I have a weird patterend clunking noise from the front end....

SPOON69

Registered User
When the car is at a stand still and the engine is warm i turn the steeing wheel left and right all the way till it locks it makes a weird clunking sounds. Sometimes you can hear the slight clunking noise at idle....but it is pretty quiet. The clunking noise has a metallic sound too it and i have replaced nearly all the bushing in the front end, i have new engine mounts and i also have brand new catalytic converters. I cant figure it out for the life of me...someone please help me out!!
 
Why are you turning it all the way to the locks while at a stop? Maybe it is a pressure relief valve in the power steering pump?
 
When the car is at a stand still and the engine is warm i turn the steeing wheel left and right all the way till it locks it makes a weird clunking sounds. Sometimes you can hear the slight clunking noise at idle....but it is pretty quiet. The clunking noise has a metallic sound too it and i have replaced nearly all the bushing in the front end, i have new engine mounts and i also have brand new catalytic converters. I cant figure it out for the life of me...someone please help me out!!

I don't recommend doing that while you’re not rolling. It's not good for you hydraulic system. As a matter of fact it’s not a real good idea to turn and hold your wheels turned all the way to the stops in either direction for more then a few seconds standing or rolling. Also, it’s good to get into the habit of parking with the wheels strait. This noise, does it do this when you’re rolling too?
 
I don't recommend doing that while you’re not rolling. It's not good for you hydraulic system. As a matter of fact it’s not a real good idea to turn and hold your wheels turned all the way to the stops in either direction for more then a few seconds standing or rolling. Also, it’s good to get into the habit of parking with the wheels strait. This noise, does it do this when you’re rolling too?

no, just when im staying still....even when i start to turn the wheel even slightly it starts to make that noise....it seems to only happen when the car is warm.
 
Why are you turning it all the way to the locks while at a stop? Maybe it is a pressure relief valve in the power steering pump?

well, if you have to lock the steering wheel to make a tight turn, there is no other way around it if in a tight area. I dont know if the valve is the issue, the pump is brand new.
 
no, just when im staying still....even when i start to turn the wheel even slightly it starts to make that noise....it seems to only happen when the car is warm.

Ah, ok, that clarifies things. At first, I thought you meant that the noise happens only at the stops. In which case, I would have said, uh, don't do that. Anyway, knowing that it does it all the time, I would suggest that maybe it is a pulsation in the power steering lines. Check the fluid level carefully first. Then check to make sure that the high pressure hose is mounted securely. (It is bolted to the front of the subframe.) Also, maybe you have some kind of rubbing issue with the suspension. Check for adequate clearance around all suspension parts.
 
joints

You know it could be your ball joints very common for t-birds. You can check them by jacking up each side by the lower control arm and shake it and feel for any play or movement.
 
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