Hello boyz n galz....

I'm stumped on a problem im having with my 92' Golf. I cant seem, for the life of me, figure out where this noise is coming from. The whole front end has been replaced, well amost, wheel bearing left to do. New front suspension, etc. Everytime I go over a bump, such as a speed bump or any sharp dip, at lower speeds, I get this clunking over the bump. Sounds like the problem I had in my old Mazda 323, the motor mount had snapped so the engine was resting on the front sway bar and it would clunk as the engine lifted and dropped back down onto it. Anyways, it sounds very much the same but upon visual inspection, I don't see anything visually wrong, the bar is in good condition and it doesn't look like there's anything loose, nothing to produce such a noise anyways. Anyone have any ideas or familiar experiences?? Maybe I just didn't look hard enough haha. Need to find it, driving me nuts!! Possibly doing damage.


-Jeff

 

well, if the motor mount snapped, wouldn't you be able to move the motor about? I would assume you'd be able to rock the motor if it's just sitting there, that should tell you. As far as sound, if I let off the gas, and go over bumps, I have a rattle that's just weird, sounds like under the dash. Come to find out, suspension lil loose, maybe something like that? Hope I helped a little....

 

hmm...is it in the front or rear, low or high - hard to even guess at it without knowing that - my suggestion is to get a general idea of where its coming from - have someone else drive the car while you try to feel where the clunk is from inside, its still hard to pinpoint it like that - the best way is to use a pry bar, if its a big clunk something is moving alot so you should be able to move it while prying on it, could be something as simple as the exhaust hitting the body (that happens alot on vws, if its in the rear its usually where the exhaust snakes up over the rear beam axle - I broke a rear exh. hanger and my gti is doing it right now) - i know this sounds a little crude but it works...when I worked at a dealer it was the only foolproof way anyone ever taught me of pinpointing a noise, road tests just leave you guessing although you should be able to narrow it down...good luck

 

It's definitely in the front. That I know for sure. It might be something to do with suspension, I don't know yet but I'm getting extremely annoyed with it and will bust out the pry bar soon and see what I can find. Thanks for the suggestions guy's, think of anything else let me know.


-Jeff

 

You mentioned you replaced the whole front end and I highly doubt the front wheel bearings would make any clunking (they would have to be extremely hosed and would most likely give some other failure signs)...was the subframe ever out of the car? that might be shifting... Do you have coilovers? if so the springs sometimes decompress enough in rebound to come off the perches and make horrible snapping and popping noises when they reseat...If the motor mounts are extremely destroyed and the engine or exhaust is hitting something I would think you would also get it on accel or decell when the engine gets torqued around...Its gotta be something metal on metal to cause a clang and its its loud its probably something big like the engine or subframe - I ripped out a front control arm bushing on my neon (it has the same front suspension layout as the vws) and that made some nasty clunking but also everytime I would hit a bump the steering wheel would jerk cus the the tie rod was the only thing keep it from rotating, so I doubt its anything with your control arms - you would feel it in the steering wheel