rattling/clunking in rear?
01-19-2010, 08:45 PM
#181
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Are you f!%#^%!# kidding me????
I freaking knew it sounded like the hatch!! I have to try this fix as well
However, i'm still waiting for a part to come in so I'll still have them replace those suspension parts on their dime and my time.
I freaking knew it sounded like the hatch!! I have to try this fix as well
However, i'm still waiting for a part to come in so I'll still have them replace those suspension parts on their dime and my time.
Last edited by 350z2k3; 01-19-2010 at 08:54 PM.
01-19-2010, 08:54 PM
#182
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Good news this weekend-found and fixed the noise in the Z myself.
Turns out it was the hatch-some play in it allowed it to bounce and hit the body. It's NOT the struts themselves, but the hatch bouncing/wiggling laterally and hitting the body.
I took some of it apart looking for play in the hatch latch, but there didn't seem to be any. But I noticed the hatch itself had some play in it when you pushed it all the way up, even with the bolts that hold the struts on tightened all the way. It's a big, heavy hatch with not a lot to stabilize it and it's at a very low angle.
So, I plugged up the three places where it might bounce and hit the body with FUNTAC! It was perfect for the job, at least as a temp fix. After damping all the spots where it might hit the body, I went driving. over 40 miles so far -DEAD QUIET! Now why couldn't Nissan figure that out? I brought it in 15 times. Those were entire DAYS that they had to figure out the problem and they didn't do anything. I'm no mechanic, so the only difference is that I gave a sh-t
Now I just need to find the best way to fix it permanently. the Fun Tac is great to work with, but I'm sure it won't stay on. So I have to find some kind of silicon or foam, etc.
pics attached!
Turns out it was the hatch-some play in it allowed it to bounce and hit the body. It's NOT the struts themselves, but the hatch bouncing/wiggling laterally and hitting the body.
I took some of it apart looking for play in the hatch latch, but there didn't seem to be any. But I noticed the hatch itself had some play in it when you pushed it all the way up, even with the bolts that hold the struts on tightened all the way. It's a big, heavy hatch with not a lot to stabilize it and it's at a very low angle.
So, I plugged up the three places where it might bounce and hit the body with FUNTAC! It was perfect for the job, at least as a temp fix. After damping all the spots where it might hit the body, I went driving. over 40 miles so far -DEAD QUIET! Now why couldn't Nissan figure that out? I brought it in 15 times. Those were entire DAYS that they had to figure out the problem and they didn't do anything. I'm no mechanic, so the only difference is that I gave a sh-t
Now I just need to find the best way to fix it permanently. the Fun Tac is great to work with, but I'm sure it won't stay on. So I have to find some kind of silicon or foam, etc.
pics attached!
That's exactly where I had pinpointed the noise before!!!! The dealer said that couldn't be it and diagnosed the suspension.
I remember you saying "It's not that hatch!!!" dammit man lol
I'm just glad you fixed it, now you can love you car again!
Last edited by 350z2k3; 01-19-2010 at 09:04 PM.
01-20-2010, 03:56 AM
#185
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You sir are my hero. We need to make sure and call Nissan out on this one...
Any idea which of the contact points were making the most noise? If its just the struts I may just putty those up and call it a day.
.
Any idea which of the contact points were making the most noise? If its just the struts I may just putty those up and call it a day.
.
Last edited by nerdbebo; 01-20-2010 at 03:58 AM.
01-20-2010, 07:06 AM
#186
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I'm so happy it worked for you guys, too! I can't believe we've been down this long road. We figured it out together, all of us.
What do you think would work best as a permananet fix? Epoxy? Silicone?
The adhesive stuff I used is just like the blue stuff you posted, but from 3M. I used to use the blue brand to dampen speakers and audio components, which is how I first knew of it.
It's so much more fun to drive now.
What do you think would work best as a permananet fix? Epoxy? Silicone?
The adhesive stuff I used is just like the blue stuff you posted, but from 3M. I used to use the blue brand to dampen speakers and audio components, which is how I first knew of it.
It's so much more fun to drive now.
01-20-2010, 07:09 AM
#187
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Yeah, sorry about that. I guess the fact that the new suspension made it go away for a while really threw me off. lol. Hope you can forgive me.
01-20-2010, 01:53 PM
#190
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I wonder if it is a preload issue now that you all have found the joints to be the problem. Since the hydraulic shock loses pressure in the winter making the noise more noticeable. Has anyone tried upgrading to higher pressure shocks to fix the issue, ike the ones sold below? Shesh, the hatch needs seasonal adjustments on the piston like storm doors have.
http://www.350zhatchshocksandmore.com/
The much cheaper option, just need to take some measurements. http://www.mcmaster.com/#
http://www.350zhatchshocksandmore.com/
The much cheaper option, just need to take some measurements. http://www.mcmaster.com/#
Last edited by cellude; 01-20-2010 at 02:14 PM.
01-20-2010, 07:19 PM
#192
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I wonder if it is a preload issue now that you all have found the joints to be the problem. Since the hydraulic shock loses pressure in the winter making the noise more noticeable. Has anyone tried upgrading to higher pressure shocks to fix the issue, ike the ones sold below? Shesh, the hatch needs seasonal adjustments on the piston like storm doors have.
http://www.350zhatchshocksandmore.com/
The much cheaper option, just need to take some measurements. http://www.mcmaster.com/#
http://www.350zhatchshocksandmore.com/
The much cheaper option, just need to take some measurements. http://www.mcmaster.com/#
01-20-2010, 08:49 PM
#193
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Welp...I think I've figured it out 100%. My rattle returned, I'll explain why:
It was weird having the putty constantly stick to the little plastic hatch spring everytime you open the hatch, so I thought about putting paper over the putty there. I went to drive the car today, and the rattle returned (I did not touch the putty on the hatch struts). So I figured out what's going on:
Upon examining my hatch when it's closed, I noticed the hatch was crooked. Yes, crooked. The right side (where our rattle is) is sitting ever so slightly lower than the left side. The difference in measurements is probably fractional, but during our meet tonight, I asked everyone and they all agreed, it's lower. So what's going on is that the hatch has a little play (I've always known this) and because it's too low it rattles against the car ever so slightly (I believe it's rattling against the rear-quarter panel).
Now, why does it stop with the putty? Because the putty is acting like an adhesive and holding the hatch down, preventing it from moving about, and rattling. In my case, the rattle will disappear, but you can still hear a stress creak/tick emanating when you turn or the chassis flexes a little.
So, now the problem is this...how do you adjust the hatch height on one side? I see the two brackets that fasten the hatch down, and I wonder if twisting them will do anything. I think the latch adjustment might do the trick, because when I was playing around with it, I noticed it actually changes the height of the gap between the hatch lid and the bumper.
In the meantime, I'm going to try velcro, since it won't deteriorate under the force of the hatch spring (where the spring carves a hole), all the while it'll ensure that the spring is stuck to the car, since I'll put two pieces, obviously. But I think we're very close to a full cure!
It was weird having the putty constantly stick to the little plastic hatch spring everytime you open the hatch, so I thought about putting paper over the putty there. I went to drive the car today, and the rattle returned (I did not touch the putty on the hatch struts). So I figured out what's going on:
Upon examining my hatch when it's closed, I noticed the hatch was crooked. Yes, crooked. The right side (where our rattle is) is sitting ever so slightly lower than the left side. The difference in measurements is probably fractional, but during our meet tonight, I asked everyone and they all agreed, it's lower. So what's going on is that the hatch has a little play (I've always known this) and because it's too low it rattles against the car ever so slightly (I believe it's rattling against the rear-quarter panel).
Now, why does it stop with the putty? Because the putty is acting like an adhesive and holding the hatch down, preventing it from moving about, and rattling. In my case, the rattle will disappear, but you can still hear a stress creak/tick emanating when you turn or the chassis flexes a little.
So, now the problem is this...how do you adjust the hatch height on one side? I see the two brackets that fasten the hatch down, and I wonder if twisting them will do anything. I think the latch adjustment might do the trick, because when I was playing around with it, I noticed it actually changes the height of the gap between the hatch lid and the bumper.
In the meantime, I'm going to try velcro, since it won't deteriorate under the force of the hatch spring (where the spring carves a hole), all the while it'll ensure that the spring is stuck to the car, since I'll put two pieces, obviously. But I think we're very close to a full cure!
01-20-2010, 09:37 PM
#194
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I adjusted the hatch latch when I first bought the car to get rid of the hatch latch buzzing, which was just as annoying...it worked...I tried adjusting it back when this other rattle started and it didn't do anything except bring the hatch latch buzz back.
Frustrating.
Hopefully we can figure this out
Frustrating.
Hopefully we can figure this out
01-21-2010, 05:01 PM
#195
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I had stronger struts installed over a year ago to make the hatch stay up.
My clunk is still gone so far. I'm going to play around with it soon and see which of the three spots are important, maybe trying silicone or something like that...
My clunk is still gone so far. I'm going to play around with it soon and see which of the three spots are important, maybe trying silicone or something like that...
Last edited by captfantastic76; 01-21-2010 at 05:12 PM.
01-21-2010, 07:28 PM
#196
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Well, today at work I drove over the bouncy road into the parking lot where this noise, clunk, rattle, clatter whatever is the worst. I drove in and the noise was prominent as usual. I parked, opened and propped up the hatch, drove back down the road and the noise is still there and sounds the same. It also sounds like it's in the exact same spot as when the hatch is closed.
With that, it sounds like my issue could be very well the suspension issue the dealer diagnosed. Still waiting on one part to come in, a bushing. (Three weeks for a freaking bushing, seriously?)
With that, it sounds like my issue could be very well the suspension issue the dealer diagnosed. Still waiting on one part to come in, a bushing. (Three weeks for a freaking bushing, seriously?)
01-22-2010, 05:34 AM
#197
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OK-I drove mine this morning and it seems to be coming back-but not as bad as it was before. I noticed that the putty on the body where the black rubber things make contact was very mashed down. I'll play with it after work/tomorrow.
I was wondering if that contact point was important or not. Maybe it is. I figure I must be on the right track because it was absolutley GONE for a while there.
Arnold, interesting thing you mention. But looking at my hatch, at appears to be perfectly straight. Keep me posted.....
BTW, I got an infraction on this forum yesterday for posting my subwoofer for sale. I didn't realize you had to include a picture with your screen name on paper. Oops.
I was wondering if that contact point was important or not. Maybe it is. I figure I must be on the right track because it was absolutley GONE for a while there.
Arnold, interesting thing you mention. But looking at my hatch, at appears to be perfectly straight. Keep me posted.....
BTW, I got an infraction on this forum yesterday for posting my subwoofer for sale. I didn't realize you had to include a picture with your screen name on paper. Oops.
01-22-2010, 11:36 AM
#198
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The putty got cold, Capn, and didn't adhere to the hatch anymore. I have velcro in place there right now. It still rattles a bit, but not as bad as before. I may add another layer of velcro, just to increase the height and minimize the distance between the hatch and the car.
Last edited by SniperHunter; 01-22-2010 at 11:44 AM.
01-22-2010, 04:19 PM
#199
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Good idea. I'll try to work on it tomorrow too. Tonight I got it pretty much dead quiet just by remolding the putty. I might try some felt covered pieces of rubber... Keep me posted and keep up the good work....
01-22-2010, 04:40 PM
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I've been following the thread and would love to try some stuff out but the car is up at Forged so have a little wait.. eh.
So anyway, just a thought, but have used this stuff to insulate metal-to-metal contact before. Maybe dip the popper things into it and add a layer of rubber on it? Do a couple coats and it can dry pretty thick. It's available at Lowe's/Home Depot/Walmart cheap.
http://www.plastidip.com/home_solutions/Plasti_Dip
So anyway, just a thought, but have used this stuff to insulate metal-to-metal contact before. Maybe dip the popper things into it and add a layer of rubber on it? Do a couple coats and it can dry pretty thick. It's available at Lowe's/Home Depot/Walmart cheap.
http://www.plastidip.com/home_solutions/Plasti_Dip
Last edited by frizille; 01-22-2010 at 04:43 PM.