mocca

Hi, as some of you may know, I have problem with clunking noise from my 92LS Legend 4DR. I notice the noise sevearl months ago but cannot find the causes. The noise is definitely clunking noise like clunk...clunk...clunk.... It occurs when the engine is COLD and when the car run over uneven surface (i.e., bump/pot holes, etc.) The noise is most notably when the engine is cold (i.e., the first time of the day I start and drive the car). When I drive to car until the engine warmed up, then the noise is mosetly gone (except if I drive over a very seriously bad road, then I will hear very low clunking noise).

I took my Legend to a mechanic and he cannot find anything wrong with it. He even sit in the car with me while we are driving for couple of miles but he cannot pin point the source of the noise (beside, it was late summer when we did this so the noise is not very notably due to hot weather). The problem is most pronounced in Winter since it is very cold. I'm not sure if it is temperature related or not but it seem like so.

So what do you think is the problem? I change the clutch master and slave cylinders recently but it doesn't help. Oh, I forgot that the noise usually come up if I press the clutch or brake and run over uneven road. Here is what I think is the candidate of the problem.

1) Worn/broken rear transmission mounts
2) Worn/broken engine mounts
3) Worn clutch/flywheel
4) Tie-rod related problems

Please tell me if you know the solution or what cause the problem or we can try to narrow the search for the solution.

Mocca

P.S. I don't think it is the noise from the heatshield since the mechanic I took the car to get it checked told me that the heat shield was already removed from my car (but I doubt him a bit now since I didn't see that the heat shield was really removed). How can you tell if the heat shield is removed?

 

imports_only1

it might just be a sign of a worn strut. when it's cold, worn struts tend to make noises but when it warms up, the noise fades away...unless your struts are really, really bad. then, it wouldn't matter if it's cold or hot. check to see if your struts are leaking.

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Merlin the Wrench

one source of clunking noises in a legend is the spare tire and jack. The small spare tire is normally infalted to I think 60 psi. As it loses pressure it begins to slide around and that noise plays throughout the whole car. It is worse when cold as the pressure is lower then. I've seen this on both my legends and it is the first place I look when I hear a clunk or thump. Not saying it is your noise but certainly one thing to eliminate as a possibility. Others in this forum have had a clunk issue and have written me back afterwards that is what their noise was also.

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Steve

LPB

Always post mileage. A clunk from the front could also be a defective strut upper mount. If the clunk is under the console, then it is the trans mount. If it is forward of the cabin, check motor mounts, front stabilizer links and A-arms. If it is behind your seat, check rear upper strut mounts, rear A-arms, and rear stabilizer links. Easiest method to rule out something in the trunk is take everything out of it.