driveshaft issue

[trinity_gt]

Okay...*thinks*...so if you stand beside the car as it sits in your driveway, grab a wheelwell and give 'er side to side, getting the thing shaking on the axle, would you hear any noise then? If so, perhaps you've got an undiscovered UCA torque box spot weld issue.

Any noises under acceleration or during abrupt transitions from accel to decel and back to accel?

{Silly question} Are you certain the spare tire and jack in the trunk is secured?

 

[Torinalth]

i used to be able to push on the drivers side of the car and get a noise.. kinda like something hitting my exhaust pipe (not that, nothing was touching, drove me insane trying to find it, never could)

i didnt think about the UCAs... and i suppose if a spot weld is broken the noise could be pushed from the metal on metal that brakes free once enough tension is given.... would make sense. and yes in transition from accell to decel, but mainly from decel to accel it is almost like a crack of a wooden bat on a hood of a car.

and yes the jack and wrench is in my back floor board, and the spire is tightened way more then it needs to be (my first thought way long ago)

Torinalth

 

[Torinalth]

also, what would be the best course to FIND a broken weld.. if there is one. to my knowledge there is no place to see it from inside the car... which means it has to be from underneath... and while that doesnt bother me, its hard to get up there without a lift to check it out.

Torinalth

 

[trinity_gt]

You might try this:

While you look carefully with a trouble light, contorting as necessary to see whatever you can, have a friend at the wheel. Have him put the car in first gear and, with the parking brake firmly applied and the wheels chocked, load and unload the drivetrain with the clutch pedal (or put it in drive and "brake-torque" if it's auto...) Of course you need to be careful you don't overheat the clutch or trans...

But while the rear is being torqued, see if you can spot any extra movement up in the UCA area as the axle tries to rotate in reaction to the drivetrain loading. Maybe you'll see something then.

 

[Torinalth]

hmmm... thats a desaster waiting to happen. i dont trust anyone but my father with working my cars clutch... and its kinda difficult getting to see the old man. hmmm.... and i doubt anyone i know would know what to look for... sigh. damn it, why cant i have friends that like cars. stupid lawyers.

Torinalth

 

[hognutz]

okay if the slack is in the drive train it should be very easy to find.

1. ujoints (pull the driveline and inspect them)
2. ring and pinion backlash (factory specs are .008-.012)
3. transmission mount
4. transmission (not likely)
5. output shaft and driveshaft yolk. (easy to check)

put the car in neutral with the park brake set and verify it is not the tranny.

IMO just undo the drive shaft and check the driveline yolk to output shaft clearence. should be a few thousands.

then check the ujoints should have no play at all

then check the pinion yolk. there should be .008 to .012 play hear. that is not much. to truely verify you could buy a dial indicator and pull the inspectin cover.

then inspect the tranny mount.

that pretty much takes care of any issues in the drive train.

 

[Torinalth]

thanks hog... i dont know where i will be able to do this now.. forgot i have to go to a wedding this weekend.. and also forgot i was the best man... heh... so we will have to see whats able to be done.

Torinalth

 

[jaztherot]

I find it hilarious.... what?.... no one ever finishes their thread... what?... with all the help they get, you know someone else is having the same g.d. problem. Sooo many times i get to the end of a thread and think, "so what was the problem", but i never, ever, get an answer, 'cause no one, and i mean NO ONE, EVER finishes up their thread. Thanks for nothing, again.

 

[GTtopLESS]

Tor I got the EXACT same issue. When I shift into or from ANY gear there is this clunk (not metal on metal) that feels most like def is coming from driveline. I also am able to rotate my ds appx 1/16". I ALSO have a clunk kind of feeling when I hit bumps on pos roads. I have full steeda suspension with no attention ever being paid to UCA or LCA. the U joint sounds like a hopefull fix to me. My final guess is slop from the 3.73 install previous owner did.... i CAN shift my car smoothly but it takes alot more out of the clutch...