Fixed problem, and zero results!

[Krono353]

Okay my 94 gt quad 4 dohc h.o. engine has had some trouble. First with a clunking, sounds like the rear end so I had the shock absorbers and the mounts replaced and the mechanic check the sway bar and bushings and they were ok. NO results. Went to a shop that said the control arm bushings were shot and were broken in a weird way, broken from inside out and not outside in or vice versa. (hopefully someone has seen or worked on the control arms of this particular car) fixed that for oh about 400-500 dollars. NO results still clunks like hell. Temp gauge would stay at 180 about when driving but after sitting for a few seconds like stop light it would go up to 220 and go back down when driving again. Was told there could be a clog and a radiator flush would solve it. But alas! It's actually worse! Now once the car is warmed up it goes to 220 and higher. I believe the overheat starts at 250 and it's gotten really really close to it. Doesn't go down when driving nor up when driving it just bounces back and forth. And here is another problem that just started. After being warmed up the rpm's go down to about 1000 when idling and it sounds like it's about to stall. It's okay when accelerating it just sounds like it's going to die on me. Any ideas on anything?

[xeroinfinity]

On the clunking, check all the lower plastic panels around the car.
Sometimes rocks get up in there and rattle/clunk.
Your jack or something in the sparetire well could also be clunking, or could also just be the exhaust bumping something....

Sounds like its getting hot!
Did you flush the radiator/cooling system?
How olds the thermostat?
Can you tell if the water pumps circulating?

Your cooling fans should kick in @ about 210deg, if its getting 250, you'd better get it looked at ASAP!
Those heads will warp pretty easilly for the overheating.

Hopfully its a thermostat(located under the car) or your water pump causing you to overheat. THose are the cheaper things to look at and you could try a system flush.

A compression test could be done on the cylinders to see if your headgaskets blown.

As for your idle bouncing up and down, check all the vacumm lines, bet one is loose or inpluged.

[Krono353]

I just had the radiator system flushed and that seems to be what caused the overheating but it gets better! Low coolant light kept coming on so i put more coolant in, then after driving to somewhere, going in to get what i want, then coming out, there is a huge puddle underneath my car! So I drive home and open the overflow to witness it actually overflowing. So what I did (wasn't really a bad idea since the coolant wasn't warm at all) just stuck my fingers in it and kinda got a lot of the coolant out of it. And of course got some water to try and dilute the coolant that ended up on the ground. SO far no more overheating and the temp seems ok. I'm thinking that maybe my gauge cluster is messed up. Because the temp still rises to about 220 when it's just idling and now after it's all warmed up the oil pressure says it's maybe 20-25 but then the little needle starts moving from about 20-25. But then again the whole car might have problems all over the place.

Now for the clunking I have taken everything out of the trunk and drove and it still did it. I can't move the exhaust pipes at all. There isn't anything that seems to be hanging or unbolted underneath the rear end. But I THINK that maybe this all started after i had a fuel pump put in. They said that it needed a new filler neck. So they got it but for some reason it didn't reach the tank so they "adapted" it. Meaning that there is a hose that runs from the filler neck to the tank. I wonder if there is something loose near the tank. I bungeed the neck to the frame because it was loose and i thought that maybe that was the problem. So maybe i can get the car on a lift or some jacks and take off all the tires and maybe try and move stuff around I can find it. Being on the ground in the cold weather doesn't really help too much. Any more ideas?

[xeroinfinity]

Your temp sending unit on the engine might be bad or hav a loose connection, same with the oil pressure, one wire goes to both sensors. THe oil press is close to the oil filter and the temp sensor I'm not sure on your 94, but check to make sure the connection is clean and the wire clip is on tight.
That might help with the fluxtuations in the gauges, but those dash clusters are known for going out and are abundently cheap, $50 or so used maybe less.

Cant believe you still havnt located the clunking.... has to be something back there loose
Do you knowtice it more when turning a certain way, or going up or down hill?
Other than the struts, strut towers, and suspension would only be the fuel tank and the exhaust.
Oh ya, do you hav a plastic boot covering the top of the rear struts? it is attached to the top and protect the strut shaft from dirt and stufff.

Let me know how it turns out!

[Krono353]

Ya know I was thinking about the gas tank earlier. I had my fuel pump replaced in september or october I think. But I can't remember if this was before or after the clunking started. They may have missed something and the tank is clunking around. I personally cannot move it but hell who has the strength especially since it's full, but a moving car can move the tank if improperly put in place (if that's possible) can it not? It does make sense since nothing else is loose in the back. It does make the sounds sometimes when turning but not constantly. It does it the most when just on flat ground and first starting out. Sometimes does it when shifting into second then third gear. And sometimes if i don't hit the friction point right and the car jerks around a little it will clunk 2 or 3 times. About the boot for the strut I think it's there. I had the rear struts and mounts replaced awhile ago. The protective metal that goes around the peice inside were rotted off in so many different spots it was scary. I think friday I can get the car on a lift, but loose gas tank, does that seem possible and perhaps right? I think we may have found the problem!

[xeroinfinity]

I guess if the tank straps are not tight or its not in straight it might just make some noise back there.

[gmack221]

I'd take a close look at your filler neck, if they said the new one didn't fit, but they "adapted it". I'm wondering why it didn't fit, did they install it wrong? was it supposed to fit directly into the tank and they put a rubber hose on the outside of the filler neck & the tank, now when you hit a bump the two pieces hit together making a noise? just my