What is that Clunk noise when Accel and Decell

[coreca]

My 2003 Civic again,
I hear a loud (clack/clunk) noise when in any gear and accelerate or I lift off the gas.
It sounds like metal hitting metal and seems to occur due to momentum shift but only briefly when the accelerator is pressed or released (after laying into it)
I pulled the driveshafts and they seem fine, the subframe and engine mounts are secure.
Could it be tranny related? I did pull it and replaced the input shaft bearing recently, but this noise occurred after 1000km break-in and two autocross events.
Is it possible that using R comps the last time i was out damaged something?
The car pulls strong, there is no noise when turning.

Thought?

Thanks

[Taylor]

Hrm.. perhaps the ball joints?

Sounds more like something wasn't bolted down all the way or has loosened up.

[HBomb]

I've had this before when I had an axle that didn't quite seat properly during install but then subsequently loosened up - fix is simply to recheck torque on the axle nuts (and re-stake)

[AAC]

I've found in the past it was worn lca bushings

[MilesM]

I had that when the bolts from the engine mount backed off. Mind you it was a swapped engine and it was the bolts connected from the mount to the frame.

[Maxi]

I've had similar symptoms with blown upper ball joints.

[coreca]

Thanks for the feedback, I did pull the driveshafts and reseated them. I torqued the axle nuts, checked the subframe bolts and tightened again, and checked the motor mounts. All seems well.

The balljoints are fine, I did replace a lower one, that I bent. The uppers aren't loose.

At one point I put the car in reverse and as I backed up I heard an even louder clunk, almost like a snapping sound. Then when I moved forward in first the sound was very loud and similar to that in reverse.
The sound then seemed to revert back to a lower level clunk.

I have lifted the car and there seems to be some play between the universal joint in the tranny where the drive shafts enter. Wondering if maybe something inside here is the problem. (given the reverse forward issue described above). It really feels like the sound comes from the drive train but it is hard to tell when sitting in the car driving.... unfortunately the wife hasn't got a clue about cars and can't drive stick....:p

[Wes]

Inner front lower control arm bushing. I have had the same symptoms on three different Hondas.