2004 Neon front suspension clunk
 

I have had this clunk noise coming from the right hand side and tried different things. A local shop offered to replace the front struts for $600 suggesting that the bearings in the top mount are worn out. I did one side myself with a coplete strut assembly unit and the clunk is still there. It is loud when going over bumps. I am thinking that the halfshaft or the lower A arm bushings are bad, but don't know.
Has anyone had the same problem? Please give me some suggestions.
Thks

Wrong section but sounds like possible ball joints.

Welcome to the forum but let me move this thread to the proper section for you:


You need to post in this section under cars : 2nd Gen Neon which is the 2000 year and up section for the Neon.

I agree. It does sound like ball joints. Get under the car and take a look. If the boots are torn, they most likely went bad. The LCA bushings do go out fairly often on these as well, so if you do replace the ball joints, save yourself a lot of trouble and work and just replace the bushings while the A-arm is out.

Strange Clunk Revealed
 

I just had the exact same problem with a friends 04 Neon. It turned out to be the right engine mount. Do no be confused with the torque struts (upper & lower) those were broken too, but even after I replaced those, I still had to change the right motor mount to get rid of the noise. To make matters worse, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to even see the mount while it's installed. Once I got it out, the mount was broken clear through.

Like the other posts, I had changed the left and right lower control arm assemblies (complete with new bushings and new ball joints) because I too thought that was the problem. I had replaced the front struts about 6 months prior because the right front was leaking.

One last word of advice, make sure the replacement mount has a metal center. One of the upper torque struts had a phenolic center and it lasted about 3 months

more work .. no solution yet
 

Thanks for the latest hint. I just now got to it, it fiigures, I just changed to lower A arms yesterday and put new ones in. The car feels tighter, but still clunks. I will check the motor mount next.
Thank you again.

additional inquiry
 

I looked at the manual and it shows the upper strut and the two brackets attached to the engine and body. Did you change 1 bracket or both?

Thks.

The actual motor mount is directly across from the timing belt cover. The only way to properly check it is to remove it. The upper and lower struts are torque struts which are there to keep the engine from rocking back and forth. They are not actually motor mounts.

When does it "clunk?"

When does it Clunk?
 

We would hear the clunk anytime we were on a rough road ... driving straight or in a turn. That's what made me think ... lower control arm (struts had already been replaced).

I'd suggest to anyone chaning a timing belt/water pump to change that right enging mount while they hvae the timing belt cover off. Cost is cheap compared to tearing it all apart again.

Question
 

Darthroush, do you work for Chrysler? Dealership mech? Seems like you are all over this forum.

How are the tie rod ends?

Agreed. I'm pretty sure my motor mount is broken, so it is going to be replaced when I do my belt. Even if it isn't broken, for the price of a new one, might as well change it and save the hassle. Once every 100,000 miles isn't too bad.

Nope. Just someone who has had the awesome luck of having to work on cars a lot. I do read up on things as well on a somewhat regular basis. I love learning things. Knowledge is something you won't ever not use, so, the more the better. :)

did you check the trans mount it also makes noise when you drive over bumps. but this noise u can feel it on the driver floor when you pass a bump, some times on you can feel it on the steering wheel. its just a suggestion???

Drive the car for 5 miles, jack the car and inspect the tie rod ends, usually the right side though.( I fought a similar "clunk" for almost a year.) For some reason the joint would be tight when "cold" but would show signs of play when "hot".

hey guys i had the same problem on my 2002 neon the famous front clunk. and it turn out to be the right side a arm. when i would break the car would slightly would rock foward and cause the clunk noise. there is a square washer at the a arm bolt behind the lower engine mount. this washer was not set properly in the last service and was rubbing on the cross mount. so when i would apply the brakes the washer would make pressure on the cross member (engine mount). and this is how i sloved the clunk problem. on my neon. maybe this can help

^^^ Interesting