Ashman

Hi all,

Sorry if this is covered elsewhere, but I couldn't find anything definitive.

When I change gears, especially 1-2, or 2-3 and accelerate, there is a loud "CLACK-CLACK" from somewhere under the car when it first starts acceleration. I can't tell if it's the torque tube or clutch catching up some slack, or what.

Any ideas what it could be and whether it's an issue? I plan on taking here out to a local C&C this weekend, so I'll see if I can get some video with the sound if you think that will help.

tempest411

Perhaps the rubber of the OE clutch disc hub? Once it fails they're known to make all kinds of racket.

Tiger03447

Might be either loose wheels banging on the wheel bolts, a loose coupler between the TT and the transaxle, or perhaps bad C-V joints..just some thoughts.

Wisconsin Joe

"From somewhere" doesn't help much.

From where? Front, back, one side or the other?

Does it change with the windows up or down?

Is it more 'heard' or more 'felt'?
If it can be felt, do you feel it in the seat? Or the floor? Or the steering wheel? How about the gear shifter?

A friend owns a shop and one of the best diagnostic tools they have for 'funny noises' is a set of wireless microphones. They magnet to the car anywhere the tech chooses (backed up with zip ties - they learned that one the hard way). They can then hear the noise and determine where it's coming from.
If you can get your hands on one of those, it would be a big help.

Ashman

I hear you. My apologies fir the vague description. Was just hoping that it would resonate with someone who'd also experienced something similar.

Unfortunately, it's a bit harder to pinpoint since it only happens while driving. I'd get my wife to drive it while I listen except for the fact that she doesn't drive a manual.

My impression is that it's coming from the underside rear of the car. It's loud enough that the sound echos off of my neighbors' houses as I drive slowly down my street and I can feel it in the car because it's like a half-second of slack before the drive train catches-up and engages.

As I said, I'll be driving it this weekend, so I'll try to pinpoint things a bit better. I may also get around to jacking it up and seeing if I can figure it out by turning the real wheels manually and seeing if there is visible slop in the system somewhere.

Jfrahm

That sounds like a blown clutch hub. Has the clutch ever been replaced?
If blown there should be a lot of driveline lash if parked and in gear. Like you could move the car a few inches back and forth by hand. Then if you remove the starter and get chunks of rubber falling out, that's a clue.
Driving it like this will lead to a bashed and stripped transaxle pinion or if you are lucky the remaining bits of clutch hub metal will wear out and leave you stranded.

Make sure your parking brake holds the car parked as the driveline won't keep the car from rolling away.

screamin94Z

Check the torque tube to transaxle coupler sleeve. The collar on mine had broken and was flopping around back there. You can see it by removing the large inspection cover at the rear of the torque tube.

jhowell371

The fact that you can hear it when you drive slowly rules out the "limp home" spline lash IMHO, the slop should only show when letting off or applying throttle. Drive it someplace where you can safely drive down the middle of the road and turn the wheel back forth slightly, weaving from lane to lane. A failing wheel bearing's noise will increase and decrease as you load and unload each side of the car when you swerve back and forth. This should reveal which side the bad bearing resides on, and go from there. I would look for a bad CV joint too. Either way you need to get it off the ground and underneath to really check things out after the simple road test. YMMV

kyle a. w.

I had something similar to this. Turned out to be cv joints.