gilroy222

Hey guys,

So the prix is going into the shop on wednesday for an oil change and while its there they're gonna check out my back end. Making a clunking noise on every pot hole and even on little tiny bumps and even the odd red light, when I come up to it, will make like a vibrating little clunk.

Usually I guess that's struts but they said it can sometimes be sway bars but they'll find out next week.

So that all brings me to my actual question lol. I have read numerous threads on the stock struts being discontinnued for our cars, yet I have seen summit racing have a pair of Bilstein ones for our cars when you enter in the search criteria.

Can somebody tell me if I can still get replacement ones or will I have to ship em out to Bilstein?

gilroy222

Sorry one more thing. Car is just about to go over 100,000km(60,000 miles). If i were to switch to synthetic would I get that infamous gasket leak all the old mechanics warn about?

Ill_Born_ss

" Sorry one more thing. Car is just about to go over 100,000km(60,000 miles). If i were to switch to synthetic would I get that infamous gasket leak all the old mechanics warn about? "

If you have any leaks now then yes it is possible for them to get worse. Just remember that an oil leak is also a vacuum leak and that alone will cause you more grief than the oil leak. So if you have any leaks now fix them and do the switch.

GXP25

iTrader: (3)

Check this post out: https://ls1tech.com/forums/ls4-perfo...l#post18017679

I'd be personally going with the comfort.

gilroy222

Alright thanks.

I'll find out tomorrow if it is indeed the struts

gilroy222

So this is interesting....

They took my car for a spin and they found the noise mainly happened when turning, especially when the weight was on that back wheel.

They hoisted it up and looked at the strut and it seemed ok... though they are going to be digging deeper into this when they have more time (I was tight for time so told them just to do a quick examination). They also determined the sway bars and end links, bushings, etc. were all ok.

So as of right now we have no idea what it could be. In the spring they're going to actually get in there and take the struts out to see.


So if it is in fact the struts, is there a replacement I can get that is very close to what the stock ones are? I won't be changing the front ones so will having a different model of Bilstein on the back hinder the way the car handles?

I don't go to tracks or anything... but I still want to keep everything as close to stock as possible.

Also, of course they tell me sometime i'll need new brakes at the back... anything you guys recommend that doesn't cost too much?? Again, don't wanna stray too far away from stock if I can't pick up stock ones.

Ill_Born_ss

Your endlinks would check out fine as the problem is the bolt/stud that mounts it to the actual swaybar. The holes in the swaybar are larger than the actual stud diameter and the slop/movement is where the noise is coming from. Replace the endlinks with the MooG problem solver units for your car and the noise will go away.

For the brakes I would recommend getting the OE replacements.

gilroy222

Thanks man. I'll let em know.

How much does the problem solver units run you?

gilroy222

Sorry to bug you again but I am looking into the problem solver and on Moog's website. What part specifically am I looking for? Swaybar endlinks?

91parkave

iTrader: (4)

You can easily check the end links by shaking them by hand to see if they make noise. Try with and without weight on the car.

Strut mounts are probably your issue if they found nothing else wrong. You can find the parts on rockauto or amazon.

Ill_Born_ss

YES, the sway bar end links.

Your original end links may pass the test for the ball stud looseness test, but as I mentioned some of the sway bars came with larger or elongated holes and the snapping noise comes from the stud moving in the larger holes. The problem solver units take this in account and also upgrade the ball sockets/joints and makes them grease able too. As for the price here it is double of what you can get them in the USofA.

Here is another KNOWN problem:

GM recommends you trim off the tabs on the isolator and to apply a thick grease in the areas indicated.

GXP25

iTrader: (3)

I have pretty much all of the information in the "Suspension Bushings" thread that I created.

I'd hold off though as I should be getting my end links tomorrow or Friday. I purchased both the Moog and Mevotech end links just to see which one is thicker.

gilroy222

Alright, thanks again.

heavyft

Check your muffler hangers. I had one on the left crack. Everytime I'd turn right or speed bump I hear a creak/clunk on the left side behind the wheel.

gilroy222

Ya i've had that before. They fixed it though so I don't think that's what it is.

gilroy222

I think I am going to do my brakes myself. I found some on 1aauto.com and they look exactly like OEM pads and rotors. Are these what you were referring to?

http://www.1aauto.com/2005-08-pontia...=659701&y=2008

And if it's not too hard to do, I went ahead and got that Moog problem solver endlink. Is it fairly easy to swap those out yourself too? Any links to the procedure? I haven't found any through google yet.

gilroy222

I changed the End-link to the Moog Problem solver. Seems like there is still a clunk there, just doesn't seem to happen as much as before...

Any other ideas?

GXP25

iTrader: (3)

Struts.

I'm in the same boat as you. They're clunking bad out back. They're also over $200 each so I'm holding off a bit. I also plan on raising the car so that's another $200 for new springs.

So over $1,000 for me. I wish I could spend that money on performance upgrades (headers, finish my intake swap).

gilroy222

I thought that originally too, but the shop drove it a few times and could only get the sound when turning. Then they checked out the struts while up on the lift and with the load and they said they checked out fine. They said they were stumped but I was also on a schedule and couldn't leave it with them more than a day so they couldn't dig deeper.

91parkave

iTrader: (4)

strut mounts!.....also if you want to raise the *** end of the car you can grab your factory front springs and put them on the rear strut