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Thread: Clunk/knocking sound coming from back

  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date:  Jul 2014

    Posts:    38

    My VIN:    16306

    Clunk/knocking sound coming from back

    Over the past month or so the Delorean has started making a clunk or knocking type noise in the rear passenger side of the car. It only happens when going over bumps or if the road is uneven with dips. Doesn't seem to matter if I'm driving straight or making a turn. If the road is nice and smooth I don't hear it.

    I was able to record some audio of the sound occurring (link here). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAOUEWlSzTE

    I don't believe this is the battery moving around and I don't have anything in the cubbies or front bonnet. Any thoughts on what this sounds like? At this time I don't have a way of getting the car in the air to look underneath, just trying to get an idea of what this might be.

  2. #2
    Member
    Join Date:  Jul 2020

    Posts:    33

    Here are some things I don?t hear recommended as often which I?ve found during my searching for squeaks and clunks and rattles (oh my). But check the usual suspects as well. There are few threads addressing this.

    Check the relay compartment. The metal tray they clip to could be loose. Any modules loose? The triangle wood cover itself sits against the fiberglass on one edge and a metal platform toward the center/top. I added some thin sticky foam here.

    Check the engine bay. Coolant hoses and such can knock around against the fiberglass. Zip tie them so they?re stable. Also eyeball things within the pontoons: evap canister and intake tubing could be loose.

    Check torque on your body bolts but also consider cleaning around then between the body and frame.

    Good luck!

  3. #3
    Senior Member AugustneverEnds's Avatar
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    Might be the trailing arm bolt (TAB) giving way. You really need to get the car up and inspect those pesky things, you seriously do not want one to fail when you're driving the car.
    Nick A.

    1988 BMW 325is
    1982 DeLorean DMC-12
    1989 Jaguar XJ6

  4. #4
    Senior Member Rich's Avatar
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    That could be any of several things. It sounds like something relatively large, not loose sheet metal.
    My first guesses are loose engine cover hinge nuts or body tub bolt(s) but do the safety items anyway while the RR wheel is off.
    This assumes you have at least a floor jack to get the RR wheel off. If not you can still check most of the lower-down items from the rear or the side with car on the ground.

    Safety items to rule out for a start
    - RR brake caliper mounted solidly to hub
    - Rt trailing arm bolted solidly to hub - while there wiggle the RR upper and lower control arms to check pivot bolts
    - Ruling out the trailing arm bolts for now since they're so close to the car centerline - and you must raise the car to access them

    Other items:
    - Loose rt louver/sunshade hinge nuts - wiggle the open louver to check
    - Loose rt air deflector plate - bolted under battery box, extends beneath rt trailing arm
    - Loose rt engine cover hinge - check 2 nuts under the cover AND wiggle the hinge up and down to be sure the nuts holding it to the body tub are tight. Those nuts are up behind the parcel shelf panel.
    - Loose body tub-frame bolts - at least 2 of the 10 of them are in the RR area in/near engine bay
    March '81, 5-speed, black interior

  5. #5
    Senior Member Riley88's Avatar
    Join Date:  Oct 2014

    Location:  Virginia Beach, Virginia

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    My VIN:    5312

    check the engine bay put the read o n jacks, wigggle things around. Mine made nosies like this, it was engine mounts, easy fix luckily
    - OCT81 DeLorean DMC-12 Vin 5312 "DeLores"
    - 1978 Lotus Esprit S2 "Problem Child"
    - 1995 Mazda Miata Turbo "Happy Daily Driver"

    I repair Lotus's with DeLorean parts

  6. #6
    Member
    Join Date:  Jul 2014

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    I appreciate the suggestions, quite a few of these I didn't even consider. Gonna keep the car parked for the time being but this'll give me a good list of items to investigate when I get some time. Thanks

  7. #7
    Senior Member
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    I had a very annoying clunk coming from my LR and thought it was suspension. turned out to be the metal frame thing in that holds the ecus. I put a piece of foam under it and gone.
    another common thing is the body bolts that go thru the support bar just ahead of the engine. Note I think torque on these bolts is only about 35lbs so dont go crazy tight on them

  8. #8
    Member
    Join Date:  Jul 2014

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    Finally got this resolved. Turned out to be a bad shock on the rear passenger side. The upper bushing was toast. Thanks again to everyone for the suggestions.

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