Rear clunking - low speed and high load

[pragmatic]

Car 2000 LS V6 manual transmission 147,000 miles.

When I accelerate hard in first gear I get a loud banging noise coming from behind me. Never in any other gear, never at speeds above 10 mph, never if I feather the throttle and slowly release the clutch. Noise started Saturday. Have driven ~400 miles (all highway) since I first noticed the noise.

So hard acceleration in 1st gear I get loud banging until I reach 10 mph (two or three loud bangs). No looseness in the back (when turning either direction), no vibration (at least up through 80 mph), no other abnormal noises.

I haven't been under it yet (won't be able to until next Saturday). I'm thinking either rubber driveshaft isolator (GUIBO) or a bad CV joint.

Anyone else experience a similar problem (I searched but came up empty).

Thanks

 

[milehighmikey]

It does sound like your driveshaft support bearing has become torn from its support rubber. That happened to mine at around 120-K miles. There was a period of time that it was not available for order, I hope that has changed. The job itself if a pain for the DIY-er, unless you have a shop press and its neat attachments to slip behind a bearing (the manual shows a huge 3-jaw puller as being capable of this task, but you still need that bearing removal jig that is able to slip behind a bearing's backside and bolt together, allowing a press or puller to slide it up the shaft. The exhaust and heat shielding system needs to come down, shaft removal is accomplished by collapsing the shaft telescopically after removing the three bolts at each end of the shaft collars. If you have the garage do it, then you need not worry about the details. Good luck.

 

[pragmatic]

Forgot there was a center bearing in there. That sounds right. Will look at over the weekend.

Anyone have a part number for the center bearing?

 

[pragmatic]

Well two years (and 23,000 miles) of living with the clunking, finally got under there and removed the exhaust. Center bearing is shot. Will start removal/replacement this week. Hope to be finished before the Belmont next weekend.

 

[milehighmikey]

I thought those bearings were no longer stocked. I dread the next one I'll need, hope it's never, if they indeed stopped making them.

 

[BigBalla39213]

Hb88517

 

[pragmatic]

I bought it two years ago.