mdavisii

Hard acceleration (from stop) on an extreme left turn causes a clunk sound. Sometimes two/three sounds back to back. Doesn't exhibit behavior during any other condition. Any ideas?

ragged

Sounds like CV Joint gone bad.

pzero23

CV replacement needed

mdavisii

Well if that is the case I need to determine which side the sound is coming from. I recently replaced the driver's side axle (this summer) with a reman part from Autozone, but the passenger side is original. It sounds as if the noise comes from the driver's side, but when I move my head to the passenger side it sounds like it is coming from there as well (kinda like determining which wheel bearing is making noise). I am hoping it is the original axle, being it has 136,000 miles on it now. If it is the reman part I just put on, I am not going to be a happy camper. I will probably say the heck with it and go back to a spanky new Acura part.

Thanks for the feedback!

03CoupeV6

Yes this is definitely a CV issue, especially given your mileage. Hopefully it's the original one, though.

mdavisii

Yeah I am about to find out for sure. The boots do not appear to be torn at all, my thought is maybe the grease is wearing out internally.

fsttyms1

Id also say either a cv joint or a ball joint

mdavisii

Thanks Kris. I'll keep everyone posted. I just went out to do the wiggle test on both wheels, they both appear to be solid. So if it is the ball joints, it is not apparent at the moment.

fsttyms1

Judging by your coment of happening under hard acceleration and wheel full lock it may not be bad yet but on the way out. Have you tried grabbing the axel yet?

mdavisii

No, I only did a visual check on the axles (looking at the boots). I can go grab them real quick. Where do u recommend I grab from? And what exactly should I look for?

fsttyms1

grab it in the middle of the shaft and yank back and forth. Do it straight and also in the extreme left turn. Look and listen for movement and sound. They should be movement free and shouldnt make any clunking

ragged

You used a reman cv joint? Probably the reman part going bad. I used reman cv joints three times, all went bad within a month. A reman cv joint isn't worth it.

mdavisii

Ok i have an update here that my be my culprit.
I grabbed the axle at the center and yanked it around, no unusual play or noise (just very little going from outer wheel to tranny, which is to be expected). I performed this task with the wheel str8 and fully turned to left.

However I noticed something very peculiar with the passenger side axle (original one). I put the transaxle in Neutral so that I could spin the wheel to listen for noise. When doing this task, I noticed a crumpling type sound right at the outer axle boot. I went to lay my hand on the boot while spinning the wheel and felt activity inside the boot. Almost as if something is ever so slightly rubbing against the inner boot (so slight you can't really see anything pressing on the boot). Performed this task on the opposite axle, no noise whatsoever. What do u think, could this be the culprit?

fsttyms1

and there wasnt any play in that area when you pulled on it? if something was loose in there you should be able to really tell. there isnt much to the insid of one of those things. if the inner parts had come apart you should really be able to tell. Guess it could be that half shaft??

mdavisii

Here's yet another update. After reading your post here Kris, I went back outside to the garage to do further investigation. I jacked up the car on the side in question, placed the tranny in Neutral and this time I started the car. I sat in the car to listen for noises as the tranny spun the axle/wheel. Didn't hear anything with the wheel being straight, and with it being turned all the way to the right. Next I gradually turned the wheel to the left. As I reached the full lock position on the left I begin hearing/feeling a klunk noise on what seemed to be every revolution. I went to the spinning wheel, placed my hand on the spinning axle and felt this same klunk on every revolution. Every time I depress the brake with the wheel spinning in the air I would hear an even louder clunk from the axle as it comes to a complete stop. Definitely something going on in the axle, either from the inboard joint or from the intermediate halfshaft.

Performed same test on opposite axle in all three positions (left, center, right). No noises whatsoever, axle rotated very smoothly.

Would this confirm an issue with the axle? Don't know what would cause it to have this "hiccup" condition at a left full lock position.

mdavisii

After further investigating this scenario, I believe this is just the boot flexing that is causing the noise (on full lock left and right). Does not exhibit this behavior when the wheel is straight.

fsttyms1

Humm you can you feel any thing while its half turned, or only when fully turned?

Sorta sounds like a half shaft from your description??

mdavisii

When half turned you can slightly feel it, only when touching the shaft. When fully turned you can feel it through the floorboard (while it's spinning off the ground). By halfshaft, r u referring to the axle or the intermediate halfshaft?

fsttyms1

well there shouldnt be any thing on the intermediate shaft causing it (though it is possible) id tends to think its the axle.

mdavisii

thanks kris (and everyone who provided feedback)!

i've researched this bad boy to death these past few hours. at this point the only thing left to do is to replace the axle to see what happens. i'll send an update as soon as the part is replaced.

pzero23

Keep us updated and good luck with the project.

mdavisii

Will do. Thanks!

mdavisii

Sorry for the delay in updating this thread. Replaced the passenger side axle, problem was immediately fixed, to the point that the ride quality even feels smoother.

Had to go to the dealer to have lower ball joint boot replaced (and relubed) however, those darn pickle forks do not work well for me. For those who decide to change out their own axles, I would recommend using a prybar or maybe a tie rod seperator to remove the ball joint. Using a pickle fork on our setup is asking for trouble IMHO. I messed around and split my boot using one of these things.

fsttyms1

PenancE

damn

nice diagnostics, as being a younger apprentice, kinda learned sumtin there :P