Whenever I accelerate from a stop or low speed, the front end of my car makes a "galloping" sound, like a series of clunks and pops. At first I thought loose motor mounts, loose subframe, etc. I check EVERYTHING that I personally have ever put a wrench on in the last few years to confirm that I did not leave any parts loose. I did recently change out my 3.0 for a 3.5 so that was the first thing I triple checked. Everything looks OK (driveaxles, hubs, mounts, subframe, etc)

The noise does not occur when I lift the front end off the ground and I apply engine power in drive with my foot on the gas. If I do so when the car is on the ground (apply power with foot on brakes) I can replicate the "galloping" sound as the front end deals with the engine power.

I am guessing that the struts are shot (or the strut bearings) and as the suspension transfers the load of acceleration the top bearing clunks. maybe lifting the car applies all the spring pressure to the strut bearings causing the noise to go away when the front end is lifted.

I probably could also use a entire front end rebuild, but I would like any ideas/opinions/experiences with this problem if anyone has any input.

 

It happens only as you're getting on the gas and the front suspension is uncompressing? Most likely it is the strut bearing. They are pretty easy to replace.

Struts generally don't make noises when they're done, they will just damp poorly.

 

i vote engine mounts. You can check to see if they are bad by having a friend sit in the car and apply the brake. Then while the brake is applied, lay into the gas and see if the engine shifts its position. If it does....

 

Could be broken mounts/strut mounts/bearings.

 

That was the first thing I looked at. I even checked to make sure they are still firmly bolted to the engine.

 

It seems simple, but check your axle nuts as well. They can sound like hell if they are not torqued correctly.

 

I say mmounts check all

 

What about the wheel bearing. You can check them by rasing the wheel off the floor. With one hand on the top of the wheel and one at the bottom, try to rock it back and forth. There should be no movement, if there is the bearing is worn. Good luck.

 

+1. Mine does.

 

My 95 is doing the same thing. I figured it was the strut bearing. But since the shocks are almost all blown, I'm gonna upgrade the whole assemblies all around. Let us know how it works out.

 

did you ever figure out what the problem was? I have this too, or something very similar. if the car is rolling, there's no noise. once I get on the gas I can hear it. i've basically renewed the entire front end including LCA's and all 4 motor mounts. I had someone look at it and he told me the problem is that my radiator support is busted where the crossmember bolts up (body shop used a cheap aftermarket part when they rebuilt my car last year). That whole area is pretty much split and beginning to rust, and the crossmember has dropped down like an inch... I might have to find a place to weld it back together until I can afford to replace the entire lower rad support with an OEM piece. The more that I think about it, the more it starts to make sense.

 

I entered this thread simply to making a joke about mAd hoarsepower y0!

 

I found one speed bump near my house that can cause the front end noise that the car makes when initially accelerating. My struts are blown and I reckon the strut bearings are clunking around when there is force or a certain kind of bump on the strut assembly.

 

Strut bearings don't ever clunk. Chances are it is your strut mount itself.