I'm bbbbbaaaacccckkkk. Recently, my mom asked if I could check out the underbits of her Sunfire - 2005, 70k miles, auto - because things are starting to rattle and clank around. She reports that periodically there is a clanking or knock under the driver's side footwell; the muffler also feels, er, sounds loose. I make no qualms about knowing enough to be dangerous, but not knowing a lot of specifics.
What should I be looking for? I'm going to be getting the Admiral on some ramps this warm weekend, going to get up to 10 degrees tomorrow. At 70k miles I'd imagine there are other things that should be checked and tightened up or something.
Thanks,
T-i-b-s
17 Mazda6 Touring
18 Mazda3 iSport
InlinePaul wrote:The driving force of new fangled features to sell more cars [is to] cater to the masses' abject laziness!
If you can, jack the front of the vehicle up and check the suspension as best as you can. With a wheel in the air, grab it at 12 and 6 and shake. If there's any play or clanking there, the wheel bearing will need work. While the car is in the air, see if you can pull, tug or twist anything in the suspension area to determine if anything is terminally loose. Be careful and make sure the vehicle is secured, is on stands and grounded wheels are both chocked. Don't forget to share the exhaust around as well. Wear heavy duty work gloves and eye protection. Stuff will fall into your eye otherwise. What I normally do is hit the exhaust in various places at various angles with the heel of my palm to determine how loose it is and whether it makes any noise when it hits something.
With the car on the ground, do a boucne test to determine if the shocks are worn.
Sunbirds and Cavaliers often have muffler hangers rust off, allowing the muffler to sag low and bounce along on the end of the pipe. You can put together a couple large hose clamps and sling them around the muffler and over the hanger to ficks that. Also, the hanger bar at the front of the exhaust pipe can also corrode and you might be hearing the loose ends bouncing against the pipe.
'08 Jeep Liberty 6-Speed MT - "Last of the Mohicans"
Okay. Update time. Everything on the underside of the car is nice and tight, but the muffler hanger rusted away. I went to buy a new one, but am trying to figure out how to attach the new hanger to the car. There's a plastic bit that looks like it's supposed to be where the new hanger attaches, however I can't figure out how to remove it without busting it. Does somebody have a picture I can use for reference?
I know that I probably sound like a door knob, but I don't want to break stuff since I'm still trying to learn some of these simple things.
Thanks again for your help.
17 Mazda6 Touring
18 Mazda3 iSport
InlinePaul wrote:The driving force of new fangled features to sell more cars [is to] cater to the masses' abject laziness!
theholycow wrote:That part attaches to the car and the hanger slips into it. What's actually there on the Sunfire?
I'm trying to figure out how to find a picture of the bit that attaches to the car, but am coming up short.
Here is what the muffler strap looks like:
That little point bit on top (the bottom of the picture) curves around making kind of a u shaped opening. That has to somehow go through whatever is attached to the car. I couldn't see how the original strap was attached because it was already rusted off.
17 Mazda6 Touring
18 Mazda3 iSport
InlinePaul wrote:The driving force of new fangled features to sell more cars [is to] cater to the masses' abject laziness!
theholycow wrote:It doesn't fit right in the little slot in the center of the rubber part of the thing I posted?
The one that I'm seeing, and I may be making this more complicated than it needs to be (self-professed mechanical moron trying to learn here ), but the piece that I'm looking at has the rubber bit going around two metal protrusions. The picture you posted has a metal jacket, encircling the rubber bit, that doesn't appear to match this car. Maybe tomorrow I'll have to just remove the mounting bracket and have a think.
17 Mazda6 Touring
18 Mazda3 iSport
InlinePaul wrote:The driving force of new fangled features to sell more cars [is to] cater to the masses' abject laziness!
It sounds like the two protrusions you see are the remnants of the old strap, and the metal jacket has rusted away.
You're probably correct. I didn't get a good look since the sun was already waning when I got the tire off. It looked like the rubber bit was rotting away and would have needed replacement.
17 Mazda6 Touring
18 Mazda3 iSport
InlinePaul wrote:The driving force of new fangled features to sell more cars [is to] cater to the masses' abject laziness!
Vaguely. The one of the Admiral doesn't have the third metal prong bit on the bottom.
Another update. I just finished attaching everything to the car; had to buy a new muffler strap because the one I got only works with the OEM mounting bracket. I also had to buy a new mounting bracket, like you have pictured above. I was very cross, but what can you do?
Rule #1 for the uninitiated noob. Nothing ever goes smoothly when fixing even the most minor of problems, and I'd consider this a minor problem.
Thank you guys for putting up with me.
17 Mazda6 Touring
18 Mazda3 iSport
InlinePaul wrote:The driving force of new fangled features to sell more cars [is to] cater to the masses' abject laziness!
At 70k miles I'd imagine there are other things that should be checked and tightened up or something. 
