I am getting a horrible clunking noise from the Driveline of my vert. It happens during stop and go traffic, and when I turn slowly to park the car. I'm thinking that it is the driveshaft and/or axles. I have the car up on stands now and i'm going to remove the exhaust when it cools down.



I know that the drive shaft is easy to remove and replace, but what else could it be? I have a gut feeling that it is the gearbox, and not the driveshaft. Am I a fool?



How should I go about troubleshooting the driveshaft, and the axles. I really don't beat on the car at all, i've never done a burnout or donuts on dry pavement (snow only, oops). I have no money, so i can't just bring it to a mechanic to fix. I wish I could.

 

grab the driveshaft with your hands and see how much it moves,

also remember to mark the driveshaft when you take it out so it

goes back the same way, sometimes you can get a vibration for

installing the driveshaft 180 degrees out.

 

its prolly the d shaft, the tranny should have other symptoms. (noise 1-3 and 5 but not 4th etc)



mike

 

Thanks guys, I got the exhaust off, after 2 beers and 10 cigarettes. This is what I have found:



1. With the car in gear, there is no driveshaft slop/play and no noise, with the car out of gear the prop/driveshaft "clicks". The clicking noise seems to be coming from the gearbox (odd). I'm holding the driveshaft on both ends of the U-joint



2. The tranny mount was ready to fall off, and is missing 1 of the 4 bolts that mount it to the chassis, on top of that the bolts that where installed had about 4 threads of purchase. Which I presume created some sort of misalignment , and I will call the shop that installed my clutch tomorrow and see if the problem can be rectified. Also the large washer/rubber dampner on the gearbox mount is now very crooked when the bolts where torqued.



once again, thanks and anymore info and input is appreciated, If we ever meet, i'll buy the first round

 

Oh, and when I grab the driveshaft, with the car out of gear the drive shaft deflects about 30 degrees before stopping

 

thats normal, its the lash on the rear end gears. my friends pickup has made that "clink" sound for years we're pretty sure its the dshaft



mike

 

Hows the rear diff mount look?

 

The diff looks fine, no leaks and I THINKthe mounts look happy, anything else i should look at? Other than fluid level, and what type of fluid to put in? The fill plug is painted yellow, does that denote an LSD equipped rear?



Honestly, I can't see the rear diff mount, its dark out and I do not have a drop light . How would I go about troubleshooting the rear diff mount?

 

you sure that yellow paint isnt junkyard paint?

 

Its just the plug that is painted yellow rob. I tightened everything on the tranny mount up to spec and the same noise moved from the front of the car to the rear/ diff area. So i am thinking that the diff mount is not up to par ?



any other ideas?, i'm taking the car to J&R's tomorrow