Help! Clunking, what could it be?

[carms]

Hey guys & girls,
Im hoping someone reading this will have more mechanical knowledge then i do and can help me steer the mechanic in the right direction. Im currently in outback WA and have been driving on some pretty bad bumpy dirt roads and today a problem bit me in the arse and there is only one mechanic in town and i dont really want to be ripped off by changing things that wont need to be changed
I have a 2003 VY Calais Supercharged, everything is stock standard.
I noticed a sound that i thought was coming from the front drivers wheel, like a scratching sound which i thought was something caught under the brakepad or i was dragging a stick under the car. When i stopped the car i couldtnt notice anything wrong but i doused the front wheels with some water to hopefully clean out dust/rock that could have been lodged near the brakepad. I decided to drive the car backwards and forwards to help clean it out and when i put the car into reverse there was a horrible clunk noise a few times, like soeone was hitting the frame with a sledge hammer. This happened while i was stationary but it still reversed and the sound went away. Then i took off again down the road and every little bump i hit the clunk was back, sounds like something was loose. I immediately thought it was the driveshaft but not being the most mechanically minded i wouldnt have a clue. I drove home and eventually hit the tarred road and it sounded ok but then when i turned into my street the clunk happened three times as i turned right. When i was parked at home i started the car and just put her into reverse and it clunked again and felt as though it was under the transmission...its an auto.
Does anyone have any ideas on what this could be?
Im taking her to the mechanic in town tomorrow but want to have an idea of what it could be before i get there and whether or not i should drive it there or have it towed/pushed.
Very worried im going to be outta pocket a lot of $$$$ as it sounds and feels terrible when it clunks....i feel the clunk when driving etc
thanks in advance
carms

 

[vx_commodore]

Engine mount? COuld be the cause of the clunk when you put it in gear..

Rubber strut top mount?,This is usualy the cause of front wheel clunking over bump's.

 

[Sean880]

The noise is originating from the front, it's clunking when you hit a bump, and again when you are turning right on a smooth road.

Sounds like front suspension (or steering components) but no one can tell you definitively without checking the car. The entire front end needs to be checked, including all rubber bushes, joints, struts, suspension mount points, steering arms, sway bar links etc etc. etc Most likely you have damaged some front suspension components from driving a bit too fast on very poor roads. You won't know until you get it up on the hoist and inspect it and then start to eliminate the cause component by component.

 

[Calaber]

MY VY developed a strange noise in the front right suspension, particularly when going over parking lot speed humps at low speed, or when turning and striking a bump. The strut was stuffed but there was no external evidence to tell me that it had carked it. I only got rid of the noises when I replaced both struts.

I don't know if your sound is the same as I experienced but when going over the speed humps at low speed, the noise was quite pronounced and difficult to describe. How many k's on your struts?

 

[greenacc]

possibly some of the control arm or z bar bushes have died ? does it also make a clunk when you brake in a straight line ?
If you have a look at the front suspension where the radius rod meets the 'chassis' you might see chunks of rubber hanging out of the bush.

 

[James VY]

I think I'm having the same problem, but from the passenger side... She's due for a 135,000 service soon so I'll find out from Holden what it is exactly. My initial thought was something within the suspension, as it only happens when turning or when hitting the slightest of bumps.

 

[carms]

Mine is actually due for the 135,000 service as well, i believe my sway bar linkage was on its way out a few 1000kms ago but never got around to it and my shocks have been making a metal on metal clinking sound whenever i go over any form of bump at low speed but believed it was just the sleeves banging against the shocks and can reproduce the sound if i hit them with my fingers. Hopefully something simple with suspension but i dont know how that would make a noise when stationary and just putting it into reverse. No one says drive shaft or diff which makes me hopefull its not going to be an expensive fix but who knows, off to the mechanic in an hour and ill post the results when i know for sure....makes me wonder though that another VY of the same kms is having the same problem.....must be something the dies around that kms

 

[sheepz89]

Remember when turning right the weight of the vehicle shifts to the left. It will make it easier if you can identify which side it is coming from (yeah no sh!t). Check the centre diff mount for movement. Check trans mount.

 

[James VY]

Any luck carms? I'm going away tomorrow morning and will be booking in for a service sometime in the next two weeks. Hopefully i'm not looking at spending too much haha

 

[commy_vy]

Mine is actually due for the 135,000 service as well, i believe my sway bar linkage was on its way out a few 1000kms ago but never got around to it and my shocks have been making a metal on metal clinking sound whenever i go over any form of bump at low speed but believed it was just the sleeves banging against the shocks and can reproduce the sound if i hit them with my fingers. Hopefully something simple with suspension but i dont know how that would make a noise when stationary and just putting it into reverse. No one says drive shaft or diff which makes me hopefull its not going to be an expensive fix but who knows, off to the mechanic in an hour and ill post the results when i know for sure....makes me wonder though that another VY of the same kms is having the same problem.....must be something the dies around that kms

Well my car is up for its 145,000 service and has the same clunk and I believe it is sway bar link