Can a bad universal joint in a 98 Mercury Mountaineer cause it to knock?
“Knock”? You mean an engine knock? Or do you mean a ‘thumb’ when it shifts gears? It is possible that an engine can be knocked out of true and produce some “interesting” sounds if the drive shaft is out of balance, but those sounds are usually quickly replaced with a loud “bang” or thump as the drive shaft flies off. the span of time is like mere minutes – most often seconds between the sounds in the engine and that final tragic sound which leaves your wallet feeling much lighter in the end. I lost a drive shaft once, the U Joint snapped clean in halve. It was a “fun” experience one that I would not do again for no amount of money. Engine knocking: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_knocking than with drive shafts and universal joints. http://www.tpub.com/…/14273_184.htm U Joints/drive
