Hey all, just thought I'd see if this rings a bell with anyone.

I'm getting a clunking noise somewhere underneath the front of my car -- both sides it seems, but left side is louder -- whenever I get on/let off the gas or go over a speedbump/pothole/small kerb at the end of my driveway. It makes the noise even when in neutral and heading straight. I tried to rock the engine back and forth, but it feels firm. It's gotten louder and more pronounced over time, now its bad enough that I'm thinking of taking it to a shop.

I jacked the car up today to take a look, but I could not see anything obviously wrong. (Lighting was bad though, my torch ran out). I jiggled both wheels front/back up/down in/out and rotated them, but could not find the source of the noise. Wheels appeared to be tight, maybe half-mm of in/out play. The right CV joint boot is torn, it's been that way for a while but now it's a big tear so I'll probably get it fixed (how much should I pay?). This noise doesn't sound like a shot CV to me.

So what could it be? It struck me as something suspension/dead shocks (but they didn't make a noise when i pushed the wheel up). Maybe engine mount, but the engine felt firm... lastly CV joint? I dunno... Anyone know a good mini mechanic in Bathurst?

hg.

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Copper 4 lyfe!

if its on and off accelerator, my money is on the engine mounts. You will be surprised how hard it is to move the engine if your just shaking it, i would go for the easiest things first and check your top engine mount rubbers and have a good look for crack or perished lowers.

You can also make sure your steering rack is bolted to the floor nice and tight, these seem to work lose with time.

Bill

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http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=71255

Remove square wheels, fit round ones

Engine steady bushes, or castor arm bushes.

Doogie

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I won Hay once, here's the pic to prove it..


Hay, it's not about the car, it's not about the venue, it's about the people that come here. Peter Dwyer, Mayor of Hay NSW.

1. Check the 2 hub nuts are still tight.
2. Also (if it has hardy spicer U/Js) check their 8 nyloc nuts are tight.
3. Jack up one side only, put in 1st gear, turn the other wheel to and for. A big clunk and lots of rotation means probably the diff pin and spider gears are worn bad. If so fix ASAP, before it's terminal (big hole in box casing and no oilz).

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

By the sounds of what you have checked, and the sound it's making it is the steering rack loose in its U bolts or it's little arm that bolts onto the hub with 2 bolts.

I had this exact same issue as you, sounds squally similar.. My money is on the steering rack U bolts and or the 2 bolts ontop of the hub. (They are supposed to have lock tabs on them)

Try these and see how you go then..

Cheers Lockie

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Bluey-1973 Clubby - 1330, high lift, big cam, 7 port madness in progress..

Gumby-1978 Minivan, British Racing Green - 1310, high lift, mild cam, enlarged porting and chamber shape with big valve head, supercharged build in ever slow progress!

check upper arms. As the bearings start to go will make a distinctive hard metal on metal clunk. Does it over corrogations in the road and potholes.

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1970 Cooper S ex-Bathurst & ATCC
1964 Austin Cooper S ex-Group C race car
1967 Morris Cooper S ex-Group B
1962 Mini Speed sports sedan
1968-71 ex-Peter Manton Shell car

I pulled off the wheels today and had a look around. I could do up the bottom engine mounts a bit, but I think one or two of the nuts have stripped... Everything is tight, all the suspension linkages and ball joints, the two bolts on top of the hub that the tie rod attaches to... Tightened up the steering rack U-bolts from inside too.

Still clunking...

It's probably the shocks then I guess? I've booked it in for friday at a mechanic here, hope I don't get screwed >_<

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Copper 4 lyfe!

A couple of thing to look at as it is very hard to diagnose a clunk over a keyboard.
There is a bush in the left hand side of steering rack that can cause a clunk. If you reach around the left hand wheel and grab the steering tie-rod close to the rack (the inner end) and shake it up and down to see if it clunks.

Or to test the engine mounts for clunks... Start the car with the bonnet open and while holding the brakes let the clutch out carefully to almost stall and dip it again to rock the motor to see if it clunks.

The castor rods (sometime called tie rods) can also clunk when the bushes are shagged. They are under tension when you brake and under compression when you are under power.

Have you ever greased the top suspension arms? (and also the rear arms)

Also try a PM to a user called "diecast" he lives in Bathurst and may know who the speak to in town. If I was closer I would have a look for you.

as Morris 1100 said, have you greased the nipples lately? It could be that your ball joints need re-shimming.

I am guessing you have checked the rubbers at the end of the shocks to ensure they are not flogged out?

Only other thing I can think of is the rack itself, inside needs reconditioning.

Just on a rare off chance, try and tighten the sub frame bolts that go through the bottom of the floor, and the ones at the top of the firewall. There might be just enough movement in them to allow the sub frame to move to create that clunk your hearing.

I don't know if I have missed it, but did you say the car has always been doing this since you got it, or only just started?

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Bluey-1973 Clubby - 1330, high lift, big cam, 7 port madness in progress..

Gumby-1978 Minivan, British Racing Green - 1310, high lift, mild cam, enlarged porting and chamber shape with big valve head, supercharged build in ever slow progress!

I will try the subframe bolts through the floor and firewall, I have never touched those bolts in my ownership. I have greased all the nipples (including the remote change) about 5 months ago. Might as well do it again now. Also going to tighten every suspension bolt I can find, and knock around with a rubber mallet. Something has to go clunk.... I'm dubious that it's a shocker, it didn't make any noise, doesn't show any signs of leakage and I haven't noticed any bounciness.

Edit: it's a metal-on-metal clunk, seems to be coming from low down on the left side. The RHS steering rack boot is torn, but when I found it I patched it up with cable ties a few months back and it's still holding oil. Will knock it with mallet tomorrow. Might as well order a new rack now...

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Copper 4 lyfe!

I'd be suspecting Tie rod bushes, a missing one could be easily missed because it resides under the big washer and if you have lots of dirt or lack of decent light you could have missed seeing it not be there and by moving the hub by hand probably wouldn't make it move enough to clunk.. Good luck.

I have had exhaust pipe contacting the body and making loud vibrations when the centre rubber mount (the one at the front of the rear sub frame) tore and allowed the exhaust pipe to drop down a little...

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Over 1,000,000Km, but now my retirement restoration project

just thinking more about this as you type this...

Have you tried the top arm bump stops? I'm not sure this would cause a noise on and off gas (it may or may not), but it might well, not sure, but definitely over any bump. This would be metal on metal, and these little mounts wear out regularly, and are commonly missed to replace. Most don't know they are there. You are looking for the one that looks like this..

http://www.minisport.com.au/prod462.htm

I can't really think of anything else...

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Bluey-1973 Clubby - 1330, high lift, big cam, 7 port madness in progress..

Gumby-1978 Minivan, British Racing Green - 1310, high lift, mild cam, enlarged porting and chamber shape with big valve head, supercharged build in ever slow progress!

Ok now I've spent a total of 9 hours tracing this stupid noise. All that's left is the lower arm bushing on both sides, they have split and are protruding.

I've tightened every single nut I could see. Already did engine mounts in my last post. I found the lower nut of the LHS shocker loose (would have soon vibrated off). LHS upper steady nuts were tight, but the mounts to the firewall were loose-ish. Tightened those up and some rattles and clunks seem to be quietened. All the other bolts/nuts were pretty tight... lower subframe mounts on the LHS could be tightened a couple of turns. Oh yea! Lower front LHS subframe bolt (the one through the little peekhole) was missing!! Found some good sized washers and HT bolts and fixed that up.

Removed one upper arm rebound stop, looks good 1-2cm rubber left there, other side looked same. Bump stops on both sides 60-70%, good condition.

Still clunking over potholes though. Metal-on-metal is very clear now, it's definitely not CVs or shockers. It's gotta be the lower arm bushings...
Edit: or steering rack, but hitting with rubber mallet makes no noises. I think I'll order and replace both.
Edit2: exhaust feels nice and secure, everything's tight, never had issues with it over 2.5 years. Engine is rock solid in the bay.

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Copper 4 lyfe!