Clunk!

[Skeeter]

I've found that during full bore up shifts, or if I hit the limiter, theres a rather loud clunk coming from the engine area. More of a bang actually. It doesn't do it all the time, just when at high revs with a dodgy shift or hitting the limiter so with a lof of energy coming though the engine. I think its going to be an engine or gearbox mount with excessive play causing metal to metal contact, but don't really know where to look other than the 1 engine mount that's quite obvious on the drivers side of the engine bay.

Has anyone else had anything like this? Where did the problem lie?

 

[mark smith87]

It's the dogbone bush allowing the cat to hit the floor when accelerating really hard. The answer is don't be so aggressive when accelerating for one thing and replace the dogbone bush with a Powerflex one and also replace the engine mountings with K Tec ones. That will tighten the engine into the chassis much better. I had the same thing with mine on track. The exhaust used to kick coming through Foulstones chicane at Oulton Park. It doesn't do it any more.

 

[Skeeter]

Figured that might be the case.

Any benefit in changing which ever mount it is that causing issue, or is it best to change all of them?

 

[Christopher]

It's the dogbone bush allowing the cat to hit the floor when accelerating really hard. The answer is don't be so aggressive when accelerating for one thing and replace the dogbone bush with a Powerflex one and also replace the engine mountings with K Tec ones. That will tighten the engine into the chassis much better. I had the same thing with mine on track. The exhaust used to kick coming through Foulstones chicane at Oulton Park. It doesn't do it any more.

LOL! The cat doesn't hit the floor! That'd be awesome though. Imagine.

The sound you hear is the lower section of manifold hitting the subframe, due to excessive engine movement.

Common issue. Replace the engine mounts, particularly the lower gearbox mount (dogbone)

 

[Silent_Scone]

LOL

 

[Skeeter]

He could have meant floor of the car?

So are there 3 mounts? Upper engine, and upper and lower Gearbox?

 

[Christopher]

Yep.

Offside mount is the easier one. Support the engine from below then just unbolt it.

Nearside is under the battery assembly and normally either fails on the shaft of the lower 'spider' support. Both can be bought separately, so check which you need.
You can just unbolt this one without support, it'll just sit on the small rubber pad on the subframe until you screw the new one in.

Dogbone is under the splash tray on the nearside. Dead easy to change, although I needed a mate to rock the engine back in order to connect it up again.

 

[Skeeter]

Cheers Christopher

I know what the upper engine mount and dogbone look like, but what are these 2? are they both parts of the upper gearbox mount?


I lack space and tools to do this so will probubly just get it booked into a garage and get them to fit them while getting some other stuff done too.

Unless the most common cause is a dogbone as I think I could probubly mange that one when I do an oil change?

Cheers

Adam

 

[Christopher]

The one on the right sits in the centre of the upper gearbox, with the shaft running through the middle, down to the spider bracket.

Mine was literally crumbling away when I removed it. lol. You probably don't need all of them doing, but you might as well.

The dogbone's the easier on of the three, providing you have someone to rock the engine back whilst you fit it. It's weird though, my 182 just went straight in.

 

[Skeeter]

Cheers. Think I'm going to go for all 3 just to be sure. I've no idea which one is causing the issues.

Its a shame the upper engine mount is so expensive. The 2 gearbox ones are reasonable.

 

[daveski]

Are you after standards or the Ktec uprated ones?

You can get the standard one from GSF on ebay - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300599970663?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

 

[Skeeter]

Standard. I don't see the point in uprated ones.

 

[daveski]

GSF sell all the mounts through their ebay account as I linked above.

I'm still undecided about the uprated ones myself, I know they're much more expensive but they do last longer and if I'm going to keep the car it makes sense to spend the extra cash...

 

[Skeeter]

Assuming my current ones are the originals then they have lasted 10 years and 110,000 miles, so I'm not too concerned about the durability of any uprated ones

Decided to keep yours now then? Better get it on track

 

[daveski]

MOT on Monday is the decider for me. I want to track it, just can't afford to at the moment.

 

[Toastfrenzy]

Just do the dog bone one for now, you can do this one yourself if you've a vice, copper punch\hammer....It sorted the same probblem out for me back in March 2011, car on 98K miles original mounts....save a bit of cash.

 

[Skeeter]

I don't have a vice or anything (haven't been living away from my parents for long enough to accumulate a stock of man tools yet ), but is that needed for the standard dogbone, or just when putting new polypushes in it? If I buy a standard dogbone mount does it come already built up and I just need to bolt it on?

 

[Budgie]

Bring it to me (Chertsey) and i'll swap the dogbone for £20.

Will do the full set (all four) for £60.

 

[Skeeter]

Cheers Budgie. I'll have a think and let you know.

So does the dogbone come ready made to just bolt on, or do you need to tools to put the bushes in it?

 

[Toastfrenzy]

Cheers Budgie. I'll have a think and let you know.

So does the dogbone come ready made to just bolt on, or do you need to tools to put the bushes in it?

OEM, not sure if that comes as one complete item or if you can buy bushes alone (ask one of the traders on here, wests?)....poly bushes you have to remove oem bushes and replace with the poly ones

 

[Budgie]

Standard part comes ready to bolt in. It's a doddle.