loud clunk sound...

[1991q45]

when turning right.first off i've searched.and 2nd i think i spoke too soon bout how much i put into her.

mom came to me this morning and said well we have a big problem.she basically described as if the ball joint came out on the q45.

i drove it no noise when i hit bumps...but once i made a right turn doing about 20mph; i heard this loud a** clunk sound coming from the left front.it seems to only happen when you put all of the weight on the left.

and there's slight clunks sometimes when hittin bumps.so i parked the car jacked her up and shook the wheel to check for play.

well there's play going up and down.but it's not the upper OR lower ball joint that has play.

it seems the strut or where it bolts onto the kunckle causes this.i tried to check the ball joints the best way...even used a pry bar but nothing....

am i going crazy or is the sturt bushing or that top arm bushings goin bad??

thanks in advance

[maxnix]

Any maintenance history? Do you know about the timeing chain guide problem?

Have you read the FSM and followed the diagnostics?

Have you changed any fluids and filters?

Driving a G50 with an unknown provenance without first remedying the accumulated deferred maintenance means you are just proceeding from one expensive mechanical crisis to another. What is your plan of triage?

[unknown007]

It's diffidently the Tension Rod.Mine did the same and when I replaced it with adjustable ones,the bushing was not centered.Just jack the car up or if you can just look at the bushing if it's torn there's your problem if not then it could be your arms or sway bar.

Oh a quick education on the chain guides.If it was the chain guides I doubt the car would run and if it did the CLUNK wouldn't be a CLUNK it be more of a fat shake to the car. Fluids and filters have nothing to do with CLUNKS.

OP ignore his future comments unless you think it's useful. He tends to be more of whatever he says is always right.

Anyways like I said check the Tension Rod.DO NOT I repeat DO NOT replace with a used one.I did that and that's what my Clunk was.Need a pic of my Tension rod?Let me know good luck.

[maxnix]

Definitely regard member history when accepting advice on this board. Some newbies are quite content to ignore large issues or even standard procedures in the FSM and/or employed by hundreds of present and previous members to maintain their cars to operate in a safe manner at peak possible performance.

Spelling and grammar in the posts are clues for the astute!

[elwesso]

Definitely regard member history when accepting advice on this board. Some newbies are quite content to ignore large issues or even standard procedures in the FSM and/or employed by hundreds of present and previous members to maintain their cars to operate in a safe manner at peak possible performance.

Why would we want to maintain peak performance?????

Really when you have something like this, its better to just start replacing everything than it is to try and find the actual problem. When you have things that wear out enough to cause noise, it certainly compromises other components in the suspension.

[1991q45]

i'm assuming he posted that becuase i said the previous owner let the car sit and was planing to give it to his son.

he is the original owner. he claimed he always took it to the infiniti stealership.

the timing chain guides assembly has been done.fluids has been changed.(except for the oil the car sat for a long time).

brakes has been changed all around. he dicided to sell the car when he lost his job along with:power steering hose leak. bad fuel injector. a/c control panel cutting off.

now unknown 007 PLEASE do not be offended.yes i need to see the picture of the tension rod.i thought it was where the bottom of the sturt bolts to the side of the knuckle.

i'm glad it's not the tie-rod or upper/lower ball joints.

i'm not mad, or dont regret gettin her because the body is in pretty good shape for it being a 91 with 158k miles (had her for about two months and already put on about 6,000miles)

[jimbyjimb]

Max is just trying to make sure your Q lasts you a long time. As a side note there is also exhaust shielding that can make clunky but more tinny type noises as well. Being I live underwater, my shielding last clunked into a dumpster at West Seattle recycling center. Best to go with Wes and Rick Astley on this one. If you take the time to delve into the suspension, may as well hit all the rubber. I think I'll be doing the same shortly. Grrrr.

[unknown007]

Jim I doubt it's that because if I'm correct you also hear the sound when you go from D to R right?I'll go look for my camera right now.

Well I hope you fond the problem and if you replace one tension rod might as well replace both don't you think?Ah I don't know okay will edit in a bit.

Here's my good tension rod.It's brittle so it's bad but better than the other one.





Here's the bad one.The center was pushed more to the side but since there's no load on it I think it started to go back.







Any here's the ones I replaced it with.





My car is lowered though.So go with OEM ones.Yes all those springs and stuff are in my trunk.

Modified by unknown007 at 5:05 PM 4/13/2009


Modified by unknown007 at 5:07 PM 4/13/2009

[1991q45]

wait so i gotta replace the whole assembly?not just the bushing.

and the second dumb question is:seeing that it's not the upper/lower ball joint or hub bearing.will she be okay to drive in?

[maxnix]

You can just get the bushing from IoS, even the NISMO polyurethane one.

http://www.infinitpartsusa.com

Don't tighten the front pivot bolt to final torque until the car is on it's suspension. All arrows face forward.

But don't ignore the test in the FSM for the upper links (surely also bad even if not driven) as they probably are also bad. Very dangerous to think one symptom has only one cause.

[Infinitiguy19]

License plates belong on the bumpers of a car not the trunk.

[goody90q45]

.....But don't ignore the test in the FSM for the upper links (surely also bad even if not driven) as they probably are also bad.....

IIRCC......Wear on the inside tire edge is worn upper links. Wear on the outside tread edge is worn tension rods.

[maxnix]

Or even bad toe settings in either case.

Few simple and correct answers. One must evaluate whole systems.

[1991q45]

yes im happy that you guys are trying to help me.i dont wanna get rid of the q or see anything bad happen with her either.

she should be fine till payday.also tomarrow if its dry out then i can jack her back up and check that tension rod.

[mxr662]

License plates belong on the bumpers of a car not the trunk.

Front plate in trunk, Rear plate on car

[unknown007]

^^^EXACTLY!!!So incase I get pulled for a front I'll just say,"Look officer I'll put it back on okay I was testing to see if I get weight reduction."

I dunno about replacing the bushing only.Torque all bolts are right specs and also look at all the bushings and arms while your there.Remove the tire since your gonna jack it up.Have the front end on stands.

I hear a little "clunk" today coming from my driver side tension rod.I need a new third upper link for mine and rotate my tires ASAP. Yes I forgot to rotate them.

The car will be fine to drive but could be dangerous after awhile because once the bushing is out all your riding on is metal.At least I did.Good luck.

[1991q45]

i think i found the problem.i pulled the car into the shop at my job and looked at the tension rods.those things are brand new! both sides.

then i looked at the sway bar links the driver side link is scratched up.and i can press down on it and move it but on the pass. side it's sturdy.

[maxnix]

Seems you are describing a blown shock.

Anti-sway bar links in the front?

[jmorasch]

[QUOTE=Paul Wall]License plates belong on the bumpers of a car not the trunk. [/QUOTE that depends on what he was up to the night before???might be a good place fot it.....

[1991q45]

Seems you are describing a blown shock.

Anti-sway bar links in the front?

yea the link on the driver side (which is where the noise is coming from ) is broken...you can push down on it easily. the passenger side is tight.

[maxnix]

So you mean the bolt with the fitting that attaches the bar to the lower arm?

[unknown007]

yea the link on the driver side (which is where the noise is coming from ) is broken...you can push down on it easily. the passenger side is tight.

I maybe having the same problem clunk came back.

[1991q45]

yep...

[unknown007]

Found out today it was my Sway bar link.It had no nut on it. Put on from the OEM suspension and it fit perfectly.

[1991q45]

yea...thats the same problem i'm having. but it'll be fixed soon