Alright I'm really getting frustrated now

[Krono353]

94 GT. I've posted 2 or 3 times now about a clunking sound in the rear of my car. Again with the windows down it sounds like it's in the front. I had rear strut mounts AND new shock absorbers put in recently. The old shock absorbers were literally rusted apart. The clunking sound stopped for maybe a week after replacing them. Now it's back. I have figured out how to do it constantly. I know that is probably bad but like now i can show someone that and there will be no mistake. I was NOW told that it could be a U-joint. If that is the case where is that and can i do it myself and perhaps could i do it without a lift. I am getting really frustrated with this and the more angry i get the more i want to just pummel the damn car. Any ideas?

[Hoags]

Krono:

If the noise is coming from the front end and it is a "U" joint (actually called a C/V Joint in a front drive Vehicle) you should here the noise when you put the car in gear or go from neutral to drive or neutral to reverse, these are the most common times for a C/V joint to make noise...I am sure there are other times that it will make noise.

If it is the C/V joint ( there are 2-one for each wheel) It will involve pulling the front drive axels, I am not sure how complicated this is, I have never done it but I am sure that some of the other members have replaced the C/V joint and they will give you some info on how it is done.

I'll take a look at my Haynes manual to see what it says there, and post another reply as soon as possible.

Hang in there,

[grfnkl]

Here's another idea if it turns out that it is not a U joint. Have your brakes checked as well as the control arms. If there is even one bolt loose it will sound like a very loud clunk. We had this same sound on our 87 G/a and found out later that it was a loose bolt to the brakes, and on my 02 with the control arm... Just some additional ideas.

[Krono353]

Hmmm control arm...i spoke with the previous owner of the car. She said she had the control arm replaced 3 times. I also had rear brake work done over the summer and that was way before the sound. I had new rotors and brakes put in which was while the sound was there. I thought with c/v joints there would like a clunking when turning the vehicle going around corners. For anyone that drives standard or has, I can get the car into second gear get the rpms to 2500 or more then let off the gas and it will clunk and just hit the gas quick and let off it will do it a lot. Since you know that causes the car to buck around without stalling. But also I'm not totally sure where the sound is coming from. I think on a nice day i'll have the windows down and maybe screw around in a parking lot with my head out the window or something.

[gmack221]

Check your motor & tranny mounts, sometimes a dogbone motor mount when wore out will make that sound. To me it doesn't sound like a CV joint issue, rather a bad motor mount, or bad bushing in a suspension component. Your probably not going to be able to find it while driving it, your going to have to pull off the wheels and wiggle stuff around until you find the bad part. If you can't get it to make the noise with the e-brake on trying to make the car move, its probably not a motor mount. Are you bottoming out the front struts when you get your car jerking? Spend a little time under the car and you will find the problem.

[Hoags]

From your description I'm with gmack. If you can get it to make the noise when shifting it is most likely related to the torque of the motor, Either the mounts or suspention, you may have a worn bushing or motor mount. Like gmack says, you may have to lift the front end and give it a good inspection do not forget that there are going to be components that you will not move by hand...this is where a real closr visual inspection is going to have to be done. Look at all of the joints and bushings for signs of rubbing like a clean spot or scratches. I had a doughnut bushing go bad but when you looked at it with the car down you could not see it but as soon as the car was lifted the bushing would pop out for all to see. Just take your time and give it a through look.

Good luck

[Krono353]

I was thinking motor mount too. Because I left the parking brake on and tried to go and had the hood up. The motor kind of moved back a little along with the whole car (obviously). But is the engine supposed to move back like that? With the hood open i backed the car up a little then went forward and repeated a couple times. And the guy looking at it said the engine was moving. Along with all that I think that it is possible that the front shocks are going too. When going over bumps it's not sounding right and can be pretty loud. So I think new shocks are a definate anyways. But does motor and or tranny mount sound right too? And with front shocks if they are needed can a novice such as myself change them by jacking the car up and putting stands underneath or should I have a mechanic do it?

[vtjvt]

the front shocks are struts, and NO a novice should not attempt the coil spring if taken apart improperly can kill you.

[Krono353]

Earlier today I tried the e-brake thing. Didn't make the noise at all. I think it may need the front shocks. On the drive side one there looks like there is a peice missing. When I look at it near the top there is a metal rod that is exposed, it looks okay but on the other side there is like a cover or something so it's not exposed on that side. Since it's so damn cold out I couldn't spend much time out there or even get underneath but I did bounce the front and it almost made the sound. So it could be the shocks or bushing or whatever. I'm going to take it into a shop since I don't have the tools or know-how to get it done. But that will be the end of the month since I have a suspended license. Since then I ran the car for the first time in about 10 days today. It's idle was extremely rough at first since it's been cold out too. But the whole engine was like shaking after it struggled to get started. Could that be a motor mount issue? Or just the fact it was just so rough. It eventually evened out and got itself stable. I'll be running it every couple days now.