Something went bang

[jgreg53]

While driving home from an errand, on a clear road  something on my p15 went bang. There was nothing in the road. The car kept driving like nothing happened. I went back to make sure I didn't hit something and the road. I looked all around the car. Nothing seemed to be amiss. It still drove ok. I expected to see something hanging underneath. Any ideas?

[joecoozie]

Where, on the car, did the bang come from?

 

 

[jgreg53]

It felt like th general area of the transmission. I'm thinking maybe u joint.

[jgreg53]

Now I'm thinking I may have broken a tooth on the third gear. I was coming up a slight grade in third gear and lugging a bit.

[jgreg53]

I've got her up off the ground.  I start it up and go through the gears. Third gear is making all kinds of noise. Is the transmission toast?

[jgreg53]

Come on guys. Tell me something.

[kencombs]

Can you be a little more descriptive on that ‘all kinds of noise,    Growl, click, bang etc?   But, I really doubt you broke a tooth at speed in 3rd.  There are no gear teeth under load on 3rd.  Power path is straight through input to output coupled bu the shift sleeve.   Did it make this noise right after the bang?  Or only on stands?

[jgreg53]

Change in status. Took out the drive shaft. Started the car. No noise. That narrows it down to u joints or rear end. Took u joints apart. One boot had a split. I just changed that one a year ago.so I'll  rework the u joints again.  I hope the rear end isn't the problem.

[Los_Control]

Noises are sometimes difficult to find the source.

Years ago my wife was driving our 1961 Dodge truck with a /6 down the freeway. .... There was a loud "BANG" she pulled over thinking a tire blew, all was fine and drove home. .... I drove the truck to work the rest of the week & all was fine. No idea what happened.

Saturday on my day off I checked the oil on it .... Turns out the leaky carburetor, leaked fuel into the crank case and exploded. The dipstick was 1" shorter & all curled up.

 

Just a few months ago, I had a loud clunking noise that I swear was coming from my rear end. On my 1991 chebby truck.

Driving slowly down the road was a clunk   clunk   clunk .

 

I replaced the u-joints 2 years ago, 1 I had to do a 2nd time. I pulled the drive line & all fine.

 

I then set it on jack stands & started inspecting the rear end. I pulled the cover to inspect the ring & pinion, then I pulled the axles & inspected the axle bearings .... all good.

 

Now I'm at a loss & thinking maybe it is the manual 5 spd transmission ....

Also a strange brake pedal showed up at same time. Since the rear brakes are fine I decided to check the front brakes while thinking about the clunk noise.

 

I never laughed at myself so hard when I raised the front end with the jack & saw the left front wheel flop over 2" .... outer wheel bearing disintegrated.

I'm still confused as to why I could not feel it in the steering wheel, and it sounded like it was in the rear end.

 

That all started with a POP.  We were driving 75mph down the road, sounded like a rock was kicked up from a tire. Wife & I looked at each other ... all was fine so we ignored it.

Then we went for another 40 mile drive a few days later on the freeway, all was fine. The next drive was when the clunk showed up.

 

Only advise I might have, now may be a good time to get all 4 wheels off the ground, grease the front wheel bearings, just go through the car and give it a good safety inspection on all parts.

[Young Ed]

Two random thoughts. My p15 made a horrible bang going up a hill just like you described. I believe it was stuff in the trunk sliding back and hitting the trunk lid! Other one is could a brake return spring have popped? They make a horrible bang

[jgreg53]

I should check that out.  I had one of those springs break on the rear.  It actually happened when I ran over a buckled place in the road. 

Edited September 3, 2022 by jgreg53