ilacuss

iTrader: (6)

The noise it driving me crazy. I've read all the posts on it, and have done Maxspeed springs (suck btw and too hard) KYB GR2 (or whatever they are called now) struts, new tie rod ends, Moog end links, ES swaybar bushings, ES subframe bushings and yet the clunk on the drivers side is still there. It's mostly noticeable at low speeds and over small bumps or an uneven road.

So what do I try next, new LCAs or LCA bushing, balljoints or engine mounts? LCAs and mounts look fine visually and I haven't noticed any excessive engine movement.

thanks for any input.

nissguy82

I don't know if this might help. I had a similar issue on my '06 Altima. After changing all the shocks and visually checking the suspension components, the noise still remained under the same conditions, the problem turned out to be the passengers side top motor mount. When I quickly inspected the mount it did not looked ripped, but when I went back and carefully looked at it, it was in fact ripped. The noise is caused when minor bumps in the road come by, the engine bounces up and down enough to send the bumps vibrations thought the chassis from the mount. It might or might not be the issue in your car but I recommend you take a fairly bright flash light and inspect the mounts individually if possible. I hope the strut mounts are in good shape. Good luck.

throrope

Went through near the same routine as you a couple years ago. Turns out the liquid filled motor mounts gave up the ghost. They are soft until the engine hit something like 1500 rpm and the the computer gives them juice that makes the liquid go solid. Ours didn't go solid anymore and the engine and trans were flopping around the compartment. Eventually the passenger side rubber mount had enough of that and also gave up the ghost.

I couldn't bring myself to paying $500 for the two OEM liquid filled ones and bought a complete set of solid rubber from eBay for $89. At idle especially during winter the solid ones noticeably transfer the engine vibrations, but down the road, no difference. The vibration settles down after the engine warms the mounts.

With the new mounts the car felt like a rocket ship. More accurately, with the 700 odd pound drive train flopping around the handling went to crap. It must have happened over time.

Hope this helps, good luck and keep us posted.

StevieB

iTrader: (1)

I sympathize-I was also on the Quest for Clunk on my 02 6 speed last year. I changed both torque and the passenger motor mounts last Summer, though on visual inspection they seemed fine. One of the torque mounts was completely ripped and separated, and the passenger mount was very soft. How many miles on your car? If you're approaching 100K and your mounts have never been changed, I'd say they're a prime candidate. You've already changed the end links and swaybar bushings, which were also contributing to my clunk, but the motor mounts were the principal source. I purchased EBay mounts for about $100, which come as a set of 4. The 2 torque and passenger mounts are the same for auto and manual cars, but the transmission mount in these sets is for auto. If you're manual you'll need to purchase the driver side trans from Nissan. One suggestion-if you do purchase the EBay mounts, consider reinforcing the passenger mount with 3M Window Weld urethane, as I believe I've already thrashed that mount and will be replacing it with a urethane insert I recently purchased from knight_yyz on a group buy. I may be wrong, and my latest clunk is the trans mount- I'll be window welding that mount regardless. When I had worn LCA bushings on my previous 99, I didn't have a clunk. If you've done a deflection test on the LCA and detect no movement I doubt that's the source of the noise.Balljoint check is pretty straightforward, so I assume you have no play at the wheel. Last thing-did you change your strut mounts when your shocks were replaced? Good hunting

ilacuss

iTrader: (6)

Car is auto and has 151k on it, not sure of previous maintenance so I'll look into motor mounts again. Strut mounts were not changed but the bearings moved freely when I put in new struts and the noise happens in a straight line and not turning so I ruled out the mounts.

thanks for the suggestions.

MAXC

iTrader: (7)

Check the motor mounts under load. Meaning raise the hood and start the car. With your foot on the brake put it in reverse. Keeping your foot on the brake give the gas in short bursts. The motor should move but not excessivly. Go back and forth between reverse and drive watching the motor and listening for sounds. Let us know what you come up with. It will be better with an extra set of eyes under the hood, that way you can get a better view of the mounts when they flex.

TallTom

I predict that it will be the passenger engine mount.

ilacuss

iTrader: (6)

Even if noise is from drivers side?

J-Rod

iTrader: (1)

Good advice, kind of dangerous though... so just make sure if someone "helps" you they aren't standing in front of the car.

J-Rod

iTrader: (1)

to OP, you have obviously gone through almost everything.... while motor mounts are "probably" your problem I would just take the time to double check your front strut spring top hat's. If you did the struts you should have noticed that they have a side showing the word "OUT" on them, meaning that needs to be facing towards the wheel. It will allow you to mount it backwards or not fully turned in the correct position, so a visual quick check should tell you if you have it facing right. If not then that side, if installed incorrectly, could be hitting the inside of your fender well. Just a thought.

Good Luck

oh and yes sometimes what you think you are hearing on one side of the car, very well could be coming from the other side or opposite end. I would have swore my front passenger wheel bearring what the one "whurring" but it actually turned out fine and was my driver side instead.

Maxima112

iTrader: (16)

id bet good money on passenger side motor mount. I got a generic one from ebay a while back and it fit after some bolting and adjusting with a lift. what I did to figure this out without pressing the gas and brake was push down on the upper manifold with strong short pushes, you'll hear a click/light clunk type noise. Use 2 hands like doing CPR on someone if needed.. I couldn't hear it with the engine on if I did that. hope that helps

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

I'm aiming at motor mounts as well. Don't rule out Strut mounts (bearings) if you haven't done them yet.

I know you're mechanically inclined and it's painful, but if it does this ALL the time, have you considered taking it to a reputable shop for an inspection? They will normally take it for a boot for nothing and check it for cheap.

MintVQ35

iTrader: (1)

New struts in the front helped some of the clunk on mine but it still is there to a degree, I've accepted the fact that it's just there at this point and do not care to take the time to track it down.

ilacuss

iTrader: (6)

It's kind of a challenge at this point and I'm determined to track it down. I might have to break down and take it to a shop though if it I can't figure it out before too long.

I miss my 4th gen...not nearly as many problems.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

Sounds like you are having bad luck with the 5th, the 4th is much less reliable as a general rule.

If it was in the interest of you learning I'd say carry on, but because I think you've got a decent idea about your car, I think the best learning experience would be to realize that you've been dumping money at it replacing parts that there wasn't likely anything wrong with. Not to mention your time.

I'd recommend swallowing some pride and taking it to a shop. But heed this warning - act dumb. Not so dumb that they'll try to take you for a complete ride, but dumb enough that they will do somewhat free diagnostics with the assumption that they're going to do the work.

Once you know what it is, just tell them you have to stack a few dollars first, and ask them if it'll be ok for a week or so.

Also go at them with the: I've had it at 'blah blah joe's shop' this many times and they have replaced the wrong parts and never fixed it. I heard good things about you guys and figured the other shop was just taking me for a ride so I thought I'd put some faith in you guys to figure this out.

That will make them feel good, want to do a good job for you, and they will not want to screw you around because they want to gain your business. And if they're really reasonable, you might want to consider having them do the work. At minimum, you're insured in that if they change the wrong part, you can fight paying for it.

cjandura

iTrader: (3)

You can do like i did and get 4 hardned flat washers and install them on the control arm side of the endlinks you know that oval hole you might have movement best way to check is let the car sit as normal and look at the end link did it slide down and now hit the control arm?

spock

iTrader: (5)

These are text book symptoms for faulty engine mounts. (Front and/or rear = pass side and/or drivers side).

ilacuss

iTrader: (6)

Looks like the general consensus is motor mounts, so I'm going to start with passenger side ( on closer inspection I did notice hairline cracks in it, but it doesn't seem to move excessively) then I'll move onto the ES inserts for the front and rear.

I guess ES doesn't make inserts for the side mounts? At least I couldn't find them anywhere.


thanks for all the help guys.

nissguy82

A day has passed since you looked at the passengers side top mount, I did forget to mention as an aid toward the inspection of the motor mount, to lift the engine with a floor jack and a piece of wood or soft material from the oil pan. Lift the engine carefully, just enough to relive the passengers top mount from the engines weight. You may see if it is torn or not. I hope this may become useful to you.

ilacuss

iTrader: (6)

I thought I'd post an update on this. I found some Dorman LCAs on Amazon that were returns for $35 bucks a piece so I decided to buy them and see if that fixed the noise. While I was installing them I also went back to the stock GLE springs as the ride was a little too harsh. Not sure which one it was that fixed it but the clunk is gone and the ride ...oh so plush again!

I miss the looks of the Maxspeeds but I'm old enough now that ride comfort is more important than looks/handling.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

^That's cause you bought cheap springs.

Happy to hearthe noise is gone though!

ilacuss

iTrader: (6)

yeah, I guess, the shiftice site made them seem comparable to H&Rs but I didn't find that to be true. I had H&Rs on my 4th gen and loved them. Oh well, I'm not into messing with the suspension anytime soon so I'll stay with my fist sized gap