Thanx ! .

This thing makes a creaking noise when first it goes bad, followed by a clunking sound as it gets worse but not a rhythmic noise.....

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Did the OP say the knocking was rhythmic? I didn't see that.

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Respectfully,
/s/
M. Dillon
'87 124.193 (300TD) "White Whale", ~392k miles, 3.5l IP fitted
'95 124.131 (E300) "Sapphire", 380k miles
'73 Balboa 20 "Sanctification"
Charleston SC

No he didn't, that's my point : I was trying to gather information .

It sounds like he's found an honest Mechanic so that's good .

I remember a Customer once came in and insisted I replace his transmission, I asked him why, what was the problem, he got snippy and said 'I know what I'm talking about !' ~

When I started the engine and revved the engine the broken off baffles inside the muffler rattled & buzzed, sounded nothing like any tranny problem ever, I $aved him a few hundred $ .

A DIY'er often misses something very basic due to lack of experience, nothing wrong with not knowing .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

So true. I may have figured it out eventually (or maybe not?), but I would have probably tried ten other things first and spent a considerable amount of time and/or money on it. The mechanic took it for a ride around the block, came back and put the car on a lift and figured it out in literally 5 minutes. That's what experience brings and I never take that for granted.