help on Front End Clunk!

From : 1996dodge

Q: 1996dodge wrote i have a 1996 dodge 4x4 that i replaced the front shocks on monroe sensa tracs . i hear a clunking sound coming from the lower shock bolt on the passenger side. i replaced bolt just like i removed bolt. driver side seems ok. when i go over rough terrain potholes and bumps it sounds really bad. could it be a worn out bolt it looks ok to me. felix the lower shock mount bolts have to be installed tight enough to pinch the mount bracket against the shock bushing spacer. if you still have the old shocks try swapping one of the old lower bushing spacers in place of the new one. sometimes the replacement shocks come with a spacer thats a little bit shorter than the originals. if you dont have the old shocks try tightening the bolt down more. -- ken .

Replies:

From : 1996dodge

i happened to think about that today. it hit me that hp numbers are totally different. im getting 18 and he says hes getting 20. sometimes i get 20 but my last fill up was 18mpg. john is this normal or is my 12v in sad shape it doesnt get down and dirty but does eventually accelerate...reminds me of the old volvos. they dont accelerate. they just eventually gain momentum. youre comparing your 180hp/420ft.lb. engine against his 325hp/570ft.lb. engine. with nearly double the horsepower its no wonder his truck runs away from yours. ask him what kind of mileage numbers hes getting however .

From : carolina watercraft works

i drove a friends ford 2005 i think. it took off like a raped ape hot rod not a truck. both trucks are diesels. he drove mine and was shocked at how much difference there was. is this normal or is my 12v in sad shape it doesnt get down and dirty but does eventually accelerate...reminds me of the old volvos. they dont accelerate. they just eventually gain momentum. john they can ramp up the power in those diesels pretty high but at the expense of longevity. .

From : nosey

how about pulling the connector off #5 and see if there is any change. if there is no change try swapping #5 with another injector and see if the problem follows the #5 injector. on oct 24 632 am steve lusardi stevenos...@lusardi.de wrote unfortunately this is a common problem especially with aluminum heads. the problem you are facing is that very likely the threads are already destroyed. if they are then the only recourse you have is to remove the head restore the threads with a helicoil and overhaul/rebuild the entire head. the large cost is the labor whether you do it or a shop does this. parts are cheap labor is expensive. my advise if you are a mechanic is to remove the head as is bring it to an automotive machine shop and have then check the valves seats and guides. replace or regrind as necessary check the springs for set or cracking reassemble with new seals. at the same time they will check the deck for straightness and retap or replace all sparkplug threads. this machine shop service is not expensive because they have all the tools and machines required. the whole head can be done within 3 hours 4 hours tops if all actions must be taken. very often helicoiling a sparkplug thread can only be done from the combustion chamber side because of thread access limitations of the retapping tools or the coil staking tool. when reassembling the engine always use antiseize on both the headbolts and sparkplugs infact every bolt if threaded into aluminum. steve i managed to remove the stuck plug this evening. a little heat some penetrating oil and working the plug out and back in a little and so on did the trick. the old plug came out with perfect threads and nothing extra thankfully! however the misfire is still there with a new plug installed. my next thought... if i have a dead cylinder shouldnt i eventually start smelling raw gasoline vapor out the exhaust i smell no gasoline whatsoever. the old plug came out bone dry by the way - not oily or sooty or anything like that. i suspect i might have a dead fuel injector. i should be able to verify this by pulling a couple spark plugs removing the ignition fuse and cranking the engine over right a good injector would result in gas squirting out the hole whereas a dead #5 injector would result in nothing coming out - thats my theory .