Front end CLUNK!

dieselgrandad

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Location
Fond du Lac, WI
TDI
1997 Silver B4 Passat
I've been chasing this problem for a loooooooong time, and am thoroughly stumped :confused: and would appreciate any help :eek: .

There is a loud clunk (or thunk) coming from the pass side front of the car, whenever you hit a bump, regardless of speed. And while you can hear it quite well, you don't feel anything. Nothing through the steering, in the floor, etc.

Now, here's what work's been done (by me) to the front end ..... EVERYTHING. The front has been TOTALLY rebuilt, all bushings, shocks, ball joints, tie rod ends, motor-mounts - everything that can be replaced has been replaced. The clunk was there before, and it's still there now. And it's driving me blankity-blank-blank CRAZY!:mad: BTW I rebuilt the front end as a matter of course, not just because of this problem.

So, anyone have any ideas, or should I just junk the car? :eek:
 

rdkern

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 21, 2004
Location
Humboldt Co CA
TDI
Passat 1997 silver (sold after 11 years), Jetta 2000 atlantic blue
Well - I know it's worth something. If you're going to junk it, let me know and I'll fly there to get it, and pay you $100.

Just a clunk?

Metal?

If it was the suspension, I suspect you'd notice it in the steering wheel.

How about the heat shield?

How about that big weight down there, don't recall what it's for, but there's a 10-lb piece of iron down there as a counterweight.

Driving from there might be fun. Maybe I'd pay $200 if you insist.
 

Louis_TDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2008
Location
Gatineau QC
TDI
2003 Golf Gls
Maybe you wave to much stuff in your glove box :p jk
Seriously I have the same problem but I think it's just a bushing. hope you find your problem it so annoying driving with a clunking car.
 

dieselgrandad

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Location
Fond du Lac, WI
TDI
1997 Silver B4 Passat
rdkern said:
Well - I know it's worth something. If you're going to junk it, let me know and I'll fly there to get it, and pay you $100.

Just a clunk?

Metal?

If it was the suspension, I suspect you'd notice it in the steering wheel.

How about the heat shield?

How about that big weight down there, don't recall what it's for, but there's a 10-lb piece of iron down there as a counterweight.

Driving from there might be fun. Maybe I'd pay $200 if you insist.
I'm being facetious about junking it. :eek: If I can't figure this out I'll just keep driving it till it either stops making the noise or it breaks.

And the sound isn't metallic, it kind'a sounds like a bad shock, but they're new(er) Bilsteins, and there's no bounce in the suspension, leaking oil, etc.

The iron brick (counterweight) is tight (and just what is THAT thing for anyway? I took it off for a while - didn't notice any difference.)
 
Last edited:

dieselgrandad

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Location
Fond du Lac, WI
TDI
1997 Silver B4 Passat
Louis_TDI said:
Maybe you wave to much stuff in your glove box :p jk
Seriously I have the same problem but I think it's just a bushing. hope you find your problem it so annoying driving with a clunking car.
Glovebox?!? What glovebox? All I got is bumpers for your knees, unless you want to send me a set of those under-dash bins you guys got in your mid-90's B4's. (Black would be preferable :D )
 

Louis_TDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2008
Location
Gatineau QC
TDI
2003 Golf Gls
one of my friends about to scrap his mk3 it hasn't had reverse for about 3 months now maybe he has one. Now that car CLUNKS!
 

dieselgrandad

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Location
Fond du Lac, WI
TDI
1997 Silver B4 Passat
Louis_TDI said:
one of my friends about to scrap his mk3 it hasn't had reverse for about 3 months now maybe he has one. Now that car CLUNKS!
LOL I bet! If he has those bins I'd be interested. I'm assuming a Mk3 is the same as a B4?
 

dieselgrandad

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Location
Fond du Lac, WI
TDI
1997 Silver B4 Passat
BTW the wife put the car in a (snow-filled) ditch this winter, tore up the bumper covers and knocked it out of alignment, but the clunk wasn't affected. And the alignment guy (specialty frame and alignment shop, not just some schlep) couldn't find anything wrong either.
 

rallyruss

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2006
Location
Bay Area CA
TDI
98 TDI jetta, 05 passat wagon
I had a similar noise for a while. same steps. I rebuilt the front end completely. Not sure what part fixed it but its gone.
I have found some cars with bad sway bar bushing to have awful noises with little effect on its steering etc. just a thought.
 

dieselgrandad

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Location
Fond du Lac, WI
TDI
1997 Silver B4 Passat
rallyruss said:
I had a similar noise for a while. same steps. I rebuilt the front end completely. Not sure what part fixed it but its gone.
I have found some cars with bad sway bar bushing to have awful noises with little effect on its steering etc. just a thought.
Thanks, but I did the sway-bar bushings, along with everything else. When the noise persisted, I found I had two bad motor-mounts, so I replaced all three - and STILL have the noise. :mad:
 

honda_vtec2

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2008
Location
Toronto
TDI
2000 Golf ALH tdi, 1997 Jetta 1z tdi
dieselgrandad said:
BTW the wife put the car in a (snow-filled) ditch this winter, tore up the bumper covers and knocked it out of alignment, but the clunk wasn't affected. And the alignment guy (specialty frame and alignment shop, not just some schlep) couldn't find anything wrong either.
This clunk you mention sounds similiar to the prob i had with my Mk3. Check the subframe bolts, maybe they are not torqued enough. That was my issue with the passenger side bolt. I gave it a 1/2 turn and my clunk is gone. I am almost completely finished rebuilding the suspension on my car. I noticed that the inner tie rods ends have slight play. You may want to check that as well.

good luck
 
Top