My 2002 Protege (80K miles) is exhibiting a clicking noise from under the hood when i gently accerate/decellerate while cruising around 30-40 mph. The clicking can be heard from inside the car. It only happens when accel/decell and seems to be coming from the transaxle (driver) side of the vehicle . I thought it might be a motor mount but i'm not sure how you verify this. The CV joints are not clunking during corning so i don't think it's that. Seems to be backlash of some type. Any ideas?

Tom

 

can you describe the clicking in more detail? your drive shaft may still be defective even if there is none of that familiar clicking noise we've come to associate with bad CV joints. when under the car check the joint shaft for cracks or twists. you can also turn it by hand verify that it rotates smoothly and freely.

another common point of failure are wheel bearings.

 

The click is not constant. You only hear the tick (or click) once as you let off the gas after accelerating slightly. My guess is that it is the front motor mount. There seems to be a tie-rod type counter shaft on the end of it. I'm wondering if it is worn. It is more of an annoyance than anything. The ride is not affected

 

do you drive an automatic? automatics came with a roll damper on the #2 motor mount (front of car, under radiator). i *believe* it is a spring loaded roll damper and if defective, may be the cause of the clicking noise due to engine movement.

 

Is it considered part of the motor mount or can it be purchased/replaced separately?

Regards,
Tom

 

the roll damper itself can be purchased separately from the engine mount:

Damper, Lower Dynamic

• 1.8L Eng B25D-39-970A
• 2.0L Eng B25F-39-970

here is the picture installed on theman's car:

http://web2.airmail.net/theman/protege.html