For a couple months I have had a repetitive clunk coming from the drivetrain when I take off. It is more noticeable at lower rpms. I can't hear anything at idle. Disengaging the clutch takes it away, riding the brakes does not. The colder it is the more it happens. The car is a 95 impreza 1.8L fwd.

Edited January 27, 201214 yr by CoupedUpSubie

CV joint is where I would start

Any vibration?

Any feedback in the brake pedal

How are the brakes

one time clunk?

 

repetitive sound? does it follow with the speed of the car or the rpms of the engine? Change with the gears?

answer these questions:

any vibrations?

center, front, rear, left/right?

has it gotten worse over time or came and stayed the same?

any recent work done?

are the axles original Subaru or aftermarket?

 

answer those questions so we can narrow down, there are a few things it could be.

 

based on your limited information so far i'm thinking driveshaft ujoints are failing.

 

you can look visually for ujoint issues though sometimes they don't reveal themselves until removed.

 

if either front axle has ever been replaced and the noise is located up there then those become highly suspect. particularly the inner DOJ's.

any vibrations?

center, front, rear, left/right?

center, sounds closer to the drivers side though

 

has it gotten worse over time or came and stayed the same?

it has been about the same since I noticed it but is aggravated by the cold

 

any recent work done?

around the time the noise showed up I had tried the Bosch Platinum +4 but went back to NGKs because I lost 4 mpg.

 

are the axles original Subaru or aftermarket?

Both axles are napa replacements. One is a little over 2 years old and the other was replaced in an attempt to fix the noise. I have had no issue with them what so ever.

 

 

The only ujoints I know of in the car are in the steering column. Its front wheel drive.

 

Brakes are great. Just replaced the master cylinder.

 

No vibrations. Just a clunk clunk clunk clunk while taking off. I know it happens in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. I am not sure about 4th and 5th because I use them for cruising and not much accelerating.

Edited January 27, 201214 yr by CoupedUpSubie

How many miles.

 

There are U joints in the driveshaft that connect the transmission and the rear axle.

FRONT WHEEL DRIVE

 

I just turned 165k miles today.

FRONT WHEEL DRIVE

 

I just turned 165k miles today.

\

no reason to :Flame:yell.

 

i'm out.

\

no reason to :Flame:yell.

 

i'm out.

 

When something has to be said twice it really bugs me. If it isn't useful for the problem at hand then there is no need for it to be brought up. I give a clarification statement after the initial info. After that anyone who continues to mention something like driveline ujoints on a front wheel drive car deserves it.

 

/rant.

:-p

 

Check the CV boots for tears and grease flung out everywhere.

 

Could also be the main shaft bearing in the transmission. That can click with engine speed when accelerating and be less noticeable or not at all when coasting or when not under load. It's a very rapid clicking sound though, like a big exhaust leak, and increases directly proportionately to engine speed.

Clicking from a bad CV joint will increase with wheel speed.

 

Here's a video of mainshaft bearing noise when driving. http://s145.photobucket.com/albums/r236/CadiLLacPimPin97/Car%20Videos/?action=view&current=transnoiseCE.mp4

The black box is a chassis ear receiver. There is a transmitter stuck to the side of the transmission that picks up the noise, and sends it to the box so you can hear it in the car while driving.

 

Another possibility is the front control arm bushings. The rear bushings (known as transverse arm bushings) are fluid filled that will split and all the silicone fluid leaks out. Then the rubber gets worn out and they wobble around all over the place. Then when the arm is put under stress, such as during acceleration or cornering, the bushing clunks around.

Edited January 28, 201214 yr by Fairtax4me

:-p

 

Check the CV boots for tears and grease flung out everywhere.

 

Could also be the main shaft bearing in the transmission. That can click with engine speed when accelerating and be less noticeable or not at all when coasting or when not under load. It's a very rapid clicking sound though, like a big exhaust leak, and increases directly proportionately to engine speed.

Clicking from a bad CV joint will increase with wheel speed.

 

Here's a video of mainshaft bearing noise when driving. http://s145.photobucket.com/albums/r236/CadiLLacPimPin97/Car%20Videos/?action=view&current=transnoiseCE.mp4

The black box is a chassis ear receiver. There is a transmitter stuck to the side of the transmission that picks up the noise, and sends it to the box so you can hear it in the car while driving.

 

Another possibility is the front control arm bushings. The rear bushings (known as transverse arm bushings) are fluid filled that will split and all the silicone fluid leaks out. Then the rubber gets worn out and they wobble around all over the place. Then when the arm is put under stress, such as during acceleration or cornering, the bushing clunks around.

 

CV joints are all good. I have checked them 100 times in the past 3 months. The transmission noise is way too fast for my noise.

 

Now the silicone leaking from a bushing. That makes sense. When I first discovered the noise I was told to check all of that and saw some white substance coming from my drivers side rear bushing. :facepalm:

 

My father looked at it and didn't think anything of it. He isn't familiar with Subaru though. When I changed the drivers cv shaft I seperated the ball joint and pushed the control arm down out of the way. Could this have temporarily tightened the bushing, the noise went away for about 50 miles.

I thought I replied to this a few days ago. Guess the "submit" button never got hit.

 

Anyway, the silicone fluid in the bushings is usually grey, but It could be black or clear as well.

They are easy to check with a pry bar. Just try to pry the control arm down away from the frame of the car. Pretty much if it moves the bushing is bad. These are very solid when new and movement is minimal. If the fluid is all leaked out it will move easily.

I have a full set of bushings on its way so I can replace them this weekend. Luckily I only live 100 miles from school.

Received the new bushings on Tuesday. Had to wait until yesterday to put them in. They were a huge pain getting the last 3/16" to go in. No noise as of yet but if it comes back then I will be ordering an EMPI axle. It is almost $30 more then a NAPA but its new.

I thought they only fit on one side. Like the center is cone shaped so it won't fit on all the way if you put the bushing on the wrong side.

I thought they only fit on one side. Like the center is cone shaped so it won't fit on all the way if you put the bushing on the wrong side.

 

:facepalm: I should have mentioned that I replaced all four bushings. The rear ones weren't a problem. The front ones were a pain. I had to remove the front bushings myself with no press. The new ones went in most of the way in a vise but required a 3lb hammer against the huge washer type piece I had to hit the outside sleeve. I put another washer under it with a larger hole. All of it was set on the tailgate of a 1ton dump truck.

Oh ok. Different bushings. Yeah those can be a pain. I have a c frame press for that sort of thing. Makes it a breeze.

Noise is back. I was really hoping I had solved it. I only heard it briefly but its there. Hopefully next friday I can have someone ride in my car with me and help pinpoint where its coming from. I honestly think its the passenger CV shaft this time. Is there anyway I can test the inboard joint for failure? It doesn't have any rips or anything so I don't think its loss of grease.

Noise is back. I was really hoping I had solved it. I only heard it briefly but its there. Hopefully next friday I can have someone ride in my car with me and help pinpoint where its coming from. I honestly think its the passenger CV shaft this time. Is there anyway I can test the inboard joint for failure? It doesn't have any rips or anything so I don't think its loss of grease.

 

 

swap with the other side and see if the noise changes.

Have you checked that the engine, transmission, and pitch stopper mount bolts are tight?

I had a weird clunk and drivetrain shake on my car. Turned out the engine mount nuts were booth a few threads loose. Not sure how that happened, but it solved the problem.