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AWD launch...clunk

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DiamondStarCar

DiamondStarCar

15+ Year Contributor
60
2
May 7, 2004
Mansfield, Texas
Ok I have only had my 1g awd for about a week now, and I was wondering if I have a problem with my t case or something. I got the awd because I heard about how you can launce these things at 5,000rpms and they just shoot forward. Well, I've been kind of carefull by only launching my car at 3 or 4,000rpms. When I drop the clutch, there is some bogging and a clunk coming from the front of the car. I think I may be dropping the clutch to fast and need to be more steady...but I should be able to launch these things pretty hard right? Please tell me if this "clunk" is just me letting off the clutch too fast or if it's a real problem I need to worry about.
Also, the car's clutch has 35k miles if that helps...it's not slipping. When I am already accelerating from a roll, it grips great and takes off fast. However, I sold my Fwd and got this Awd because I like the faster launch. Please help.
 
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the clunk could be a motor mount that is going bad. If the motor mount was going..the motor would shift inside the engine bay, that could be the noise. When you launch.dont dump the clutch, you have to slip it more. Dumping the clutch never worked for me.i kinda let up to right about where its going to catch then gradually let it up (but still not slowly so you dont burn the clutch) to make sure it doesnt bog.. Though i kinda taught myself someone may have a better technique. :talon:
 
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Alright, It's not as bad when I slip the clutch a little bit. I kind of figured that was the problem...I'm just happy it's not something seriously broken. I know it's not a motor mount, because of the vibration when I push the gas under load...it makes that clunk, which I'm assuming is from the drivetrain trying to take too much at once. Im used to dropping the clutch and the tires spinning everywhere with my last car...haha. Anyway, I guess it will just take some practice on my part. Anyone have anything else to add?
 
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Its kinda hard to say what the noise would be without hearing it but from my experience, my car never clunked or made any type of noise when launching. I have alot of mods now but even when it was stock and doing a 6000 clutch dump it never made a noise. These cars werent made from the factory with the idea of launching but still, they shouldnt be making any kind of noise. Thats something to look into. I wouldnt let it go if i were you. Its probably getting worse. In the mean time avoid the launches until you get it fixed :thumbdown
 
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Ok then I will worry, because that's what I'm really good at when it comes to cars. Is there anyone out there that can tell me what it's like when you blow your center diff.? Is it possible that the center differential is going out or am I just bogging? Also, there is NO NOISE OR JERKING WHEN THE CAR IS IN GEAR AND ALREADY MOVING. The problem occurs when I jab the throttle at speed too. For instance, going about 45mph in 4th gear and then putting it down into 3rd to accelerate quickly...when I jab back on the throttle after downshifting I get this "clunk"....I can feel it more than actually hear it (I don't know how else to decribe it). This bogging/clunking/jerking goes on until I lift off the throttle. I'm sorry I can't be more clear. I have a friend of mine who knows these cars better than I do and he will drive it later this week to help me diagnosis the problem. Now, what is it like to have your center diff go out and do you feel it blown under normal driving?
 
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Thanks SpoolnTsi, that really helps. However, the only symptom that fits is the clunk. When I drive in nomrmal driving, it' fine....even when I turn. Helpful page though. Thanks.
 
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Mine usta clunk really bad..when i'd launch my car...It ended up being bad U-joints and carrier bearings...Check those out..if you haven't found your problem..good luck bro..dan
 
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That was another great page. Thanks DevilSperm. That seems like my problem unfortuantely. Im not sure how filling those bearings with caulk would fix the problem. Is it because it stops the moving but is still flexible like the factory bushing? That's my guess. Also, will that mess anything up doing this repair?
My thumping is coming more from the front, however, so perhaps it is only the front carrier bearing? What about just my front axles? I had my friend and local dsm guy check it out and he was clueless...he suggested the front axles but was unsure. Is this a long term problem, or can I go for a little while before getting it fixed? I want to be 100% sure before caulking stuff up. Thanks again for the help, I love this website.
 
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Alright i just quickly read through the posts, i didnt read really if u figured the problem out yet.

But im 100% sure its ur driveshaft and carrier bearings.

For the carrier bearings flip them down and fill them with rubber silicone sealent. Then for the driveshafts. The u-joints....i would replace them, there a couple bucks and i think theyre are 2 of them? if im not mistaken. It fixed my clunking.

My clunking felt like the car trying to catch up with itself at the beginning to the end of the middle of every gear when i was driving hard.

it was like clunk---clunk---clunk--clunk--clunk-clunk-clunk-clunkclunkclunkclunk

yeah...haha...like that..just real fast
 
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DiamondStarCar said:
That was another great page. Thanks DevilSperm. That seems like my problem unfortuantely. Im not sure how filling those bearings with caulk would fix the problem. Is it because it stops the moving but is still flexible like the factory bushing? That's my guess. Also, will that mess anything up doing this repair?
My thumping is coming more from the front, however, so perhaps it is only the front carrier bearing? What about just my front axles? I had my friend and local dsm guy check it out and he was clueless...he suggested the front axles but was unsure. Is this a long term problem, or can I go for a little while before getting it fixed? I want to be 100% sure before caulking stuff up. Thanks again for the help, I love this website.
Click to expand...
ive done this fix and its been working great...i just did it to get by for awhile until i can afford new bearings....which really arent that much, but caulk is cheaper :p basically the inside of the rubber gets worn away...jack your car up and grab the driveshatf and move it....if it moves too much, that is probably your problem....being a quick fix, i would try it and it only and see if it fixes your problem...if it doesnt, then look into the u joints
 
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Guys just another possibility of another clunking noise when launching or shifting hard, This is what i am in the middle of replacing this weekend on a 95 gsx. The rear diff is being held to a cross member in the back of the car with two bolts. both of these bolts have bushings and if one of them goes bad then the rear diff will actually move making that bolt actually go down and hit the cross member making a loude clunking noise. I would lift the car up and on the back side of the rear diff you will see that cross member and you should see those two bolts. I would take a look at that aswell, i have been talking with some people and it seems like a common problem.

hope this helps
Eric
 
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So I was on the way home from a pointless trip (just wanted to do some sweet launches and stuff) and I pulled up to a stoplight. So I revved my engine to somewhere around 6,000 rpms and dumped the clutch way to fast. The whole car made a really loud clunk and didn’t go anywhere. So I put it back in first and it moved but hardly. I just put in a new ACT 2100 with a race disk. When I was driving it home it felt like my clutch was slipping but obviously its not. It would move but if I pressed the pedal down to much the rpms would go up but it wouldn’t go any faster. Also there is a rattling/clunking/grinding noise sounds kind of like it is coming from the rear differential. Anyone have any ideas and if it is the rear differential why does it slip like that.
 
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That's why new clutch, much like brakes, requires break in period for the surfaces to wear in properly, that or the rear is toast.
 
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Launching an awd car at 6k on a brand new act clutch that wasnt broken in could be really bad. I would check everything in the drivetrain. I would also check out the clutch. With all the noise going on you know you obviously hurt something so spending some time checking it all out could pay off.
 
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