I've yot a wierd metal to metal clanking noise. Its only present after i take off after coming to a complete stop. Sometimes Iit sounds like its directly underneath drivers seat sometimes sounds like its in the rear. Recent work done was oil pan gasket, trans gasket and flex plate tension release. I dont think its related but certainly noise came on about a week or two later. Suspesion is tight and tranny and exhaust are solid.

 

A first test could be getting the car up and spinning each wheel by hand. Don't no more about the sound, or its modifying factors.

 

did you replace the MMs?
where is the oil pan in relation to the front cross member?

Has the TT ever been rebuilt?
have you looked for migrating front or rear TT bearings?
Might the heat shields have gotten bent

 

Motor mounts were recent. Heat shields are good.

 

It could be the torque tube (TT) vibration dampener has come apart and is traveling up and down the TT under acceleration and braking. The vibration dampener is just a hunk of metal suspended in some rubber bushings. Once they come apart the metal portion acts like a slide hammer in the TT.

Picture is of a dampener that had come apart and besides moving the TT #2 and #3 bearings from their assigned positions, also rubbed on the drive shaft.

Best to get under the car and start looking around, with the TT being the first culprit to check out.

HTH,

 

I have the exact same noise on my 86.5. Glad to see your post because I haven't found much history on RL about this noise.

I captured it on video the other day but haven't uploaded it to YouTube yet. Constantine's reply is also what I suspect is my problem. It's very annoying but I've had it for over a year and nothing has broken, so I'm thinking it's not as serious as it sounds. Sounds like someone tapping on the bell housing with a hammer during acceleration and during stopping. I've looked everything over on the lift many times and can't find any other issues.

My car has original TT, never out of the car. Guess it's time but not looking forward to it.

 

I feel for you guys because I've been hearing similar noises... and some of them for years.

I hear a rat, tat, tat noise at low speeds that sounds like it coming from under and back while driving out of the neighborhood. It tends to go away or I get used to it after driving. Also have a higher frequency noise between rattle and buzz on acceleration that makes me think heat shield, but they are intact and solid.

Add that to some very squeaky brakes, a few suspensions creeks and groans, and an A/C clutch or compressor ready to blow and I hear enough auxiliary noise to go crazy. Then I put the hammer down and all is better. It's running amazingly good lately even though is sounds like $h!t.

Part of me says drive it till something breaks or gets crazy loud... the other part says take it apart this winter. Not sure which part will win, but until then it's hammer down with tunes cranked up!

 

I have the same noise and it is the bearings/dampner in the TT going bad. Some part of one of them has slid back and is rattling around on the rear pinch bolt of the drive shaft. Found the culprit by taking down the rear heat shields, pulling the rubber plug on the TT and sticking my finger in the hole forwards towards the engine.
In my case, there was a bearing race or something that had slid down the driveshaft and was rattling around (sometimes not always) on the driveshaft at the rear pinch bolt location.

Constantine is making me new, not used, 25mm driveshaft and super bearings. This should be the end of that noise for a long, long time. Putting new converter carrier bearings in while in there pulling the TT and transmission as well as a new PSD to transaxle hose since it is original as well.

 

Ok if it is this part. How long before i have to replace it. Would it cause damage if left alone. How long does it travel. Picturing this in my mind...whatever is moving down there isnt traveling too far maybe 6"-12".

 

Go under the car and tight all the bolts to the lower control arms,stabilizer bushings , cross member.

I had same clunking noise when the car come to a stop

Some times when i would go over a bump. Some times it sounds as it was on the driver side,and other times it sounds from the right side.

 

I spent some time last week with rich trying to track this down.
My observations:
-Noise is only heard when accelerating from a dead stop
-noise is not heard when coming to a stop
-noise is not heard when going over bumps
-checked and tightened all front suspension mounting bolts
-Noise sounds like it is underneath the car from somewhere that is behind the front seats (rear half of the car)
-doesn't sound like the whatever is shifting is very dense/heavy/large
-recent work: r&r engine crossmember, released flex plate, trans pan gasket

To me it kinda sounded like the battery is loose or something underneath is shifting

Borys K

 

Is the frequency RPM related? Exhaust leaks, especially at the manifold of first few junctions, make clicking noises, sounding a lot like lifter clatter. Either one - lifter clatter or exhaust leaks - commonly go away as the engine warms up.

 

So the noise is more of a thud when i brake and a clank when i take off.

 

from the info provided your damper is sliding back and forth in the rear of the TT,
best to remove the TT and fix it.

Note you can pin it by drilling a few 1/8 in holes and putting in rivets to hold it in place
the rivet back sides will stop it from sliding

 

Ok...something to try...what harm could be done leaving it as is...