'click' when moving forward under power.... what to look for?

[Jayne]

While I'm tracking down the oil leak, I've got another oddity that's just shown up.

Vehicle is a 2014 Jeep Patriot 4x4 with the 5-speed manual. Dealer replaced the transmission and clutch right when I bought it (included used car warranty actually worked out).

When I start moving in either 1st or 2nd gear (it doesn't have the displacement for a 3rd gear start), I get a 'click' coming from somewhere under the dash (or it sounds like that). It's loud enough for me to hear even with my crap hearing. Always in the first few feet of moving.

It's only from a dead stop, and doesn't matter how fast/slow I accelerate or how fast/slow I let the clutch out. If I'm on a slight down hill, come to a dead stop, push the clutch in, let off the brake and let it start rolling forward and then let the clutch out.... no click. If I slow down to a crawl, push the clutch in, let it back out and accelerate away... no click. It's only when totally stopped.

I thought it might be the Hill Start system that holds the brakes a bit on inclines, some solenoid clicking or something so I disabled the system via the method documented in the owners manual (lotta button pushing and wheel turning). No change except now it rolls backwards when starting on a hill like a proper manual should.

Really hard to google this one because the CVT was such crap in these that any clicks/clacks/whatever is usually the CVT exploding and that's all that shows up in the search results.

Ideas on what to check?

 

[heavydoc]

Normally those are from the cv joint on front wheel drive or ujoint on the four wheel drive. Jack it up engage 4x4 block rear wheels and put in neutral. Grip the front wheel and rotate back and forth while looking for play or the noise. Then do other side.

 

[Schattenreiter]

Not having the wiring diagram in front of me makes this just a guess. There are any number of way to defeat a system that uses multiple relays that would still have one or more of the relays active. Short version: relays are two part. Power and switch. Interrupt the power and the switch will still cause a click. Interrupt the switch and no click.

 

[Shady Grady]

Don't you pay more for jeeps to get all these fun troubleshooting games?

You are ruining the fun asking for treasure maps.

 

[Jayne]

Jack it up engage 4x4 block rear wheels and put in neutral. Grip the front wheel and rotate back and forth while looking for play or the noise. Then do other side.

Did that, and you can hear some noise when you turn the wheel, sounds like gears spinning somewhere and pretty quiet, no way I would hear that inside. No pop or crack or play like a bad wheel bearing.

 

[Jayne]

Don't you pay more for jeeps to get all these fun troubleshooting games?

This isn't a real jeep, it's just a funny little station wagon. The rules shouldn't apply here.

 

[phideux]

If it's from under the dash area, can you tell if it is an electrical, relay type of click, or a mechanical click from somewhere in the drivetrain??

 

[Jayne]

If it's from under the dash area, can you tell if it is an electrical, relay type of click, or a mechanical click from somewhere in the drivetrain??

Sounds like a relay which is why I suspected that Hill Start Assist thing.

 

[Jayne]

It's gotten worse in the last week, it's not a click it's officially a 'clunk' and it's happening on the 1->2 shift now as well. I got with the shop I bought it from, and said that maybe it's got something to do with the used transmission they installed and perhaps it was covered under the used part warranty?

Service manager and I went for a little ride and the first two stops it didn't do anything (of course). 3rd start was a small click, he said he heard it. 4th start was LOUD, and he said "yea, that's it right there".

His first thought is a motor mount or transmission mount is failing and the torque of starting out is deforming a rotted/cracked bushing just enough to let something touch. He's going to have a tech check it out and let me know.

It kinda makes sense, especially if they used the mounts that came with the (used) transmission.... the donor vehicle was in a wreck so it's possible the mounts were wonky. Or they reused the existing ones on the jeep and they were just worn anyway and uninstall/reinstall twice was enough to make them fail. They pulled the transmission twice, once to replace the clutch and then again a 2nd time to replace the entire transmission.

I'm really making use of that 30 day warranty here 90 days out.... This is probably the worst used vehicle purchase I've made so far in terms of the mechanical quality. How I messed up this bad... getting old? Brain fade? My luck has finally run out?

 

[Jayne]

Final answer... motor mount. Paperwork doesn't say which one it is but I'll look around later and see which is new (and how hard it will be for me to replace the other one since I doubt it's not worn as well).