Poping noise from rear end area, 1990 Nissan Laurel (Same as S13 rear end)

[Gold Digger]

So, I have this clicking/poping noise coming from the rear of my car. It happens about 90% of the time when I am at a stop and start to move, either forwards or backwards. It also happens intermitently when I am cruising and let off the accelerator or down shift and ease off the clutch.

Took it to a local shop and they put it up on the lift. Checked the drive shaft u-joints, rear diff output shafts, axle shafts to the hubs and the diff itself. He told me that it was most likely a wheel bearing. Have also got the same responses on another forum. BUT...

After talking with elWesso, he seems to think it might not be a wheel bearing issue do to the fact that it's constant noise (grinding) and that wheel bearings don't usually fail.

I believe the entire rear end is the same as the S13, but I'm not 100% positive.

Has anoyone ever experienced anthing like this and if so, what was it and how did you fix it?

Thanks.

-Neal

[NISTECH]

Is it a muffeld thunk that can almost be felt through the body or just an audible click. If its the latter I suspect it is the axle flanges where they meet the hub. Loosening and retorquing the large axle nut resolves that 90% of the time. If its the thunk I would be suspect of the suspension or diff mounts.

[Gold Digger]

No, just an audible click. I can't feel anything.

Thanks for the information. I'll give that a try as I really don't want to replace the whole hub assy.

[SR20Essex]

Its the differential, there is a bit of play in the differential pinion gear, that play causes a clink/thuk noise you are describing. I have the same in my S13. I thought the same thing, and was all worried because it seemed to be more apparent after I did solid subframe bushings so I was all obsessed about fixing it.

I took apart the differental, cracked open the manual got some tools to measure the tolerances and found eveyrthing to be in spec. I talked to some Nissan guru's who said that they made those rear ends with a little slack for lots of reasons (I won't go into that), but its very normal for them to make that noise, especially in my case where I'm running solid bushings, and a solid driveshaft.

Still sceptical, I swapped out a differential from a much lower mileage 240, and found the same noise from the same place (the ring and pinion of the diff)

[wynnEZ]

So what are you saying? I hate the noise it makes!Mine is more of a loud thunk? Does that make a difference? It just sounds so awful, are you saying just leave it? It just doesnt seem normal to me.

[Gold Digger]

Its the differential, there is a bit of play in the differential pinion gear, that play causes a clink/thuk noise you are describing. I have the same in my S13. I thought the same thing, and was all worried because it seemed to be more apparent after I did solid subframe bushings so I was all obsessed about fixing it.

I took apart the differental, cracked open the manual got some tools to measure the tolerances and found eveyrthing to be in spec. I talked to some Nissan guru's who said that they made those rear ends with a little slack for lots of reasons (I won't go into that), but its very normal for them to make that noise, especially in my case where I'm running solid bushings, and a solid driveshaft.

Still sceptical, I swapped out a differential from a much lower mileage 240, and found the same noise from the same place (the ring and pinion of the diff)

The thing is, it just started making this noise, and I haven't done anything to the rear sub frame. And it's intermitent...90% of the time it happens. I am worried because I have my sha-ken in about three weeks, and I want to get this taken care of as soon as possible so they don't charge me an arm and my left nut for it.

[wynnEZ]

Mine is bothering me too. I want it fixed. I guess ill just take it to the nissan dealer and have it looked at.

[flipture]

Theres more than one thing that can cause the poping and clunking.

1) The Diff - It's most likely this. I find that when you are kinda hard on these diffs they tend to gather a little bit of play and make quite a bit of noise.

2) The Subframe Bushings - If your bushings are worn out and torn the subframe will knock on the frame.

3) The Axles - With my axles I noticed that when I turn the driveshaft manually the portion of the driveshaft closest to the diff moves slightly but the portion connected to the hub does not. That means there is some play.

I just wrote 4x this much all about poping and play but the damn forum lost my post and had an error so I'm kina pissed... Hope this helps tho...