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Weird Clunking Type Sound

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Chumpaumpalumpa

Proven Member
1,554
303
Jun 16, 2014
La Habra, California
What's up tuners! So this has been an ongoing issue since I purchased the car almost a year ago but it's really starting to concern me so I decided to look more into it. There is a clunking, rotary sound (you can hear it's with something turning or spinning) whenever I make a left hand turn going fast enough to load the suspension up a bit or turning sharp enough to do so. The sound gets louder and worse if accelerating through the corner and seems to get worse still with increased speed. It sounds again like a clunking almost grinding noise and you can feel it in the gear stick when it is making this noise. It also seems more prominent when in neutral. It NEVER has done it on a right turn and here's the kicker which I discovered today. I couldn't get it to make the noise with the engine off. So I feared the crank slamming into the block or something is the culprit because this motor was supposedly just rebuilt by Fftec so I thought maybe they installed something wrong. But I feel like I would have all kinds of other issues if that were the case so I'm at a loss as to what is causing this. Any light that could be shed on this is very much appreciated. This also pertains to the car in my profile. Thank you.

Edit: And if I reverse slowly with the wheel all the way left then turn all the way right (like you would pulling out of a parking spot) just before I hit the stop in the steering there is one clunk, as if slop is being taken up which made me think CV joint but I couldn't seem to replicate the noise with the motor off as I stated previously which is very confusing.
 
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I would say:
Loose flywheel? Transmission problem? Or CV joint?

I would start with the cheapest one, replace both axles to narrow down the problem.
 
I would say:
Loose flywheel? Transmission problem? Or CV joint?

I would start with the cheapest one, replace both axles to narrow down the problem.
Flywheel was torqued down to 100 lb/ft with red loctite. Did it before and after trans job. I will try axles as soon as I can locate a pair.
 
Any update?
Unfortunately not really, I've been super busy with construction around the house lately and am kind of tentative to just get some Autozone axles which are very hit and miss. I was however driving the car the other day with no power steering (removed belt) and the noise seemed to be suppressed by maybe 90%, though that other 10% might've been the exhaust hitting the car. Coincidence? I don't know. But it still only seems to do it with the car running.
 
If it's the CV joints it will show up when you go full left in circles at 1 MPH (also try full right).
Maybe loose wheel bearing?
Full right makes no extraneous sounds. It only does it going left and the faster you go the faster the sound gets. I can't do lefts at intersections quickly because that clunking sound quickly turns into more of a grinding sound from how quickly it's making the sound over and over. The pitch also increases if I do that. I can do full left circles at 5 mph but can't hear the noise. You can also feel it when it's happening with your knee on the center console area or even hand on the gear stick. I suppose it could be a wheel bearing but wouldn't I hear it all the time if that were the case? Are there any other tests I can do to troubleshoot what's going on? I find it very very strange that it does not do it with the motor turned off. Thank you all so far for the responses.
 
Get that sucker up on jackstands and check for axial play in the cv shaft and wheel.
It's either the wheel hub or the CV joint

and when you do this,check the half shaft as well. bearing could be shot.
 
Update: I was taking out the trans and I pulled the axle out with my hands using minimal effort. There is no clip ring (circlip) on the end of the shaft. Could the axle be pulling in and out of the trans and banging into it causing the sound?
 
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Update 2: there must've been a pinhole rip on the passenger axle boot previously because now it is torn wide open. I'll be replacing them shortly. Any suggestions on where to get fair quality axles. I don't need crazy billet ones made out of forged adamantium.
 
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Update: I was taking out the trans and I pulled the axle out with my hands using minimal effort. There is no clip ring (circlip) on the end of the shaft. Could the axle be pulling in and out of the trans and banging into it causing the sound?
If this is the drivers axle it doesnt have a circlip.
 
Not sure if you have and http://www.oreillyauto.com near ya but i purchased both cv axles for my gs and they where pretty decent quality.. both total cost me about 120 bucks with limited life time warrantie
 
Not sure if you have and http://www.oreillyauto.com near ya but i purchased both cv axles for my gs and they where pretty decent quality.. both total cost me about 120 bucks with limited life time warrantie
I do and I'm buddies with all the managers there :sneaky: $45 for the passenger side. The wheel bearing is what was causing the noise, not the CV
 
Ok update, the noise is back, it's definitely RPM related. Still only left turns. Gets louder and faster as RPM Increases. Thinking when it went away briefly it was just a coincidence.
 
I wonder if it is possible for the power steering pump to make noises on say left turns only?

If I were you I'd jack my car up and check the suspension and wheels for play

I had a similar issue when the bushing on my control arm went but it was a pretty loud clunk

I no the cv axel holds the wheel bearing together was it torqued to spec ?
 
RPM related or speed related?
Sounds like a bad cv joint if it only happens with moving and turning, or possibly the axle nut is loose.
I wonder if it is possible for the power steering pump to make noises on say left turns only? If I were you I'd jack my car up and check the suspension and wheels for play
I had a similar issue when the bushing on my control arm went but it was a pretty loud clunk
I no the cv axel holds the wheel bearing together was it torqued to spec ?
RPM and load (lateral) related.

New axle, new wheel bearing, new ball joint, same issue. Its at 160 ft/lbs with a cotter pin.

It's definitely a rotary sound. At higher RPMs almost sounds like a grind. You can feel it in the shifter and on the center console when it happens. Its stopped briefly after I replaced the passenger front wheel bearing and ball joint but I'm not sure why. I'm thinking it may be trans related.
 
I was getting weird noises too, I just greased my tie rods and burped my PS system with ATF. Not sure if I was getting the same noise as you but I was getting it on hard turns at low speed.
 
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