Nasty front end clunk and dead thermo gauge!! Help

[RalliartRsX]

Well, ever since I bought the 240, it has had a very disconcerting front end clunk. This happens when you initially turn the steering. What happens is, as the steering begins to go through its rotation, you hear a violent clunk, and it feels the steering (or tire) is hooking on something as it moves through its rotation.
Also, a very loud clunk happens when braking. What happpen is right before the car is about to come to a complete stop, you hear a violent clunk in the front end and you actaully feel it through the steering. I did the complete front end this weekend (Tein inner and out tie rods, brand new FLCA from PDM racing with new bushing and ball joint and new bushings in the TC rods). After all this, it stills makes this very disconcerting clunk.

I have no idea what else to change, and if this continues, I am selling this piece. Tired of fixing every thing the previous owner broke (which seems to be every single part of the car, arggggggggggg!!!!)

Thanks

Suspension setup:
Tear drop and 7 spoke wheel on each front wheel
195/55-15 tires (dunlop FM901) all around
KYB AGX and sportline springs (the drop is unkown and too low)
And above installs
Thats it.............
P.S I also installed the tie rod spacers from tein. But, this clunk happens way before the wheel is at full lock.

As for the temp gauge, it seems it is officially, fubared. It is basically stuck in the middle of its sweep and it wont move. I am a bit worried about this as I would like to know if the car is overheating or not. But, from my understanding, it seems the stock temp gauge is rubish.
Anbody has any ideas of what it could be and any advice on if I should just get an aftermarket one or try and fix this one??

[downshift_sideways]

My car does the same Clunk Noise. When you figure it out let me know aswell.
It gets really annoying. Mine Clunks when I'm driving slow ( ex. Parking ) and i turn the wheel. CLUNK!~

I know The reason why Mine is making that noise, is because I got into a fight with a curb 5 months ago.

The previous owner of the vehicle 'could have' Hit something in the front.

[Pennyman]

Do the two "clunks" sound the same? If so, they're probably coming from the same place.

How long has the noise been going for? Since you had the car? Has it been getting worse or has it stayed about the same?

Here's my little trick for figuring out where noises are coming from. It may not work in all cases, but it could get you started. Listen to the sound and remember what qualities of the sound are distinctive. Go under the car and start tapping control arms and tie rods with your knuckle or the handle of a hammer and see if you can recreate the sound. If so, you're probably closing in on it.

This works because when the noise happens, it resonates the parts around it, creating a certain sound. If you can recreate the sound almost exactly, you're probably closing in on it.

NOTE: this may not always work.

[RalliartRsX]

I will definately try that suggestion you made sometime this week.

Any more ideas on clunk?? It seems to be a common problem among S13 chassised cars (same goes for a few of my other friends). But still, I hate unkown sounds, and I am relentless on getting it fixed.

Also, any thermo gauge ideas/advice??

[gfisch]

I have the same problem on my S14. It clunks when I do a full or almost full turn at low speeds (pretty much exclusively in the parking garage). I also get a similar clunk up front when braking very hard. So, it seems like something has a little bit of play in it.

I noticed the grease bushings on the ball joints on my steering linkages were blown out, so I bought new ones. Haven't replaced them yet. That may solve the problem, but I'm not too sure thats what is causing it.

I also get a clunk from the rear during acceleration, but that is a different one. i'm pretty sure that is from the almost non-existent subframe bushings. Planning to get spacers soon.


If anyone has any insight into these noises, it'd be greatly appreciated.

[RalliartRsX]

Well, someone suggested it be the sway bar bushings. When I was under teh car doing the entire front end, I realized the drivers side D bushing was missing. I am going to get a set of bushings and endlinks and see if that fixes it.

Anybody know where I can get cheap bushings and endlinks really fast?? Need em in a few days.

[kandyflip445]

I dunno how you could get them faster in Jamaica. Another thing may be that the spring is not seated correctly on your dampers. The upper insulating bushing could be the problem. On mine I got the sound after installing some spl tension rods. The two bolts that connect the tc rod to the lca were not tight enough and I had to tighten them down completely.

[Tomslide50]

A clunk under braking that happens right before the car stops is almost allways a strut rod(or as nissan calls them "tension rod") issue. Tighten the bolts that connect the tension rods to the frame. I had this problem on my car when I first got it as well.

[RalliartRsX]

Oppsss, sorry, dont currently reside in Jamaica

So, any ideas on where to get some (bushings)?? I called up summitracing and they have nothing for the 240, bushings wise. Also, I dont think energy suspension makes endlinke bushings (although, I think they make D bushings).

Also, as for that tightening issue, do you do your final tightening of the three bolts (the one which connects to the brace and the two bolts for the FLCA) when the car is on the ground and the LCA is loaded??

Thanks

[kandyflip445]

http://www.courtesyparts.com/energys...ion/240SX.html
They make all the bushings.

[RalliartRsX]

Nope, already tried. My front bar is 25mm (hicas/abs/lsd model). It also seems ES doesnt make the endlink poly bushing anymore (sigh). I will make sure of bar size in the morning when I jack up the car to fix my idler pulley grrrrrr

I will just call midway tomorrow to see if they can hook me up with a set (as well as call courtesy). I heard about whiteline, but I hear their endlinks arent exactly the best design (atleast, when ot vertical). I was going to go with an aftermarket brand from advanceautos, but, with this car, I am doing it all correect the first time around. And, no heim joints as the car is going to be a daily.

Any more ideas folks?? Help is well appreciated.

[gfisch]

I am having the same problem and just replaced the ball ends for the steering arms that were broken (finally). It helped a bit (maybe), but didn't solve the problem.

BUT, while down there tighening everything up, i did notice a bit of grease oozing out of the tenion rod's bushing. So, good chance that is where the problem is coming from.

Can anyone reccomend a good set of tension rods that are better than OEM, but won't make the ride too much rougher?

[kandyflip445]

Nismo rods would probably be a good bet for not making the ride more rough.

[downshift_sideways]

Originally Posted by RalliartRsX

Well, someone suggested it be the sway bar bushings. When I was under teh car doing the entire front end, I realized the drivers side D bushing was missing. I am going to get a set of bushings and endlinks and see if that fixes it.

Anybody know where I can get cheap bushings and endlinks really fast?? Need em in a few days.

The sway bars on my s14 are n/a and it still makes that clunking noise.