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Diff Clunk/Play Question


Fridge Gnome

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I'm trying to find the source of my rear end clunk in my 280z. I have the R200 diff with the improved front mount and new bushings on my mustache bar. Bolts going into the mustache bar are tight.

 

I'm getting a clunk whenever I accelerate or decelerate. It's only one clunk.

 

My U-joints don't seem to have any play in them. I've tried them in and out of the car and don't see any play in them.

 

The only thing I can find is in the attached video. The driveshaft flange going into the diff can rotate some with the ebrake engaged. It makes an audible clunk if I turn it hard enough. Is this a normal amount of play here? Or can I assume this is my problem and I need to start looking in the diff?

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1 hour ago, Fridge Gnome said:

 

I'm getting a clunk whenever I accelerate or decelerate. It's only one clunk.

 

 

Don't overlook the other mounts.  I've had a couple of broken motor mounts in other, bigger, cars and that's what you get, one thunk as the motor sets back down.  Feels like you ran over something.  The transmission mount is designed just like the diff mount, and the mounting member itself has rubber on the ends.  All could cause problems.

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Glad to hear thats a normal amount of play in the diff. It still confuses me a little that if I can make the diff clunk with my hand that it wouldnt cause a problem when its connected to the engine?

 

I have all new bushings on the car, including the transmission mount and control arms. That seemed to cover a lot of the things listed in the faq thread. Thats why Im still looking at the diff even though I know its usually not the culprit.

 

The transmission is out of the car right now and didnt notice any play in it either.

 

Ill see if I can find anything else tonight.

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 Years ago I had the dreaded clunk. I found the source by putting the car on jack stands, started it up, pulled the e-brake and had a friend shift into first and reverse while releasing the clutch. I was under the car and saw the nose of the differential going up and down as he let out the clutch. New bushings cured the problem.

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3 hours ago, Fridge Gnome said:

Glad to hear thats a normal amount of play in the diff. It still confuses me a little that if I can make the diff clunk with my hand that it wouldnt cause a problem when its connected to the engine?

 

Sometimes when you get focused on a problem you spend more time making it happen than figuring out how to make it not happen.  I can make my drivetrain clunk if I want to, but I tend to drive it in a way that it doesn't clunk.  The Z drivetrains are kind of sloppy.  Six u-joints, a loose tolerance differential and old worn out transmissions.

 

Once you've minimized all of the slop all that's left is to smooth out your driving skills.

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