[fragmaster170]

My rear de dion bushing was showing a lot of wear and started to pop on hard bumps about 3 weeks ago. I've been meaning to get it replaced and planned on doing it within the next week or two.

On my way to work this morning I noticed what sounded like backfiring when I shifted. On my way back I realized that something in the rear was making a pretty darn loud thumping noise when I let off the gas pedal with the clutch depressed. It only thumps when in gear.

The rear bushings look pretty bad. The donuts were replaced under 10,000 miles ago and look good, so I am pretty sure its the bushing causing this. I have a meeting I have to be at this morning and my other car is in the shop.

Think its okay to drive the 10 miles to and from work with it acting like that if I baby it?

 

[Grant]

Are you talking about the bushings on the watts or the front of the dedion tube (the front of the triangle)?

Just make sure that the noise really is a bushing let down and not a bolt coming loose on the rear suspension!

 

[BigSwede]

Sounds like a broken gearbox mount to me.

 

[GreyGTV6]

Sounds like a broken gearbox mount to me.

I would have to agree. Mine did the same thing in the lower gears after the RH mount bolts fell out. The mechanic did not tighten them after replacing the donuts.

 

[bobsiopener]

I agree that it sounds like a loose bolt, or broken trans mount. I've had similar problems with 2 seperate causes. The first was a thunking sound when the weight would go front to back (shifting or letting of gas or getting on gas). This turned out to be caused by one of the bolts on the transmount vibrating out and the front dedion bolt being loose. The same thing happend in my Milano where i'd have a loud thumping sound when weight transfer and this appears to be caused by 2 very bad transmounts and the front dedion bushing looking pretty bad but i suspect it was due to the transmounts. I would jack up the car and see how much you can move the trans at the front and inspect all the bolts.

 

[fragmaster170]

I would have to agree. Mine did the same thing in the lower gears after the RH mount bolts fell out. The mechanic did not tighten them after replacing the donuts.

Yep, took a look at it yesterday and the bolts on the right hand mount are gone. Jacked it up and realigned everything last night, just gotta grab some new bolts and pop them in there... hopefully.

 

[bobsiopener]

Hi, Its a tricky Job to replace the bolts at the top of the trans without it lowered but it can be done. I had to do that with first problem I had. Getting to the front of the bolts is what i found difficult because the crossmember is in the way and its a tight space up there. I'm not sure if i could have done the job without a ratchet wrench with a movable head, i think you can get them cheap but this was the first link i found to help explain the tool i was talking about
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200115824_200115824

 

[fragmaster170]

Yeah, I tried for 15 minutes to figure out how to get that top bolt. I eventually had to giveup on it and have my rommate take a look at it.

Lucky for me he is a mechanic and he keeps all his tools here. He was able to make short work of it. That bolt must have been loose since I bought the car because I could swear its shifting better than ever.

Glad I took care of this, while I was under there I spotted a fuel line that needs to be replaced immediatly.