Mysterious clunking noise from rear (S14)

[pitesy]

Hi,

I've been having this noise for a while and started to solve the problem, but the noise remained. The car was bone stock and had this noise when I bought it.

Rear suspension spec is now the following:

- Cusco Zero II coilovers
- Rose jointed toe and camber arms
- S13 diff (so front bushes are solid), rear diff bushes OEM
- Solid subframe bushes

Had the noise with locking collars too, changed them yesterday to solid bushes. Noise is still there, tiny bit louder, but I guess this is in connection with solid subframe bushes.

It occurs on and off throttle, and stationary when i put it in gear sometimes. It's pretty strange... I honestly have no idea how it could clunk stationary. It's like: you engage the clutch (engine running of course), and when the shifter is halfway in gear it clunks one.

Any opinions what this? could be?

My next suspects are: halfshafts, transmission, or the rear diff bushes. Couldn't feel any unwanted movement from halfshafts when I checked them last time. Could this have any connection with engine or tranny mounts? Going to windo-weld them soon.

Thanks a lot in advance!

Regards
István

[pitesy]

Slight update here:

Had some time to check various things. It surely can't be ARB droplinks, exhaust, diff mounts, subframe mounts and halfshafts.

Right now I'm thinking the gearbox or clutch could be the source of the noise. Way too strange to have a clunk stationary when shifting to first...

[Dorifto Machine]

Those clunk sounds are so hard to track down but I'm sure you will find it.

I know those sub-frame bushings are going to be a little louder .

Did you check the Transmission mount ?
What about the DIFF bushings, they all looked good ?

Good Luck

[pitesy]

Well I'm currently running an S13 diff, so front mounts are basically solid. Rear mounts are oem, but they aren't split, looked good when I checked them during the diff change. I guess if the front mounts are solid, there shouldn't be any movement in the rear. The noise was there with the S14 diff too.

I currently am doing a set of windo-weld mounts, so transmission mount is going to be replaced soon (along with engine mounts), we'll see if it helps or not.

Someone told me it could be a not fully engaging clutch (the stationary noise).

You're right, it's hard to track it down. :) But thanks a lot for the input and for the faith in me in advance!

[booey13]

If it's clunking while stationary and shifting to first, it's probably the clutch not fully disengaging rather than engaging.

[pitesy]

Typo, sorry. :) My native language isn't English, it happens sometimes.