Hi ,

I have a 95 firebird formula, I have had it for about 4 months and I am so sick of it, It has just been a problem since day 1. I have replaced the air compressor, waterpump,radiator, struts, tyerod ends, battery, front brake pads, plugs and have put 2 new tires on the front.

It still has a bad miss fire which we think the cause is my air intake hose.

But the problem is this drifting, pulling, swaying especially when I put my foot on the gas, it takes all I have to keep the car under control, it frightens me cause I think I am gonna loose it and I know it should handle much better than it is right now. Before I had my struts and tyerod ends done the car was all over the place, but this time it is feels slightly different.

The other night I was driving home from work doing a steady 65-70 mph, I had just passed an 18 wheeler and was pulling back over into the inside lane when I heard this huge clunk or bang coming from the passenger side. I thought I hit something, but when I looked in my rear veiw I couldn't see anything, however it was dark. I drove slowly a short distance to my house and in the morning looked to see if anything was obviously out of place or any marks on the car or my wheels, which there were none. I took it to a mechanic which a friend referred me to and he says its fine apart from the miss fire. I just know that it is not right and there is something wrong but I feel like I am a bit of a pain cause the car has had lots of problems and I am always asking people to look at it. I just know that it has got to handle better than it does at the moment. I also hear this clunking sound every now and again only when I am going slow, when I pull away, reverse or have just let off the brakes but I dont hear it all the time.

Some other mechanic guy actually the same one that done my struts and tye rod ends, told me a few days later that both my motor mounts were busted and that my engine was fixing to come through the hood and I shouldn't drive it cause it was dangerous, I thought I would get a second opinion and he done a quick test by holding the brake and stepping on the gas, well if the mounts were busted my motor should of tried to twist but it didn't, so there fore he didn't think they were busted at the time. What could this intermittent clunking be and could it of had anything to do with the clunk that I heard when I was drivng home the other night,, would it cause handleing proplems??

Please, please help!! Thanks MJ.

You input will be greatly appreciated .

Check your tranny mount. It easy to tell if its starting to seperate or brake apart if you have somebody look at it while you kind of preload it by stepping on the brakes and sighty on the gas at the same time (obviously be careful if you have somebody's head under the car when you do this ) This is something you'd be able to feel in the shifter knob somewhat probably as well.

I'd also check the rear brakes, I've had a buddy who has had a sort of a noise problem with his rear brakes.

AS far as handleing, Id probably check out the shocks and sway bars. My bird seems to handle awesome for a nearly stock car, then again, im not sure what you're used to for handling.

How many miles are on the car just out of curiousity?

my 97 trans am is a tranny mount demolisher...ive been through like 6 in under 3 years....the sound and feeling of it breaking is very easy to notice. once broken, you will feel the drive train/ trans/ other parts hit the bottom of your car.

sorry, had to change classes. Also, if you really want to test it, you only have to do it once, punch it from a stop and if you hear a clunk and feel a bumpon your right side under you...its the tranny mount.

also, how are the rear tires looking? I know you said front tires were replaced but if your rear tires are bare, then you're gonna have some swaying of the rear end. and the shocks could be getting "tired", being that the car is what, 13 years old?

I would definitely say the tranny mount is gone, and they aren't too expensive, plus if you get it at Autozone, you get a lifetime guarantee on Duralast. It's free if you bring the broken one in next time it breaks.(if you do your own repairs.)