1992-1999 Series I L27 (1992-1994 SE,SLE, SSE) & Series II L36 (1995-1999 SE, SSE, SLE) and common problems for the Series I and II L67 (all supercharged models 92-99) Including Olds 88's, Olds LSS's and Buick Lesabres Please use General Chat for non-mechanical issues, and Performance and Brainstorming for improvements.

Front end noise!!!!

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Old Dec 10, 2012 | 06:56 PM
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Default Front end noise!!!!

Long story short my car has this clunking noise from the front end. I can fell the pounding under my feet. It only happens on light to rough roads. It sounds like a wrench is on the subframe and is bouncing around. I have all new subframe bushings and wheel bearings and swaybar bushings and end links. I checked all that i could with the car in the air and all is tight. What am i missing?
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Old Dec 10, 2012 | 08:51 PM
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Originally Posted by mnorth24
Long story short my car has this clunking noise from the front end. I can fell the pounding under my feet. It only happens on light to rough roads. It sounds like a wrench is on the subframe and is bouncing around. I have all new subframe bushings and wheel bearings and swaybar bushings and end links. I checked all that i could with the car in the air and all is tight. What am i missing?

When you did all that work did you leave a wrench on the subframe that could be bouncing around? Just kidding. What about motor and transmission mounts. Have somone observe the engine movement as you shift from reverse to forward and back, and give a little gas in reverse and forward (foot firmly on the brake of course). See if the engine is bucking more than it should.
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Old Dec 11, 2012 | 05:05 AM
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Well i didnt think of that, ill take a look. I was thinking more on the line of the struts going bad.
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Old Dec 11, 2012 | 06:37 AM
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normally thats not a noise they get stiff or bouncy or start cupping your tires. if the engine or trans mounts go heat shields and things can start contacting other things.
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Old Dec 12, 2012 | 05:36 PM
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Motor mounts are good, no real movement . Any other ideas????
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Old Dec 13, 2012 | 06:46 AM
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you check all your heat shields for the exhaust?
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Old Dec 14, 2012 | 12:43 AM
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Sounds like a sway bar end link to me, but you say you already checked those. Have you lifted the front of the car and felt for play in the front wheels?
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Old Dec 15, 2012 | 02:34 PM
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Originally Posted by 2kg4u
Sounds like a sway bar end link to me, but you say you already checked those. Have you lifted the front of the car and felt for play in the front wheels?
Yes i had the car up on a lift and everything is tight. The swaybar end links look good but that may not be the case. That may be my next replaced parts.
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Old Dec 16, 2012 | 11:28 PM
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Did you check your upper strut mounts the bushings can go bad and allow a clunking noise similar to a sway bar end link. Pop the hood and take the cover off the top of the strut if there is one and bounce the front end up and down watch the top of the strut for more movement than normal also start it and have someone steer left and right a couple times watch for movement it could also just be a bad strut. Also what kind of condition were your sub frame washers in did you put them back in correctly was there any rust I had to replace my sub frame due to rust it was so bad it almost fell out and it'* possible the put those sub frame bushings in wrong and did you replace all upper and lower bushings or just some
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Old Dec 17, 2012 | 03:04 AM
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Check your ball joints. You will have to raise both front wheels and support by the frame rails to check. This unloads the sway bar evenly so it doesn't load the ball joint against the "slop" of a worn ball joint.
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