[acidtonic]

So now that the electrical issues are fixed my next project is figuring out where that damn metal on metal clanking is coming from....

I've been under the car a few times and cant find a damn thing wrong. I've jacked a few parts up seeing if they move enough to touch the frame, I've messed with the exhaust hangers for the catback. When I'm under the car I lift my back up with my legs on the rear and I can lift the car up a good amount and flex the control arms and dampers without them making any noise....

Only noise I do know about is the damn passenger side Ebrake line that runs from the rear wheel up into the frame before it comes out again in the center to attach to the line. That part where it goes in the frame has a lot of tension on the line and it squeaks really bad but its for sure not even close to the metal and metal sound I'm hearing only when the cars in motion.....

Happens mostly when one tire hits a bump, being hard on the gas in 1st like on off on off etc to get the car to buck doesnt make any noise, neither does turning unless theres bumps......

I'm going freaking insane here..... Any ideas besides just replacing a bunch of shit since I'm waiting on funds for a torque arm watts link setup anyway.

[Lefty]

Check the U-Joints.

[acidtonic]

Originally Posted by Lefty Check the U-Joints.

How do you do that? Hell I even had the driveshaft off while working on the trans friday. Not sure what to check really? Looked good and seemed easy to move?

[HMUSN]

not supposed to be any play in it. like less then a 1/8 inch.

[acidtonic]

Absolutely zero play. Solid as a rock. With tranny in 1st, and E brake on I cant get it to even slightly budge. (rotating driveshaft)

I do notice one thing. It seems worst at slower driving speeds. Clutch on or off has no bearing to vibration or noise.

I put the car on a level surface (my driveway) and leave the E-brake off and in 1st gear. Then get under the rear of the car and use my knees to gently lift the fuel tank area and push the car ever so far forward I hear a clank from the piece that connects the rear driveshaft into the diff AFTER the ujoint. Its the piece that the driveshaft bolts to and it has a tiny bit of play from moving the car forward to backwards. about 1mm maybe? And this is when the car rolls a bit forwards and backwards. Its solid when E brake is on.

I of course cant move the car far since I dont want it to actually roll with me under it but just making it rock forwards and backwards gently I can hear the diff making a clanking noise but its with so little motion and force that its not loud enough to tell if its my clank or not?!?

I do have vibration that I thought originally was my throwout bearing. It IS on its way out soon for sure since its squeaking and vibrating the pedal at slow speeds too but this clanking noise seemed to have came on about the same time as the vibration I'm feeling through the shifter. Before I just had some pedal vibration and never any tranny vibration until now. I think its two different issues, one being the throw out which I'm replacing soon anyway

U Joints both front and back have the clips all in place and I did notice the front U joint has little grooves in the center of the U where it looks like perhaps the other side of the U can/has touched it? Both sides of the front have it and the back doesnt. Was this built in stock as reliefs or am I seeing a possible failure here?

I am worried sick about this vibration I read enough horror stories of people catapulting the car if the front ujoint breaks. Also helps that I drive on Southfield Freeway to work now that I work for Ford and its a horrible bumpy ass road with concrete walls on both sides and no shoulder if I break down. Doesnt help they do 70-80mph either

Just dont feel safe and I dont have another ride at the moment. Being in between jobs sucks waiting for that first paycheck.

[Fluffy The Rhino]

Probably not this, but hey, you never know : )

Clanking from 11/10/2003 - 2003-04 Mach 1 Registry Owners Club

[acidtonic]

Originally Posted by FluffyTheRhino Probably not this, but hey, you never know : ) Clanking from 11/10/2003 - 2003-04 Mach 1 Registry Owners Club

Haha at this point I'll check. I'm losing my damn mind. Its so loud I'm embarrassed to drive down my street.

[acidtonic]

Could this be my differential bearing? Anyone who knows diffs better than me care to chime in?

Sounds like its coming from the small driveshaft mounting disk that goes into the diff.

[MamaStang]

Let the hooker out - she came to and is using your car jack to get attention.


Sorry!!! I had too!

[acidtonic]

Originally Posted by MamaStang Let the hooker out - she came to and is using your car jack to get attention. Sorry!!! I had too!

Haha no hookers in there!

They are in the back yar- I mean in the club still.

[MamaStang]

lol Ah...thanks for playin' anyway!

[acidtonic]

Pretty sure its one of these things. Axles are loose, CV Joint, or diff bearings.

Any way to narrow down that list? Obviously pretty bad and something is gonna fail. I just need to figure out what.

I work Mon-Fri and of course everyone wants it for a few days to look at it without giving me a loaner. Of course one of those requires $400 deposit, on top of $180 for a week on top of whatever my diagnosis and repair costs come out to be.

Fuck me.

[acidtonic]

Ended up being a bad front U-Joint along with a throwout bearing that moves in and out 3mm in one full rotation.

So I'm most likely looking at a warranty refund on my clutch, and the new one has a nice new TimKin pilot bearing and throw out bearing.

Pedal effort is just amazing now. It got better from the stock clutch when I changed to the previous clutch, and got much better again when I got it back today. Not much harder than the gas pedal now and it catches much lower where I like it.

Still have a clanking noise but it appears to be my control arm bushings which are just shot. Those are getting replaced soon as well. Any suggestions?