Get out your crystal ball for this one. Stock 97 RS 5 speed with 17" rims. Son says the driver side axle "pops" ocassionally on take off when he gets into the throttle. I only drove the car once and felt nothing unusual when driving easy. He says it's hard to describe, but sometimes it feels like a little give or grinding on launch as things get moving. We recently replaced the transmission and the drivers side axle and nothing changed. I realize this is a pretty weak description, but does it sound like something we should be concerned about? Is it likely that the new axle is defective (it is a new axle, not a remanufactured one)? With the old axle off of the car, I can't feel any binding or looseness in it. Is there some inherent play in the axle or transmission that would account for these "symptoms"? Before we replace the axle again (it's under warranty), what else should we check?

Front and rear motor mount.

Originally posted by DarkOne
Front and rear motor mount.

Will definitely check it out. Thanks.

Yep motor mounts, tie rod ends.
Motor mounts tear/degrade quickly..

When its a bad CV joint "typically" it will "click" when making sharp slow turns.

Originally posted by mcgyvr
Yep motor mounts, tie rod ends. Motor mounts tear/degrade quickly.. When its a bad CV joint "typically" it will "click" when making sharp slow turns.

Will check the motor mounts this weekend. Was also planning to replace outer tie rod ends soon. What about inner tie rod ends? I know what you mean about clicking on CV joints. I did not hear that on this car when I drove it, even when turning. Thanks for the reply.

Can't tell much about the mounts by looking, but plan to replace them (at least front and rear). What's the difference between these inserts cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Motor-Mount-Inserts-Mitsubishi-Eclipse-95-99-AWD-FWD_W0QQitemZ7977870419QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item7977870419&_trksid=p3756.m20.l1116 and the Prothane sets? These apparently fill the voids in the existing mounts (similar to a recent thread here using expoxy to fill the voids). Has anyone used these inserts instead of the full Prothanes and do they increase vibration at idle? Torn between stock and something stiffer, but don't want a lot of vibration. Thought these might be a good compromise. Suggestions?

Personally, I'd skip those and go with the filled mounts. The car would be down for one day, pretty much. $15 for a tube of the ultra-fast curing 3M window weld. Make sure you specify the type which fully cures in 24hrs or you will be sorely disappointed.

If your existing mounts are torn, the inserts won't do anything besides exacerbate the situation. The filled mounts effectively fix the problem while giving better feel without being too harsh.

Originally posted by DR1665
Personally, I'd skip those and go with the filled mounts. The car would be down for one day, pretty much. $15 for a tube of the ultra-fast curing 3M window weld. Make sure you specify the type which fully cures in 24hrs or you will be sorely disappointed. If your existing mounts are torn, the inserts won't do anything besides exacerbate the situation. The filled mounts effectively fix the problem while giving better feel without being too harsh.

Thanks for the info. Hmmm....I might have a spare set of mounts on a parts car. If so, I could fill those and let them cure for a couple of days before swapping. Son couldn't stand to let his car sit for 24 hours, especially since we're going for a record on days driven without need for major repairs. ; )

Despite Driggs' suggestion for the Window Weld route, I've had great luck with inserts whether the mount was torn or not.

Just food for thought.

Originally posted by DarkOne
Despite Driggs' suggestion for the Window Weld route, I've had great luck with inserts whether the mount was torn or not. Just food for thought.

Good information, thanks. You have the inserts that fill in around the gaps, not the solid inserts, right? I know it may be hard to quantify or describe, but can you tell me how much more vibration you get transmitted to the cockpit after adding the inserts? As a sidenote, I read an article on another site about using the Window Weld in addition to the inserts, to really seal things up and perhaps get closer to the solid insert performance. If I was going that far, I'd probably just buy the solid inserts, but then again, I don't want to drive a 3,000 lb vibrator (although it might be good for sore muscles). ;) I figure it's a stock 420A, so why put up with the vibes when there's no high output to worry about?

Originally posted by 2G_Dad
You have the inserts that fill in around the gaps, not the solid inserts, right? I know it may be hard to quantify or describe, but can you tell me how much more vibration you get transmitted to the cockpit after adding the inserts?

I'm talking about the Energy Suspension inserts, yes. The additional vibration is minimal.