clank clank clank...what happened?

[jwmc1]

I was taking my car on a short drive after work and I was turning back and the car felt rough all of a sudden on the passenger side front tire...steering was fine. Then about a half mile down the road it start clanking bad, like metal on metal. No loss of oil pressure, not overheating. I decided just to take it slow and head home. Sitting at a red light and the clanking got worse, then smoke from the hood. smelled like rubber burning. acceleration seemed slower, just pulled into a lot and called a flat bed.

I looked at the engine and saw nothing...no leaking fluids.

Thoughts?

[fiat22turbo]

Probably a belt issue.

[jwmc1]

Timing belt? Seemed awfully violent to be something minor, but then again...

[jeffrsmith]

Does the car have a rubber center clutch disk? My vote would be for the rubber center to have let go. If the rubber lets go the metal limp home tangs will make quite a racket, or clank clank clank. This could also explain the rubber smell.

[jwmc1]

Originally Posted by jeffrsmith

Does the car have a rubber center clutch disk? My vote would be for the rubber center to have let go. If the rubber lets go the metal limp home tangs will make quite a racket, or clank clank clank. This could also explain the rubber smell.

It is an automatic

[jeffrsmith]

How many miles? The auto uses a rubber damper disk that will crack and let go and will also make use of the limp home tangs to keep the car going. I bet if you look through the inspection hole on your bellhousing you will see rubber chunks, if you don't see anything through the inspection hole pull the starter you will be a much better look. These damper disks are a known wear item on the automatics and a replacement damper costs approx $1500, I don't know what kind of labor charges you are looking at but it is pretty much the same job as a clutch replacement.

Go take a look at the pictures at the below link, it will show you what a bad damper disk looks like.

http://www.944online.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1297199732

[jwmc1]

Originally Posted by jeffrsmith

How many miles? The auto uses a rubber damper disk that will crack and let go and will also make use of the limp home tangs to keep the car going. I bet if you look through the inspection hole on your bellhousing you will see rubber chunks, if you don't see anything through the inspection hole pull the starter you will be a much better look. These damper disks are a known wear item on the automatics and a replacement damper costs approx $1500, I don't know what kind of labor charges you are looking at but it is pretty much the same job as a clutch replacement.

Go take a look at the pictures at the below link, it will show you what a bad damper disk looks like.

944 Forum - auto flex plate replacement

has 72,000 miles on it...$1,500 for parts???

[marbleusmike]

These cars have interference motors…meaning if the timing belt breaks the valves bang into the pistons and stuff (valves) bends and breaks! I'm not saying that that is what it is but if it is it's not good!

[jwmc1]

Originally Posted by jeffrsmith

How many miles? The auto uses a rubber damper disk that will crack and let go and will also make use of the limp home tangs to keep the car going. I bet if you look through the inspection hole on your bellhousing you will see rubber chunks, if you don't see anything through the inspection hole pull the starter you will be a much better look. These damper disks are a known wear item on the automatics and a replacement damper costs approx $1500, I don't know what kind of labor charges you are looking at but it is pretty much the same job as a clutch replacement.

Go take a look at the pictures at the below link, it will show you what a bad damper disk looks like.

944 Forum - auto flex plate replacement

Would it clank if it were in park, if this was the problem?

[jeffrsmith]

Originally Posted by jwmc1

has 72,000 miles on it...$1,500 for parts???

Yep! I replaced mine with the static clutch setup mentioned in that link I posted, got the parts from different members on the forums for approx $200. The car does not drive any differently from when it had the rubber damper.

[jwmc1]

Originally Posted by marbleusmike

These cars have interference motors…meaning if the timing belt breaks the valves bang into the pistons and stuff (valves) bends and breaks! I'm not saying that that is what it is but if it is it's not good!

This is exactly what I am worried about...arghhh...

[jeffrsmith]

Originally Posted by jwmc1

Would it clank if it were in park, if this was the problem?

Yes, it will clank a lot more when you are in gear and stationary.

[jeffrsmith]

Check out this video clip

Porsche 968 Automatic Damper Failure - YouTube

[jwmc1]

Originally Posted by jeffrsmith

Yes, it will clank a lot more when you are in gear and stationary.

That is exactly what was happening...would the car smoke if this happened, I assume the rubber was shredded

[jeffrsmith]

Originally Posted by marbleusmike

These cars have interference motors…meaning if the timing belt breaks the valves bang into the pistons and stuff (valves) bends and breaks! I'm not saying that that is what it is but if it is it's not good!

If the timing belt broke it would not continue to run.

[jwmc1]

Originally Posted by jeffrsmith

If the timing belt broke it would not continue to run.

What if if it slipped a position?

[jeffrsmith]

Originally Posted by jwmc1

That is exactly what was happening...would the car smoke if this happened, I assume the rubber was shredded

Yes. If you look at the pics in the 944online post you will see how the edges of the broken damper look melted = smoke/rubber smell.

[jeffrsmith]

Originally Posted by jwmc1

What if if it slipped a position?

Bad things would happen, possible bent valves - engine would not continue to run.

What year / model do you have?

[jwmc1]

Originally Posted by jeffrsmith

Bad things would happen, possible bent valves - engine would not continue to run.

What year / model do you have?

I don't think this is it, the car ran fine, I shut it off...it is a 1986 944 NA

[jwmc1]

Also, probably should not have done this, but after it sat I did start it again...clanking sound, but it ran