Need help to i.d. a noise...

[Desert Rat 23]

Hey all, new to this site and this is my first thread. Searched for an answer but couldn't find it. Hope I'm not repeating an old covered subject.

Got a '97 xlt 2.3L 4 banger with a noise I can't pin down. It's a knocking sound kinda like a diesel and kinda like that marble sound the 4.0's get. At fist I thought that it was just an exhaust leak, which I do have, and then thought maybe it was coming from the block. The thing is, it's loudest at idle, in neutral, and with the a/c on. (Brand new a/c system and I'm positive it's not the compressor) Yesterday I discovered that the knocking goes away when I push in the clutch. At that point I just stood there looking at it with a dumb look on my face and scratching my head.



Other possible factors include: rear dif bearings and seals are bad and soon to be replaced, possible bad u joints, and the drive shaft can be twisted about 20 degrees back and forth (unsure what that means)

Does anyone know what this is? Or maybe just have some ideas cause I'm fresh out.


Sorry for the long post. Just wanted to be thorough.

 

[Desert Rat 23]

Just realized I posted this in the wrong forum. How do I move it to the right one?

 

[Desert Rat 23]

Ok, hope I'm not breaking any forum rules here but I'm going to copy this thread to the 2.3 forum.