$460 Later..still clunks &%^@%$!#@

[lsbit]

"Venting on"

You know that movie "The Money Pit" where Tom Hanks loses it when the bathtub falls through the floor?? I think that is where I am at now. I about :q:q:q:q when I drove the car down the driveway and still heard the clunk after replacing both lower ball joints. I KNOW the ball joints were bad and had to be replaced, but after $460 in parts I would have hoped the F*ck that it would have gotten rid of that *(^%@! noise! And...that vibration is still there between 40-50. Maybe I didn't find the right bad coil. I don't know... What I do know is I wanted to wreck it in the rain tonight but the damn advance trak works.

"Venting off"

Thanks. I know someone here will understand.

 

[eL eS]

"Venting on"

You know that movie "The Money Pit" where Tom Hanks loses it when the bathtub falls through the floor?? I think that is where I am at now. I about :q:q:q:q when I drove the car down the driveway and still heard the clunk after replacing both lower ball joints. I KNOW the ball joints were bad and had to be replaced, but after $460 in parts I would have hoped the F*ck that it would have gotten rid of that *(^%@! noise! And...that vibration is still there between 40-50. Maybe I didn't find the right bad coil. I don't know... What I do know is I wanted to wreck it in the rain tonight but the damn advance trak works.

"Venting off"

Thanks. I know someone here will understand.

brother I know the feeling all too well. Just when you think you got the thing licked either the problem still persists or a new crops up. The only way I knew I was going to lick that misfire issue was to replace every damn coil and plug and I took the liberty to replace a bunch of sensors and such while working on it.

Wouldn't ya know as soon as I got the last coils in and was ready for my drive down easy street the CEL came on and that when I ended up replacing the pcv valve and elbow tube. It is unfortuneate that this cars are next to impossible to steal becasue I cant count the times I wanted to park this in the not so safe part of town for the night wink wink.

 

[Dutch]

I know your pain. I went through a series of expensive repairs after I bought mine last summer, but I am now celebrating almost 3 months without a mechanical malfunction and I'm loving it. The vibration at 45-50 mph may be a u-joint, BTW.

 

[eL eS]

Yeah I too must admit that the car is running great right now. I am only 2 weeks in to the work but the confidence level is growing by the day. I was begining to think the car had something against me. I was starting to take it personal.

 

[luckieleo]

Yeah I too must admit that the car is running great right now. I am only 2 weeks in to the work but the confidence level is growing by the day. I was begining to think the car had something against me. I was starting to take it personal.

man, if i took what this car has done to me personally, i would be one miserable bastard right now!!! i've ordered my pcv, and all valve cover gaskets, but im sure as soon as thats done, the coil packs will need to be done!. ...i havent even started thinking about the work i'm gonna go thru for the noise! one thing at a time.... this is gonna be fun. :L


its not you, really :Beer

 

[eL eS]

man, if i took what this car has done to me personally, i would be one miserable bastard right now!!! i've ordered my pcv, and all valve cover gaskets, but im sure as soon as thats done, the coil packs will need to be done!. ...i havent even started thinking about the work i'm gonna go thru for the noise! one thing at a time.... this is gonna be fun. :L


its not you, really :Beer

not certain if you have planned for the coils yet but it might be worth buying the three you need for the RH side along with the plugs. If will save you some serious dis-assy/re-assy time.


I realized that the car doesn't hate me it hates all of us since then things have been better. Despite all the :bsflag: :L

 

[Jim Henderson]

Maybe not your problem, but a lot of times clunking and vibration is not a problem with the drive train, sometimes it is a loose component under the car.

Next time you have it jacked up to change oil or something, get under the car with a STRONG light and look at stuff and grab things and shake them. Something might be loose.

My previous car had a clunk and occasional buzz/vibration, several times. One time it was a loose exhaust hanger. Another time it was some sort of vibration damper weight that was loose. On my truck it has been loose rock shields, loose exhaust shields, running board hangers etc.

Once you fix any loose parts, the clunk or vibration may go away. And even if it doesn't you will have fixed something that needed to be fixed at little cost anyway.

Checking under the car is always worth doing when you are under there anyway. takes maybe 10 miinutes to look around.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

[lsbit]

Thanks. I really needed to vent and take a break.

I'll check everything again.

 

[l-m tech]

you guys need to know that the bolts and washers are indexed to that spot .mark your washer and bolts ,make sure thay go back in the same place.if you go to checking the u joints. check the swayber links and bushings for the rattle.dont get to beat up about it and dont give up.

 

[lsbit]

you guys need to know that the bolts and washers are indexed to that spot .mark your washer and bolts ,make sure thay go back in the same place.if you go to checking the u joints. check the swayber links and bushings for the rattle.dont get to beat up about it and dont give up.

I hear ya. The funny thing is, after driving it for 10 minutes or so, it drives perfectly. No vibrations or anything. It drives like a friggen Lincoln. The rattles are still there though. Strange stuff. If the engine didn't shake so much when cold, I would think I had a tranny problem. I am hoping there is still another bad coil to be found.