Tackett

Alright, did some searches and came out empty handed.

I have just recently been hearing a quiet "chunk chunk chunk" from the general front of the vehicle at slow speeds. It's rhythmic and increases and decreases in relation to speed.

I'm very afraid it's the tranny.

It only occurs with the car in gear. Any gear. Though 1st is most noticeable.

The sound is not present when the car is in neutral and in motion. Only in gear.

It is not noticeable at high speed, though it's existence is possible, maybe just not audible.

Any ideas?

Tackett

Anyone?

It sounds sort of like someone shoveling gravel.

winchman

Any chance of a video with sound? It would help to know how the speed of the car relates to the frequency of the clunking sound.

You say it happens only in gear. Does the frequency change with different gears at the same speed? Does the noise go away if you press the clutch pedal down?

What year is it?

sdZ33

iTrader: (39)

bad bearing?

winchman

"bad bearing?" Well, that's certainly a possibility, but which one? There are dozens of "bearings" in the car. Let's try and narrow it down a bit.

sdZ33

iTrader: (39)

haha, oops... wheel bearing

Tackett

I will try to take a vid of the sound today.

It doesn't sound like the noise changes speeds with gears.

The frequency of the sound is directly relevant to the cars speed.

It's really close to the sound you hear when a tire is flat.

I actually thought for a while that my tire was going flat or had a hole in it. But after checking, tire is fine.

I cannot tell if it is coming from driver or passenger side. It sounds very centralized right in front of the center console. But I can't be for sure. It is possible it is coming from one side or the other, but it's hard to tell.

winchman

It doesn't make much sense that being in gear or out of gear would make a difference with a wheel bearing. However, accelerating in gear versus coasting in neutral might make a difference.

JRUBIO350

probably one of the belts, i had the same problem.

winchman

If it's a belt, it would make the sound when you rev the engine with the car sitting still. Does it do that?

Tackett

Nope, only while rolling in gear.

I tried to take a sound file of it, but it didn't pick up well at all. I'll try again when I get home.

Thanks for all the help so far fellas.

winchman

If the frequency of the clunking sound depends only on the speed of the car, then it's wheel bearings, tires/wheels, rear axles, propellor shaft, or the output end of the transmission.

If the frequency depends only on the speed of the engine, then it's the input side of the transmission, the clutch, or something on the engine itself.

I'm having a hard time with the the sound happening only when the car is in gear if it's something to do with the wheel bearings, etc. That just doesn't add up.

Does the sound get louder (or go away) if the car is going up hill or accelerating (engine working harder), when the car is turning (side load on suspension/bearings), or when the brakes are applied?

Tackett

Definatley louder when going up hill.

I'm really starting to think it's the tranny.

Maybe a throw out bearing or a warped flywheel.

Tackett

Ok update.

After dealing with this noise for a while I have figured out some things:

It is proportionate to the speed of the car.

It still occurs with the car in neutral.

It still occurs with the clutch depressed.

It stops when I gently touch the brake.

I have a video with the noise fairly audible.

http://video.ak.fbcdn.net/cfs-ak-ash...3550_36925.mp4

winchman

You video doesn't work in Firefox or IE, but the symptoms suggest wheel bearings. The pressure of the pads on the rotor changes the load on the bearings just enough to stop the noise.

Just to be on the safe side, I'd jack up each corner (or put the car on a lift) and turn the wheels to make sure the pads aren't dragging on the rotors, and to be sure the rotors are OK. But, my money's on a bad wheel bearing. Now you just have to find which one.

Tackett

video should work now

winchman

Try posting the video here: http://photobucket.com/ It's free, and it works.

Tackett

Ok try this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laulSXvUN7Q

winchman

Wow, that sounds pretty bad. I'd be hesitant to drive the car very much or very fast until the cause is found and fixed.

Have you looked closely at your tires lately? Sometimes you only look at the outside as you walk up to the car, but the inside of the tread will sometimes wear much faster on cars with lots of camber/wide tires. I've seen cord on the inside edge of a tire when the outside part was still OK.

Tackett

I'm dedicating today to trying to figure out the problem.

I will jack it up and check out the tire and the rotation on both wheels.