I have about 101K on my truck. I have always serviced the trans. 30K, 60K, 90K.

Started having this problem the other day after it rained really bad and I drove the car through some puddles. I don't have the splash guards installed because I'm trying to troubleshoot yet another oil leak (reg not trans).

I have had this problem before when it rained, but by the time I got to the shop, it cleared itself up.

After driving around town a bit, I hear a clacking / popping sound coming from the front end @ under 40. Yesterday the truck would shudder & pop. So I sucked out the ATF and put in 3 new quarts of Mobil 1 synthetic ATF. Shudder went away. But the clacking and popping were still there after hte truck warms up. Car shifts fine. You can feel it on your feet inside the car. Feel it as the car slows on it's own without applying the brakes and hear it! Does it in reverse too, but not as bad.

I thought it might be the OEM lug covers, so I removed those from the front, and it still does the same thing.

From reading here I thought maybe the trans fluid was contaminated so this morning I had a trans flush done where they hook the machine up to the trans fluid cooler lines today. I have ran fully synthetic mobil 1 as the ATF ever since 30K. My trans fluid was not burnt or funny smelling. Driving home today, still same problem.

Now I'm wondering if it might be related to the ABS brakes? Almost sounds like a caliper popping. I had the brakes replaced twice so far. Once at 45K and 100K, and before they wore anything down.

I also read that because my trans and AWD is electronic any torque converter problems would throw a error code, and I don't have any error codes (I have my own reader).

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

Does it only do this after you drive for a bit or will it do this even if you let it warm up idling in the driveway? If you have to move it for the clacking and popping noise to start, I'd vote for the brake caliper. I had an '00 Montero Sport that one day while making a left hand turn began this raucous grinding squeal and then had this constant chatter while moving. Turned out I had bent the caliper on the left front brake (although i can't fathom how). Garage replaced the caliper and reground the rotors and it was fine for 5 more years.

Finally turned it in for an Outlander this year after 170k. It was still running great and would have loved to keep it longer but I need better mileage.

 

wrkrbee,

First off, welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear about your problem. I found two service bulletins for your 2002 Montero that might be relevant:

2002 Mitsubishi MONTERO 02 - Automatic Transmission > POWER TRAIN : AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION [Part 103000 ]
TSB No: TSB0223005 NHTSA ID: 635101 , July 01, 2002 : Replacement:
Summary: customers may complain of a transmission whirling / whining and / or exhaust noise that sounds like it is coming from the front floor console area or the center dash vents near the radio. *tt

2002 Mitsubishi MONTERO SPORT 02 - Torque Convertor > POWER TRAIN : AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION : TORQUE CONVERTER [Part 103700 ]
TSB No: 0323006 NHTSA ID: , October 01, 2003 : Replacement: 0123010
Summary: torque converter shudder, surge, and/or vibration (possibly intermittent) when driving 35-50 mph at steady throttle. *tt

As these both deal with the transmission, I suppose that any competent shop should have known about both of these conditions. I hope this info will give you something to think about. I have no idea why driving through a puddle would make these conditions worse.

Your thinking that the problem might be a malfunction in your ABS sounds promising; the system could make a shuddering sound, but I would think that it would be more localized in the area of the brakes and not under the floorboards where you say you feel it. So what's down there? The transfer case? The transmission? The catalytic converter?

I must admit that I'm stumped; I just don't have enough experience with these vehicles yet to zero in on a likely cause. My beast is a stone-age 1995, besides.

Hopefully, someone around here with a newer ride can chime in on a likely cause.

 

I have to drive it for awhile to make the sound. If it's just sittling idle, no popping or anything.

 

Pulled out of the driveway this morning and the sound got louder and immediate rather than the car having to warm up.

Took it to a Total Car Care and they put it in the lift.

Found that the front driveshaft that attaches from the transmission to the front differential is going bad. Dealership wants $400 for the part.

Guy at Total Car Care claims that Montero Sports have this problem at anywhere between 90 - 100K.

Sounds like a bad part from MFG.

Found a used part online for $100. I figure even if it lasts me another year or so, I only paid $100 and can install it myself.

 

Are you talking about the propeller shaft, the shaft from transfer case to the front differential? If one of those bearings is bad, you should be able to fix that easily yourself. mitsubishisparts.com has universal joints listed here:

http://www.mitsubishiparts.com/oe_parts_catalog.html

I don't know about the Sports, but mine is still going strong at 176,000 plus. They do have Zerk grease fittings and should be lubed periodically. Do you happen to know if they were attended to regularly?

 

New update. Before reading your post, I started thinking...hell even my jetski needs the driveshaft greased regularly.

So I went back through the manual..of course in this case (japanese car) it's called propeller shaft. That took some time to find.

Once I found that, there is a fitting on the back with a boot that needs to be packed with grease and a grease fitting on the front which needs to be filled with grease.

Jacked the car up, filled both with grease and took it for quite a drive and no clacking.

Once again furthering my mistrust of car mechanics.

 

Nice sleuthing, wrkrbee! It's always nice when you can smack your own forehead and figure stuff out. And yeah, mechanics are like pizza, doctors and strippers — some are better than others!