Trying to isolate a light clunking noise.

Hi all.
I recently purchased a 2008 Prius with 129k miles and have been trying to work out some little issues with the car. I realize a hybrid vehicle makes different noises and have figure out most of them and they are normal, but these along with a couple other issues leave me stumped.

I have gone through most of the engine and the plugs were replaced less than 15k miles ago, I also cleaned the MAF and throttle body bore and plate.


1. When the engine has not fully warmed up (keep in mind, it's still in the 70's here during the day) and I'm at a light, I will feel a light surge forward of the car. In a normal car, I would first rule out an engine mount.

However..not only does it shudder a couple times, it feels like someone is literally pushing on the car from behind lightly. The engine feels like for whatever reason the computer can't fully shut it off, and it wants to run on it's own for about one to two seconds.

It will also occasionally do it after driving 5-10 miles, but maybe once a day or so. Having the air conditioning on or off makes no difference.

2. When coming to a complete stop and then taking off again, I hear two separate noises. The first noise sounds like a click of some sort. If you can lightly click your tongue, that is about what it sounds like.
The other noise sounds like a small wooden box with a marble in it, and the marble is hitting the wood. It's not super loud, but audible if the windows are down or the radio is off and the interior fan is on low.

Not only is this noise occurring when coming to a full stop, it does it again when taking off. I'm not well versed on hybrids, but is there some kind of actuator somewhere in the drive line that keeps the car still like on a hill or something? I know newer Prius has hill start assist, but I believe it was not on Gen II.

Oddly enough, if you come to a stop and then take off again in a parking lot a few times, it quits making that noise, which would seem to rule out something like CV joint wear, axle free play, loose brake caliper, etc.

Yes, I've checked for something rolling around in the engine compartment and in the spare tire well.

Last but not least, I took it into my local Toyota dealer because the steering wheel was about 10 degrees to the left, they aligned the car, but I am having to take it back tomorrow because the steering wheel is still off center. I looked at the service records and noticed it has had several alignments done, which seem rather odd.

 

Did a tire rotation now it pulls in the other direction. So I have a crappy tire.
Jacked the front end up, one of the CV axles was recently replaced with a Chinese special. It has some lash to it, so it was making that noise.

 

Still trying to solve the shaking issue. Seems like the ECU can't fully shut the engine off sometimes.