more thumping

Maintenance advice to keep your Spider in shape.
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dmwhiteoak
Posts: 1088
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 1:12 pm
Your car is a: 1972 Fiat 124 spider
Location: White Oak Tx

more thumping

Post by dmwhiteoak »

As I was coming home last night I developed a new thumping sound. This time it is coming from under the passenger side. It sounds like maybe exaust but there is way it could hit because it is bolted solid. I have new motor mounts so I don't see the motor rolling to one side. But, the bearing in the center of the drive shaft that holds it elevated and bolts to the underside of the car has about 1/2" of slack when you push up on it. Is this acceptable? I forget what this bearing is called. All u-joints are in good shape but this thumping has me worried. Any ideas?

BTW It only thumps when taking off from a stop.
Dennis Modisette

1972 124 Spider
2003 Chevrolet Z71
2007 GMC Yucon
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courtenay
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Your car is a: 1980 Spider 2000
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Re: more thumping

Post by courtenay »

Have you checked your guibo? Ron Luxmore had a thumping issue and it turned out his gumbo was almost split in half.
Bruce Shearer
'80 Spider Fi
'10 Volvo XC70
'06 GMC 1 Ton PU
'72 Spider a long, long time ago
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124JOE
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Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2011 7:11 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 fiat spider sport 1800
Location: SO. WI

Re: more thumping

Post by 124JOE »

i think it may be the exhaust pipe hitting the rear end
or the body buy the rear end where it curves over the rear end
when you do everything correct people arent sure youve done anything at all (futurama)
ul1joe@yahoo.com 124joe@gmail.com
narfire
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Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:14 am
Your car is a: 1980 124 spider
Location: Naramata B.C.

Re: more thumping

Post by narfire »

Just checked a drive shaft with new bearing and I can move it about 1/2 inch as well. I guess the rubber is such it allows a bit of movement.
As Bruce mentioned , do check the flex disk. Jack the car up, block it well and get under and twist the drive shaft at the flex disk. If cracks open up.. change it out. Take a look at Ron's thred and pic when a chunk of rubber departed from the disk. If it does let go, that end flaps around down there beating the trans tunnel and the ground,that end hits a pot- hole at the wrong time.....
should be able to see the cracks in the pic
Image
Chris
80 FI spider
72 work in progress
2017 Golf R ( APR Stg. 1)
2018 F350 crew long box
dmwhiteoak
Posts: 1088
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 1:12 pm
Your car is a: 1972 Fiat 124 spider
Location: White Oak Tx

Re: more thumping

Post by dmwhiteoak »

The guibo is only 3 months old and still looks brand new. I have it back up on 4 stands and as soon as I get a this yard work done I will get back to the car. Joe,I did notice the po wired the exaust up where it bends over the rear end but that looks tight as well. Narfire , thanks for checking the bearing for me. I can now eliminate that as the problem. And by the way, why isn't everyone at work? There is alot of activity on here today.
Dennis Modisette

1972 124 Spider
2003 Chevrolet Z71
2007 GMC Yucon
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courtenay
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Re: more thumping

Post by courtenay »

Some of us are quite happily retired...
Bruce Shearer
'80 Spider Fi
'10 Volvo XC70
'06 GMC 1 Ton PU
'72 Spider a long, long time ago
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RRoller123
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Re: more thumping

Post by RRoller123 »

I am waiting for the urethane to dry on table I am building for a client. Love being self employed, just got back from a long hike in the woods with Scooter, the Shelty!
'80 FI Spider 2000
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124JOE
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Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2011 7:11 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 fiat spider sport 1800
Location: SO. WI

Re: more thumping

Post by 124JOE »

i love the fourm
i cant get enuff
but my free signal goes out from time to time
and i work weekend nights
checking here before and after

but soon summer will come and ill get busy
hopfuly tinkering on my spider
last year was work all day and dream of getting the car going
which i did do
so this years all about mileage/km

thanks
when you do everything correct people arent sure youve done anything at all (futurama)
ul1joe@yahoo.com 124joe@gmail.com
dmwhiteoak
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Re: more thumping

Post by dmwhiteoak »

Glad to hear I'm not alone about the forum Joe , I find myself on here atleast every couple of hours. What is wrong with us? We haven't had a winter at all here so other than working on it I have been driving. It is
A cool 78 deg here today and windy. Another 3 hours of yard work and then back on the spider.
Dennis Modisette

1972 124 Spider
2003 Chevrolet Z71
2007 GMC Yucon
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124JOE
Posts: 3141
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2011 7:11 pm
Your car is a: 1978 124 fiat spider sport 1800
Location: SO. WI

Re: more thumping

Post by 124JOE »

well its 66 and sunny slite brezze
its been under 30 all week
but we have had a very short winter so far
i still have last years bag of salt for the walk
when you do everything correct people arent sure youve done anything at all (futurama)
ul1joe@yahoo.com 124joe@gmail.com
dmwhiteoak
Posts: 1088
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 1:12 pm
Your car is a: 1972 Fiat 124 spider
Location: White Oak Tx

Re: more thumping

Post by dmwhiteoak »

Well after alot more searching I still am drawing a blank.I guess i"m gonna have to pull a jackass stunt to find the problem.
Dennis Modisette

1972 124 Spider
2003 Chevrolet Z71
2007 GMC Yucon
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azruss
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Re: more thumping

Post by azruss »

I posted a reply earlier but looks like it didnt take.
The pillow block (holds center drive shaft bearing) rubber can look good but be bad. doesnt take much to develop a crack along the bottom you cant see without very close inspection. If the rubber is bad, it can allow the drive shaft to bottom against the pillow block or even make contact with the e-brake lever mechanism. Like previously mentioned, if the muffler straps next to the gas tank are bad, they can allow the exhaust pipe to bang against the body. get underneath and shake the crap out of the driveline and exhaust and see if you can duplicate the sound. (make sure the car is well secured. I recommend ramps and not jack stands). also take a close look at both. if they are hitting something, there should be marks.
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124JOE
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Your car is a: 1978 124 fiat spider sport 1800
Location: SO. WI

Re: more thumping

Post by 124JOE »

yes the center berring wont show much if any damage
and is NOT easy to make it do the noise

also i was in my trunk today and noticed the jack dose wobble
so i have to ask do have anything loose inside the car or trunk?
when you do everything correct people arent sure youve done anything at all (futurama)
ul1joe@yahoo.com 124joe@gmail.com
dmwhiteoak
Posts: 1088
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 1:12 pm
Your car is a: 1972 Fiat 124 spider
Location: White Oak Tx

Re: more thumping

Post by dmwhiteoak »

Have still found nothing and running out of time, will drive her to work tonight and see if I can pin point the exact location. Thanks all for the input.
Dennis Modisette

1972 124 Spider
2003 Chevrolet Z71
2007 GMC Yucon
djchan

Re: more thumping

Post by djchan »

Also check your universals.
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