... then didnt do it again. Â*I'm also noticing a lot of little metallic rattles that are coming from the middle/rear, bottom of the car when I go over bumps. Â*These rattles happened a while ago along with a clunking when I turned right, shop replaced the control arm (I think) and it was all fine. Â*

what should i do now?

90FormulaWS6 · 01-13-2005, 02:17 PM

physically check your trans mount... my money is on the trans mount... eliminate the easiest to fix first

Savage_Messiah · 01-13-2005, 03:08 PM

ok so unbolt my crossmember... and look to see if its cracked/split whatever? where will I be looking? (again, not too familiar with the underside of cars, new area for me)

Tru2Chevy · 01-13-2005, 03:13 PM

The trans mount is the rubber thing that is directly between the crossmember and the tailhousing of the tranny. It should be in one piece.

- Justin

Savage_Messiah · 01-13-2005, 03:33 PM

alright then... im assuming i should have a jack under my trans? or not necessary

9secfirebird · 01-13-2005, 06:15 PM

a bad transmission mount doesnt need to be cracked or split to be no good.

just because you stop on it and it clunks doesnt really mean its the trans mount however. it means there is a chance that it is. and its not really a clunck when the trans mount is no good if you step on it, its a SLAM! that you feel in the floorboard.
you can check the trans mount right now, just get underneith the car and push up on the tailshaft as hard as you can, and if it moves alot, then the mount is no good, if there is little movement, odds are that the mount is ok and its time to move on to thinking something else.

Savage_Messiah · 01-16-2005, 03:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Savage_Messiah

alright then... im assuming i should have a jack under my trans? or not necessary

??? I may change it anyway, if its going/gone could that also be a reason for the car to sorta shake when i put it into D?

9secfirebird · 01-16-2005, 08:16 AM

that could be afew things
a) if something is wrong with the motor, like vaccum line cracked or something that would cause the motor to shake when the load is put on. slight misfire could do the same
B) that shake would come more from the motor mounts, if the cars engine is running properly. the trans mount is at the tailshaft, and by that time any shakes of that big motor have been obsorbed by the time they get all the way down to that single point.
C) change the mount if you want to, its cheap enough and its something some people do just cuz.
think of it this way, if you have the money and dont wanan buy anything else, replace it and call it preventative maintenance, if ya change it and ended up needing it, then call yourself a hero.
its very hard for anyone to really diagnose a car over a message board ya know? so do what you think should be done and if it wasnt the trans mount and you replace it and its something else.....at least ya know how to change a trans mount and you have a new one in