Clicking noise

Hondo · 03-17-02, 08:08 PM

I have a '96 Corvette with the LT4 engine (6 speed). When I start out from a standing stop, I hear a loud dull clicking noise that only lasts for a second or to and then its gone. Any ideas?

03-17-02, 08:43 PM

Is this with under hard acceleration or all the time?
If it is under hard acceleration, or if you're dumping the clutch, you may be breaking the rear end loose. In that case the traction control is kicking in. The clicking could be the actuators that apply the rear brakes and kick the gas pedal up.

Hondo · 03-17-02, 08:58 PM

This is most of the time. I'm just pulling away from a light or stop sign - at normal speed - and I hear a clicking sound. Sounds like a sprung spring slapping against metal.

03-17-02, 09:07 PM

The springs are mono-leaf fiberglass. One in the back and one in the front. They run from left to right. So if you think you've got a spring slapping against something, then you would definetly notice more problems. The car wouldn't even sit right I imagine.
Can you tell a general location that its coming from? Is it constant at all speeds, or just when you initially start rolling?

Hondo · 03-17-02, 09:14 PM

The noise 'sounds' like it's coming from right under the bucket seats. Loud clicking type noise just as you start to pull away. As your letting out the clutch.

03-17-02, 09:39 PM

If its a metal on metal sound, you could have a worn u-joint at the transmission and drive-shaft juncture. I'm not sure what else is under there, haven't looked at mine, but there is bound to be a cross member of some sorts to support the tail of the tranny. Perhaps a loose bolt there. If you've got access to a vehicle lift, you may want to put her in the air and see if you can find anything loose.

Something else just occured to me...the lug wrench is behind the driver's seat. Supposed to be held down, but I have yet to figure out how. If your's is also just laying behind one of the seats, its probably just hitting the seat bolts or track. You should probably check that first! Easy free fix if thats all it is!

03-18-02, 06:20 PM

Chances are what you are hearing are the splines on the outter axle shaft in the hub bearing, rust builds up on the splines and if you shange direction go in reverse the forward you can hear a creak noise and probably only once untill the shaft is loaded in the other direction. What you would have to do is remove the hub bearing and with a round wire brush like what is used on pipes clean the inner splines on the hub bearing and then clean the splines on the shaft and then lub the splines with an anti-seize lubricant like Permatex #133K and reassemble and that should take care of that noise.

David Fulcher

Hondo · 03-19-02, 07:57 PM

First of all...thanks to everybody who had suggestions on what was causing the clicking sound on my Vette. I had it at the local chevy dealer for 2 days, and the dealer expert on Vettes(this guy is a legend in the Charlotte area)said the cause was coming from the calipers on the rear brakes. It turns out these ARE NOT G.M. brakes and the (I think he said) clips where causing the brakes to click when first pulling out or backing up. They adjusted something on the brakes and it seemed to help, but their is still a slight clicking sound. He said this will have nothing to do with your braking power, so I'm going to leave it at that.

03-20-02, 01:00 AM

It's not the brake pads I'd bet money it's the splines on the axles as I stated in the post before as a matter of fact I bet if you rock the car forward and back while it's in park you might be able to make it make the sound if you can pop the center cap on the wheel and put your fingers on the axle and see if you can't feel the noise.

David Fulcher

Hondo · 03-21-02, 08:55 PM

David,
If what you say is true, is this dangerous, and will it damage anything on the car?

03-22-02, 09:12 AM

No, you just get the noise.

David Fulcher

Hondo · 03-22-02, 09:24 AM

Thanks David, I appreciate your help very much...
Hondo

Vettelt193 · 06-20-02, 03:19 PM

It definitely can be the brakes. If you don't use factory pads there are problems at times... my vette technition has told me the same exact thing... my car makes the same clunking sound, and it has nothing to do with the tranny or clutch

Hondo · 06-20-02, 04:07 PM

Thanks, I've been told that from a number of different Vette Techicians...

twiget · 06-20-02, 04:16 PM

As luck would have it, my GS has started making clicking noises too. Exactly like what Hondo has been describing. And about a year ago I replaced the rear brake pads with after-market pads.

I'm curious to know how changing the brake pads will cause this clicking sound.

Jason