rear end clunk

B Komar · 05-26-2001, 09:42 AM

I have a "clunking" noise coming from my rear drivetrain. It happens when I let off on the gas and give it the gas again. It doesnt happen when I change gears or push in the clutch, only with a change in momentum. It almost sounds like the splines in my hub are loose and taking up slack. I dont think its in the tranny because it happened before with my other motor and trans combo, and this is a new motor and trans so the only thing thats the same is the axles/CV's/hubs. Anyone have the same problem? THe sound sounds like clanking two big blocks of steel together. Thanks, Brian

John Rogers · 05-26-2001, 05:52 PM

Try grabbing the axle and twist like the load that the transmission puts on then twist the other way as it might be the CV joint(s). Try checking the tranny mounts to see if the rubber has deteriorated and the tranny is banging around and check the front engine mounts to see if they have pulled apart. Good luck.

SteveStromberg · 05-27-2001, 05:21 AM

Check the trailing arm bushings. Steve

Bleyseng · Bleyseng's Garage

Sounds like the engine/tranny mounts are going bad to me. The rear tranny mounts can "look" ok but will allow the the tranny to move and bang around. Also, do you feel any movement in the shifting knob when this happens?
As John suggests, look at the engine mounts too. The torque of the motor will make it bang around if they are bad.
Geoff

------------------
76 914 2.0L

B Komar · 05-27-2001, 08:53 AM

I crawled under and looked around. I can reproduce the noise by pulling out on the left axle towards the wheel. It only makes the noise when I pull out and not when I push it back in(toward the tranny). I imagine that the torque applied when accelerating somehow pushes the axle out and makes the clank noise and deceleration torques the axle back in. I am going to pull the axle off of the car that the engine came from and replace it...hopefully this will fix the problem. Thanks guys, Brian