Bgean to notice an odd sound from the rear of my car, especially since the temps have been heating up here in the high desert; pushing into the 90's. Whenever the rear tires impact a sharp irregularity, such as pavement joints, speed bumps, etc., I hear what would best be described as the sound you would hear when smacking 2 pieces of wood together, kind of a "clack". I don't believe its anything serious as the cars driveline and suspension are performing flawlessly. Since it seems to be temprature related, I got to looking at the many removeable panels needed to access the engine. Especially suspect is the fiberglass panel with the dimpled metal panel heat sheild which mounts directly over the engine (and under the carpet trim piece). When I hit it by hand the pitch and frequency of the noise are very similar to what I hear on the road.

Has anybody else experinced noise of this type from or near the engine compartment? I'm still trying to isolate it. I'm not real crazy about driving it with the engine compartment panels removed. I'm also thinking maybe brake calipers or shock tower mountings? Any feedback would be appreciated.

Dave

 

motor mounts?