outbackgeorgia

Good catch Randy, Bill have you removed the right splash panel and checked? My right horn fell off, caught on the splash panel. Bracket broke.

Mrmerlin

you may be able to see inside the rocker by removing the 928 rocker trim panel

To do this drive the pin inside the rear rivet it will be lost.

Then pry up at the the 2/8 number.
NOTE to release the push in pin just pry about 1/2 inch up so you dont break anything,

Then pry the inner edge of the trim upwards along its whole length to release it from the carpet. about 1 inch up is good.

Then gently push the whole panel towards the seat,
this will release the outer white clips, as they will slide out of their slots.

twist the white T clips 90 degrees and they will come free.

Then with a pick gently work the black cups out,
once the cup is out then you can take a stream light and shine it into one of the holes and look into another one.

NOTE you may want to remove the computers to see if you can put a wire down the inner panel


NOTE you may damage the black cups, so having a few extras on hand would be a good thing same for the T clips

NOTE you can also remove the floor plugs that cover the floor strengthener openings stick a wire inside there to probe

Bill Ball

Hi Stan: Yeah, I already popped the cover off the threshold. I had plenty experience of my own breaking the clips before I understood how these were fastened. I haven't gotten a look yet inside. There is a small opening in the front of the rocker area. So, I suppose something could have gotten in there. It's odd how it is more likely to clunk at very low speed and how it is only side to side...nothing on accel/decel.

Mrmerlin

ahh maybe its one of the nut plates on the backside of the door jamb these would slide side to side ,
also inspect the door vent inlet.

dr bob

++ on the horn. The original bracket on mine has been replaced with a nice bit of aluminum angle stock after the original steel tab separated. Horn dangling from the wires will make your noise.

Leon Speed

Factory alarm horn?

dr bob

Factory alarm horn on my similar US '89 car is in the opposite wheelhouse IIRC. Right side has the "regular" wimpy factory horns.

Bill Ball

I checked that early on, but it is a good one to keep on a list of clunk sources.

Bill Ball

I've certainly heard the factory alarm horn, but I don't recall finding it in either wheelhouse.

Bill Ball

The clunk, although sounding like a thud inside the car, has a metallic sound outside the car. It really sounds like a loose suspension component in the right front wheel area. Everything seemed tight, although Bob found some play in rotor versus the caliper, which would indicate a hub versus spindle issue. Wheel bearings were a bit loose and inner was dirty from bad seal. I will do the bearings soon and take pictures of the spindle. I know that can develop wear. There is an imprint of the inner race on the spindle but no wear step. Although everything looked tight and I get no clunks with spirited driving, I will check all bolt torques. Repacking and snugging the bearings made no difference.

FLYVMO

The factory alarm horn is hidden to the right of the HVAC fan, behind the grilled mesh, behind the right hood hinge. Same location on my '86.5 and '90GT so I am fairly certain other years are the same. It does not sound like that would be the issue though.

Cheers!
Carl

Nicole

Bill: I have decently good directional hearing and would be happy to listen and help locate the source. I'm available on Saturday until mid-afternoon. Just call me.

The Deputy

If this noise happens when the car body rolls or twists...

First...I'd take a long hard look at the upper portion of the strut spring. I've seen where the spring has broke, within the first winding at the top, and would make a clunking noise. You'd think the piece would fall out if it was cracked, but it is held captive by the rest of the spring...and just the hard twisting or rolling of the suspension causes it to move (clunk/pop).

Side note: I can't find it at the moment, checked Pelican and Specialist (not found there), but someone has a kit for eleminating a clunking noise from the suspension. I saw it while looking at suspension parts for my car a few days ago...but for the life of me...I can't find it now. Maybe it was 928 International...since I am having a hard time getting on their site this morning.

Second...I'd double check the lower ball-joint. I've seen them get dried out inside, and although there is no up and down movement while checking them, they pop or clunk when you roll the body from side to side (especially while driving, since the load is different). I've even soaked them with lubricant around the rubber, in hopes of some penetrating the rubber boot and changing the sound slightly. Since changing a ball-joint is a pain, and costly, and I wanted to be sure.

Third…although it has already been mentioned by “JeanR”…I’d go back and reevaluate those upper shock mount nuts. Any looseness there will cause a popping/chunking noise. too.

And, I will tell you one thing...after being a mechanic for thirty seven years...clunks and vibrations are the two things I dread the most. (that is besides my wife finding out how much I've spent on the car this month...)

Good luck,

Brian.

Bill Ball

I find no balljoint play or noise when steering the car stationary. There is slight play in the inner tie rod joint. So, I'm just going to go ahead and replace the tie rod and balljoint assemblies even though I don't think they are the source of the clunk.

The only troubling play is in the rotor versus the caliper, indicating something going on in the hub versus the spindle. May just be the wheel bearings, although they make no noise and looked OK on inspection and snugging them changed nothing. Still, they are probably 100K miles old, and inexpensive to replace, so ordered some. The spindles look OK to my eyes.

mark kibort

I found a plyer handle INSIDE my tire.. thought it was a air pressure sensor that broke free and was flying around the inside of the tire. turned out, to be part of the plyer that pierced the tire, but stuck there, plugging up the hole until It was pushed all the way in.... clunk only at slow speeds when it as falling around ... freeway speeds, it was stable due to centrifugal force. pulling the tire off allowed us to see this crazy thing inside the tire.