Dear Scotty:
2002 toyota echo, 215000 , manual transmission. Thank you so much for the quick reply. Big fan. Really value your money saving tips. So the problem is strut & strut mount. I didn't mention in my previous post is not only I did push the left front car ( like you suggest to check for suspension) , I also check for any leaks around the left front strut. Visually speaking, there doesn't seem to be any kind of leaks around the struct and the coil. But if you say strut & strut mount, then they are most likely culprit for the clunking noise.
More ? - So is it true that front sub-frame doesn't come loose & front & is it true that sub- frame doesn't make clunking noise (if even the sub frame come loose with play & gap) if the previous autobody did it right to install? It was quiet for sometime after the autobody installment.
- if I keep driving without replacing the strut & strut mount, will it do more damage to the car & worst will it do permanent damage like the car falls apart? I do know that I have to replace both front strut at the same time. But do I have to replace the rear struts & do I also have to replace both front strut mounts at the same time? I will next time spray white lithium grease around the front joints, is it unlikely to rid the clunking noise? THanks & wait for your reply.
More ? - So is it true that front sub-frame doesn't come loose & front & is it true that sub- frame doesn't make clunking noise (if even the sub frame come loose with play & gap) if the previous autobody did it right to install?
Play is the cause of clunking. If something clunks that isn't supposed to, it's moving, which is "play". A loose subframe is really bad news, lots of stuff is either attached to, or connected to the subframe of your car.
if I keep driving without replacing the strut & strut mount, will it do more damage to the car & worst will it do permanent damage like the car falls apart?
The car won't "fall apart", but the strut may eventually collapse into the strut tower if the plastic mount fully gives out. That will structurally damage your front end. The strut mount is underneath the hump-like protrusions in the engine bay. You may have noticed the bolts before and wondered what they go to. The rest of your suspension will wear out significantly faster the longer you ignore the clunking.
But do I have to replace the rear struts & do I also have to replace both front strut mounts at the same time?
Not necessarily. The rear of your car doesn't carry weight like the front does, long term. Given that the wheels generally follow each other when you go through potholes and such, it's a good idea to change the rears if the fronts are bad.
No, you need to replace the strut mounts at the same time. They are made of plastic and have ball bearings in them, so the top and bottom can slightly rotate with the coil spring when it compresses while riding over bumps. When you take the weight of the car off the mount and pull it out, it typically disintegrates if it's clunking. The weight of the car is really the only thing holding it together.
I will next time spray white lithium grease around the front joints, is it unlikely to rid the clunking noise?
The mount breaks down over time due to rough roads, encounters with curbs, railroad tracks and such. Lithium grease won't help in that regard.
