Help - strange clicking noise
 

Ever since I bought my SVX (Aug. 2003), at times there is a funny little clicking noise. It seems to happen only when I am in 3rd or 4th gear, and usually happens when I let off/press on the accelerator. It also happens turning left and right when I am cruising in these gears on the back-country roads around here. However, it doesn't happen every time I let off/press on the accelerator, nor every time I turn left and right. When it does start clicking, it usually occurs once the car has been driven for about 15 - 20 minutes. It seems to be coming from the center of the car (i.e. the center console).

The clicking has been occuring a little more often lately, but comes and goes in waves. One week, no clicking. The next week, lots of clicking.

I have checked the CV boots, and they have no rips or tears, don't appear to be misshapen, and don't appear to be leaking and fluid.

When my tranny shifts from 1st to 2nd in the 1.5k to 2.5k RPM range, I can both hear and feel a "clunk clunk." If I let off the accelerator right before it shifts, it only happens about 50% of the time. I've heard that this could be a transmission mount problem. Could this be related to the clicking?

Also, when I am in 4th gear only, and cruising at 45 - 55mph, there seems to be some weight movement when I let off/press on the accelerator. I was told that this could be an engine mount problem. Could this be related to the clicking as well?

Could there be something that the previous owner dropped inside the internals of center console/stereo vicinity? Has anyone dropped anything in there before?

I just want the clicking to go away!!!

Thanks for the help. :)

First thing (free) I'd check is the heat shield directly above the center support bearing for the driveshaft. Just make sure it has enough clearance to not rub on the driveshaft. If it is pretty close, bend it up a little bit.

Beyond that, not sure, the problem seems very intermittent.
The weight movement on/off throttle seems normal to me if the TC is locked up you will feel it when you drop off/get on the gas.

Frequently, when parts warm up, they expand. I believe there is a TSB about this specifically for SVXs. There are tons of little felt pads in the dash to prevent noises from the console heating up and expanding. Sometimes the pads come loose, sometimes more need to be added.

As I recall, the TSB suggests removing the dash, installing a handful of felt pads, and checking a few that come installed from the factory. Without knowing exactly what the ticking sounds like, I couldn't venture a better guess about what's causing it. The same effect can happen to exhaust systems and the neighboring heat shields. For the exhaust, tighten everything and check clearances as immortal_suby suggests.

If this happens somewhat regularly, try using a mechanics stethoscope or a piece of hose in your ear. This works wonders for locating strange noises.

Thanks fellas. See responses in quotes.

That's exactly what happened to mine right before the transmission choked on me. I believe it was the front differential to be precise. The only difference is mine happened over the course of 2 days. If it starts getting louder turn around and go home. Otherwise you'll probobly be getting it towed back.

Seeming as mine has been doing it for months (possibly longer, I wouldn't know if it did it with the previous owner), I'm thinking that this is most likely not the same problem.

However, how many miles did your transmission have before it did this? Do you know exactly what broke in the differential? Can you (or anyone else, for that matter) give preventitive measures for such a failure?

Oh, there is another noise that I forgot to mention. When in second gear in the 25 - 30mph range, there is a noise coming from the front of the car that sounds much like a propeller. Sort of a winding sound. This only happens in second gear in this range (not any other gear in any other range). My transmission was rebuilt approximately 20k miles ago. My guess is that if anything, the front diff is probably the culprit of this noise. However, the fact that it only does it in one gear makes me second-guess this assumption.

Any other ideas? Again, thanks.

I can't comment on anything beyond the ticking sound you said seemed to be coming from the dash area. Is this sound rhythmic & similar to a turn signal but not as loud? This happened to me on the trip to Reading last weekend. Long story short - press the odometer reset button. If the ticking stops, you don't need a new tranny.
Good luck, Ron.

Unfortunately, it is not rhythmic. It occurs only when turning left and right, and when pressing on/letting off the gas. The car must have been driven for about 15 minutes before it happens. Thanks though. :)

It could be the front CV joints in the axles starting to go.

Ever hear of the proverbial little old lady who was complaining about the loud thunk her car made when she hit the brakes? The mechanic takes it for a test drive, gets back, and says he can fix the problem in less than a minute and he'll do it for free. The old lady is pleased as can be, (and very impressed.) The mechanic opens the trunk, removes the bowling ball, and puts the most sheepish expression on her face.

I've resolved this same problem several times for various people. The spare alternator in the trunk, and ten millimeter socket in the air intake duct - even a cell phone sliding back and forth between the rails of a factory roof rack.

Maybe you have an M&M rattling around in your heater ducts. The fifteen-minute delay might still be related to having everything expand before the mystery part becomes loose. ...or maybe that's how long it takes for the M&M's chocolate to melt and allow the peanut to roll around.

You might test the expanding dash theory by running the air conditioning one day, and maximum heat the next. (You may have to bundle up, or dress down for those tests.)

One thing that would help us all, is a better description of the clicking noise. I know that's a pretty tall order, but anything will help. Does it sound like plastic on plastic, metal on metal, plastic on metal, or vice versa? Does it sound like a heavy object (more of a "thunk,") or a light object, (more of a "tink?") Also, is there anything you can do to make it click more often, or less often? Does turning very gradually help? How about braking slowly? Even when you really floor the gas pedal, will it sometimes not make the noise?

It's usually some very tiny detail that gives away the answer.

...and I know M&Ms are supposed to melt in your mouth, not in your dash.

:D

I thought I had a bad rear strut mount, turned out to be the breaker bar/socket I had laying on top of some jumper cables which were in-turn coiled on top of my spare tire. :o

Aloha gang,

I too have a strange intermittant tinking noise coming from underneath the center console area -- definitely a metal on metal sound. Occurs most often when warm -- but this is not a rule. Only happens on acceleration and when cruising -- stops immediately when the foot goes off the gas or if the grade goes more downhill. I am praying for a loose heat sheild -- however today I noticed that more strange noises are emanating from the tranny direction when reversing. kind of a squeaking noise -- cycling to the spin rate of the drive shaft? Fast squeaking when reversing faster -- slower when slow speed. This noise is not consistent either -- but almost always when warm. Please please please do not be a tranny problem. Finally -- and this has been going on for some time -- I hear the drive shaft(?) spooling up when accelerating hard or when going up steep grades -- both situations famous for power bieng sent to the rear wheels. This noise is consistent -- hot or cold. The noise seems to come from right below the center console.

Shifting is limo smooth in all gears, TC lock happens reliably at 50mph. Whadya think guys? Heat sheilds? Tranny mounts? new car time?

mahalo for your replies

Nick

The sound is a very sharp "tink" kind of click. Very short. Could be metal on metal, but could be metal on plastic as well. Probably not plastic on plastic. The closest thing that I can compare this noise to is the spacebar on this keyboard. I'm at my girl's house, and she has a Sony Vaio (in case any of you have a Vaio as well). When I lightly tap the very corner of the spacebar with my thumb, it makes a similar noise.

When the car does start this clicking party, nothing really helps. Accelerating more slowly doesn't make it go away, brake more lightly doesn't help, and turning more smoothly doesn't help either. When it starts, it just keeps going.

I'll have to look for M&M's in my dash when I check for those little felt pads. :D

Me too
 

How the hell do all of us have this problem at the same time and no one seems to have an explanation. Mine started on the Interstate yesterday.

I was on the way to buy a new Truck and now the the SVX is going to drain the bank account yet again.

If it is the from differential has anyone had that repaired and how much?

I have not crawled under it yet, but what are the chances it is just low on fluid?:rolleyes:

Ryan

Re: Me too
 

Response inside quotes.