2008 Tahoe LTZ. No oil. Added 2 quarts, dipstick still doesn't show anything.

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Dustin Jackson

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@User_Name I don't know if the front diff being loose would be the cause of your problem, it certainly should be addressed tho.

For fun.. pop the hood, start the tahoe, and put it in drive. Hold the brake pedal down while you give it throttle and try to do a little burnout and watch your motor while you listen for the clunk. If the motor lifts and clunks you'll have found your problem.
 

swathdiver

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It's hard to hold the phone and push the hog up with one hand, but this is just to give you an idea how much play there is. With two hands, it doubles.

Would this cause a clunk, even if it isn't in 4wd?

As far as the diff. Yeah, both have play. Should the bolts that touch the axle have a bushing? Or can I just tighten them?
The differential housing is secured to those brackets by 2 bolts on one side and 2 nuts on the other side. Try tightening them first or just reach up there and see if they flop around. Some movement is normal. The OE U-Joints are solid and not greaseable. In my opinion, solid is stronger and better than a greaesable u-joint.

Bracket, Front Differential Housing, Left 23104736
Bracket, Front Differential Housing, Right 23104735

Front Drive Shaft U-Joint 1344 23104840
Rear Drive Shaft U-Joint 1350 89059111
 

Doubeleive

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It's hard to hold the phone and push the hog up with one hand, but this is just to give you an idea how much play there is. With two hands, it doubles.
I suspected my clunk was coming from the same place because everything else was good at the time so I bought new ones and had them installed, they gave me the old ones and sure enough the rubber was shot it would just crumble in my hand like it was a 100years old, I think you probably need multiple things replaced including new u-joints and probably motor mounts as they go out just as well, when one thing goes it puts wear on the rest and it dominoes into more problems.
I highly doubt those mounts have worked there way loose, there should be a big thick rubber piece in there and when it is gone or worn away it would leave a gap making it appear the bolts are just loose.
u-joints gone bad can also cause more issue because it makes the pinion and drive line wiggle and cause vibration and then the pinion seal goes and that cause's the pinion to wiggle and then it goes bad, fluid leaks out and the differential wears.
at this point I would take the mechanics theory of the transfer case being the cause with a grain of salt.
every time you gas/break that front diff is going to move and make a clunk depending on how hard you gas/brake you might hear it more or less, same when turning everything twist's and moves, this goes for the engine as well and this cause's more wear on things that shouldn't move that much.
I would take a flashlight and look at your left & right motor mounts and see if there is a nasty looking stain dripping down beneath them or any liquid looking kind of oilish? it's not oil it is something else I forget the name but there is liquid inside the motor mounts and when the mount gives out the liquid leaks out and leaves a permanent stain on the metal beneath it, like it is acid or something.
 

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