Occassional "clunking" sound (getting worse)
04-29-2013
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Occassional "clunking" sound (getting worse)
Hey everyone,
For the record - I absolutely can't stand intermediate issues like this that come and go. Makes it nearly impossible to figure out the problem! (ok - vented)
97 Civic (Auto Trans) - completely stock. I am the only owner. 220K on it. Original everything - with the routine maintenance of course. I've been experiencing two specific issues and I don't know if they're connected or not:
a) over the past 20 months or so, under normal acceleration, the car 'shakes' a bit. It's not very noticeable at normal speeds, and only seems to happen with the throttle down. More specifically, I place the water bottle into the holder (in front of the shifter) and can see it shaking. When i rest something on the passenger seat, I see it shaking. Under heavy acceleration (e.g. going uphill at highway speeds), then you can really notice the shaking. The steering wheel stays straight (doesn't move). When i let off the gas or coast / go downhill...no shake in the car at all.
b) More recently (in the past month), the car has developed a pretty significant clunking sound. Usually just at highway speeds, and only after I've been driving for maybe 10 minutes or so. The best way I can describe it - it's like you're getting a flat tire. I'd be cruising down the highway (no problems outside of the minor shake mentioned above), and then all of a sudden that clunking starts - VERY noticeable...to the point I pulled over once thinking I had a flat. But what really irks me is it stops after a while. It'll last maybe 5 minutes, and then completely go away. 20 miles later, it MAY come back, or it may not. It's been so intermittent.
Today I tried really hard to listen and feel what's happening, and honestly I can't tell where the heck this sound is even coming from. I'm leaning towards the front, but I don't know for sure. It also seems like the car is pulling to one side (driver's side) ever so slightly when the clunking happens, but that's another issue. Out here in PA the roads are terrible. I can't find a clean, straight road to test this on. So for all I know, the road is pulling me...not the car.
I did have the car re-aligned at a shop last summer (prior to this it was really pulling to one side). I also have pretty new tires that I JUST had all re-balanced the other day thinking this was causing the issue. No luck.
I've spent all day researching this site and potential answers are all over the map. The two things I'm leaning towards attempting first are replacing the transmission mount (to stop issue A) and replacing the front axles (issue B; thinking maybe CV joints). But given the symptoms above, do these sound like the culprits? Or is there something else I should focus my attention on first? THANKS EVERYONE!
For the record - I absolutely can't stand intermediate issues like this that come and go. Makes it nearly impossible to figure out the problem! (ok - vented)
97 Civic (Auto Trans) - completely stock. I am the only owner. 220K on it. Original everything - with the routine maintenance of course. I've been experiencing two specific issues and I don't know if they're connected or not:
a) over the past 20 months or so, under normal acceleration, the car 'shakes' a bit. It's not very noticeable at normal speeds, and only seems to happen with the throttle down. More specifically, I place the water bottle into the holder (in front of the shifter) and can see it shaking. When i rest something on the passenger seat, I see it shaking. Under heavy acceleration (e.g. going uphill at highway speeds), then you can really notice the shaking. The steering wheel stays straight (doesn't move). When i let off the gas or coast / go downhill...no shake in the car at all.
b) More recently (in the past month), the car has developed a pretty significant clunking sound. Usually just at highway speeds, and only after I've been driving for maybe 10 minutes or so. The best way I can describe it - it's like you're getting a flat tire. I'd be cruising down the highway (no problems outside of the minor shake mentioned above), and then all of a sudden that clunking starts - VERY noticeable...to the point I pulled over once thinking I had a flat. But what really irks me is it stops after a while. It'll last maybe 5 minutes, and then completely go away. 20 miles later, it MAY come back, or it may not. It's been so intermittent.
Today I tried really hard to listen and feel what's happening, and honestly I can't tell where the heck this sound is even coming from. I'm leaning towards the front, but I don't know for sure. It also seems like the car is pulling to one side (driver's side) ever so slightly when the clunking happens, but that's another issue. Out here in PA the roads are terrible. I can't find a clean, straight road to test this on. So for all I know, the road is pulling me...not the car.
I did have the car re-aligned at a shop last summer (prior to this it was really pulling to one side). I also have pretty new tires that I JUST had all re-balanced the other day thinking this was causing the issue. No luck.
I've spent all day researching this site and potential answers are all over the map. The two things I'm leaning towards attempting first are replacing the transmission mount (to stop issue A) and replacing the front axles (issue B; thinking maybe CV joints). But given the symptoms above, do these sound like the culprits? Or is there something else I should focus my attention on first? THANKS EVERYONE!
04-29-2013
#2
If you think a good mechanic is expensive, try hiring a bad one
Re: Occassional "clunking" sound (getting worse)
under normal acceleration, the car 'shakes' a bit. It's not very noticeable at normal speeds, and only seems to happen with the throttle down. More specifically, I place the water bottle into the holder (in front of the shifter) and can see it shaking. When i rest something on the passenger seat, I see it shaking. Under heavy acceleration (e.g. going uphill at highway speeds), then you can really notice the shaking. The steering wheel stays straight (doesn't move). When i let off the gas or coast / go downhill...no shake in the car at all.
Not engine/trans mounts for this.
b) More recently (in the past month), the car has developed a pretty significant clunking sound.
05-15-2013
#3
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Changed practically the entire suspension. Two new axles included and the vibrations I mentioned below seem to have gone away for the most part. The clunking noise I believe turned out to be bad wheel bearings in the back. After replacing them, took it for a test drive today and the noise seems to have gone away. Wish I started with these before tackling the entire suspension. What a headache. $1500 later (on a car that's only worth maybe 2500), she better last me a while now.
Perhaps this thread will help someone in the future. Thank you
Perhaps this thread will help someone in the future. Thank you
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