Lude Generation

Hi guys I'm new to this site and only owned my prelude 6 months. So after some wisdom from you guys I have a 93 h22a. My problem is Whilst under acceleration I get a horrid clunking noise worse when I got a passenger in the car. Pretty in drivable. When it first happened i thought my wheel was loose which it wasn't. No buckles in the wheel thought it looked flat so checked n it had 35psi lol. feels like its moving in and out type thing. I've had it on a ramp n found a broken coil spring. I dnt belive it's this as the break looked vry old n I suspected that on a noise I previously had. I've googled etc n found a few threads sum sayin wish bones some saying engine mounts. It really vibrates the car even with the slightest bit if throttle. It's intermittent aswell to make it harder to find. Also noticed the shaft had a bit of movement in n out but they all move slightly. Any help is welcomed thanks in advance Ryan

Firstly welcome.

Secondly, if you've found a broken suspension spring, you need to get that replaced asap, because that's unsafe. There is a set of used standard Prelude suspension springs/shocks for sale on here cheap atm (£40 IIRC?) that would do you nicely there.

Thirdly, the front engine mount is a common failure point (rubber hardens with age and then tears). This is the mount in the middle of the car immediately behind the radiator and is the main torque mount. If it's torn, the engine will move back/forth as you go on and off the throttle.
It's a bit difficult to see the condition of the mount with the bracket fitted but you can usually make it out.

There are 4 options for the front mount. From most expensive to cheapest, these are;
1. Replace with OEM
2. Replace with pattern part (they are available but can be tricky track down)
3. Buy some Energy Suspension Polybush inserts to put in the original knackered mount
4. Take out the original mount and DIY fill it with Polyurethane sealant, then once dry, refit it.

Have a look at the engine mount and see what you think.
If you can take pics and post them up here we should be able to advise too.

The engine mount being gone doesn't normally cause a clunking noise on its own, but what it could have done is caused the exhaust downpipe to be damaged. As a first off, check the condition of the flexi part and check the bracket that holds the downpipe to the back of the engine block is still there. If that bracket has sheared, you would get clonking.

I know you think you have given specific info but that really could be lots of things and I agree you need to clear any issues you know of to eliminate them

Cheers mate thanks for the reply. Firstly I'm jus goin to get a new spring. Get one cheap enough. I know it's unsafe tho haven't driven since this clunking occurred. As for the engine mount I had a starlet turbo before this any every mount was knackered on it an it didn't have anywhere near the kind of noises I'm geting. I'm fairly knowledgeable on cars as I was a panel beater for 8yrs. And in my opinion it's more thn a mount. I'm going to put it on a ramp this weekend hopefully (again) and check the mount and hopefully do the spring. The best way I can describe the clunking is as if it had blown a tyre or the wheel was square but it's only under throttle. And with it bein intermittent wouldnt an engine mount fail be the constantly? Could it be something more serious like the diff knackered? I no it's the extreme but want to get as much advice ready for when I inspect so I know all the possible things to look at. Cheers

like I said could be a lot of things but fix the spring see how it goes then

Ryanh22a wrote:Cheers mate thanks for the reply. Firstly I'm jus goin to get a new spring. Get one cheap enough

You should replace springs in pairs. If you fit a brand new spring on one side and leave an old one on the other, the spring rates will be different and the car will be lop sided (either when at rest, or under handling/bumps)
Either put a new spring on each side, or put a matched pair of good used ones on each side.

Also it'll be far easier to swap the damper/suspension unit complete with a used one, than to replace springs on your existing ones (you have to take the spring and damper unit off the car anyway to replace the spring and it saves you having to arse about taking the unit to pieces), but that's entirely up to you of course.

When does it make the clunking noise?

• On bumps?
  When going on/off the throttle?
  When going round a corner? If so, which way?
  When turning the wheel when stationary? If so which way
  When jumping up and down on the car when stationary?
  Under hard acceleration?
  Under hard braking?
  Completely randomly?

If you want a list of other things to check, it's all the obvious things;

• All suspension bushes (including the front traction rods) and particularly the ARB drop links.
  All suspension joints
  CV joints
  Wheel bearings
  Half shaft bearing
  Driveshaft security in the diff
  All engine mounts
  All exhaust mounts
  All Front Subframe bolts
  All steering joints
  Steering rack securing bolts

Could be any of those based on what you've said, but if you can narrow down when it makes the noise a bit more we might be able to narrow the list down a bit more.

Other than that, definitely fix the spring you know is broken and go from there - that will make the car clunk!

Cheers fella. It does it under any kind of acceleration weather I put my foot down 1mm or full throttle. Seems worse at wen goin slower and a slight blimp on the throttle and it makes the noise. Noticed when I have a passenger init it happens more. I mean it's there 90% of the time but does dissapear. My friend is a mechanic and was with me when it happened and he said that sounds alot worse than just a spring. If it makes any diff I have a bb4 so no 4ws. 17inch wheels on standard springs. Japspeed cat back and fujitsubo mani and down pipe an air filter and a chipped p72 ecu. Everything else is standard.

Sounds like driveshafts, but could be a few other things too as mentioned above.

Is it a random knocking when it does it or is it a speed related knock, i.e. Gets faster when speed increases??

Have you ever spent a night in a Turkish prison?