holleman1

I have a 86 n/a. Just started hearing a clunking noise from the rear.

Hear are some clues.

1. It is drivetrain related. It speeds up with the wheels.
2. It goes clunk, clunk, clunk.
3. It seems to depend on load, acceleration, especially at lower speeds.
4. It stops when I depress the clutch.
5. Is the loudest when decelerating with clutch engaged but will make the noise occasionally when clutch is disengaged.
6. Is fine when cruising on the highway.

Help, this is my daily driver. Could it be the CV joint?

Macfreak007

only heard while driving? in motion? have you been doing any burnouts lately?

only thing that i don't understand is the clutch having something to do with it. Makes me think that its clutch or tranny related. CV joint shouldn't be effected by the clutch being disengaged. AM i right about this... ?

shmucklebuckle

I'm no expert, but my guess is that the CV's wouldn't be under any strain, so they would just gently coast along with the rest of the coasting drivetrain parts, and then when the gas is applied, the gap in the bad parts would close, you hear the clunk, and then the wheel turns...that's the way I understood it from another thread I read recently, in combination with my impeccable logic.

Luis de Prat

Rear wheel bearings ever been replaced?

Jack up the rear wheels and check for any play. If they wobble at all, there's your problem.

holleman1

No burn outs Macfreak, I am not 16 years old. Luis de Prat, thanks I will check the wheel bearings. It was definitely worse today. Regardless of whether clutch is engaged or not it makes noise. Its very inconistent sometimes, drovew back form Milwaukee today in the ****ty weather and it was loud by the time I got home it had quit completely.

I know it has to do with the drive train, its not the tranny, so a bearing, CV joints or something else inbetween has to be the problem. Never had a bad bearing before except in an old Ford which just got real hot and squealed so just not familair with what a bad wheel bearing sounds like.

If anyone has any ideas please help.

Thanks

Dales944

When CV's start to click, it has a lot to do with the load on the half-shafts. Personal experience = push clutch, less load, no sound.

I would put money on a CV joint.

Dales944

Sorry, my last post wasn't as complete as it should be. This is exactly how my last CV joint went out. At first it was only under load. But eventually it would click while "rolling" (especially on a de-cel).

I really wouldn't worry about tranny, etc. right now. Inspect the CV's.

holleman1

Dales944:

Did the weather make a difference when your CV went bad? I noticed my noise began on a very rainy day and was only noticable when it was wet out. Did you change it your self? Was it hard to do? I know I can fic it myself but time is really an issue for me right now. Money or time? Money or time? Its always one or the other.

Dales944

Weather did make a difference. The colder it was the worse my sound was. Replacing a CV joint is easy to do. It helps to have another person around. Money = less than $90 (assuming you can pin-point which joint it is). Time = less than 2 hours. You do, however, need some special tools - a nice pair of snap-ring plyers and a 12 point wrench (I COMPLETELY forget which size, but I KNOW someone else can help me here). I bought mine at AutoZone as a VW tool - it was a four piece set of 12 point bits for a 1/2 inch drive. Cost me less than $12.

Sorry, I could babble forever about the procedure. PM me if you'd like a total write-up.

holleman1

Dales944

Thanks for the info. This sounds like the problem. I can tell which side its coming from. I went to Clark's garage and ther is a detailded procedure for replacing.

FRporscheman

Replacing a 944 CV / axle assembly is "stupid easy". I have this same problem on my mercedes 300TD and the procedure for replacing that car's axle is quite involved. Opening the differential, removing a wheel, etc. On a 944 you just unbolt each CV from under the car and you're done. If its the driver's side axle, you may have to remove the exhaust. But like you said you already read Clark's Garage so I'm just talkin to myself.

If you need a cheap quick fix, try removing the old axle and putting a ton of fresh CV grease in both ends. This may actually solve the whole problem. Check the boots.