Knocking/wheelspin

[ice k16v]

When the road is wet and I accelerate too much I get an awful knocking sound as if the wheels briefly lift from the ground and suddenly grab again (that cycle repeating rapidly). In the dry the wheel spins like it normally should and I hear no knocking, at least with tyres in good condition.

So this problem is somehow related with very poor traction conditions and excessive wheelspin, but I dont know if the problem could be with engine mounts or the suspension... thing is, I have the Koni Sports with -50mm springs (which dont make the car 50mm lower, maybe the shocks are too long), which cause the springs to be a bit "loose" inside the shocks.

The car is an 1.2 16v with the 1.6 16v engine (and 1.6 engine mounts). The gearbox lower mount is much stiffer than stock (from the competition Clios) - fitted so that the gear lever doesnt move with the cars acceleration/deceleration.

PS - my friend has a phase1 1.6 16v with -40mm springs, stock shocks and stock engine/gearbox mounts, and he gets the same knocking sound in the same conditions - however in much, much smaller scale.

 

[Rob555]

Is this not what they call tramping, I had a Series 1 RST some time ago and that used to do the same..again on the in wet. Although that then used to overfuel as it bounced of the rev limiter and emit a nice flame from the exhaust aswell...

 

[KDF]

Its not axle tramp. Its a defective/usual renault crap engine mount. Its a common fault on clios and renault do not have a fix for it.

I have had mine like that for a year and a half now and just recently got fed up with it so it will be going into a PROPER garage where they still check things the proper way instead of plugging in a computer and telling you there is nothing wrong !

 

[Chad]

I think most powerful FWD cars do it TBH my old XR2i did it, a mates 5 Tub did it so does the 172. Although it does seem 172s are worse than most for this problem.

 

[edgerfs]

I think my 182 did this this morning as well (in the dry!!). Was in 1st accelerating hard away from a roundabout and it made exactly that noise. Only had the car for a few days though so not 100% sure... its definatley fine in all the other gears, the only time it occured was in 1st. lll try see if it happens again over the next few days.

 

[badinvincible]

Mine knocks too.

 

[civic_legend]

really depends on what surface youre running on, whether it be wet or dry.

It only occurs if you just happen to spin the wheels at JUUST the rate which would cause the cars suspension to oscillate at its natural frequency. If you spun the wheels harder or indeed less hard, you may not/will not experience it!

I used to get it all the time in my little lightweight civic, but now in the big heavy coupe theres no sign of it at all. It is in fact very difficult to spin the wheels a great deal as you simply end up making very rapid forward progress instead! ahh the joys of viscodrive

 

[KDF]

Quote: Originally posted by badinvincible on 21 December 2004Mine knocks too.


ye, but you like things that bang speaking of which hows jo ? gemmas doing her hair tonight aint she ?

[Edited by KDF on 12/21/2004 5:43:13 PM]

 

[KDF]

Quote: Originally posted by civic_legend on 21 December 2004
really depends on what surface youre running on, whether it be wet or dry.It only occurs if you just happen to spin the wheels at JUUST the rate which would cause the cars suspension to oscillate at its natural frequency. If you spun the wheels harder or indeed less hard, you may not/will not experience it!I used to get it all the time in my little lightweight civic, but now in the big heavy coupe theres no sign of it at all. It is in fact very difficult to spin the wheels a great deal as you simply end up making very rapid forward progress instead! ahh the joys of viscodrive


If you put your foot down on the gas even more it bangs so much it can jump out of gear.. deffinatly an engine (or worst case, gearbox) mount.

 

[badinvincible]

Indeed, were heading out onto George Street tonight for a bit. Are you and Gemma up for a few shandies?

 

[ice k16v]

But my worries are that this knocking will dramatically reduce the lifetime of the transmission, and people I know with a Clio I 16V or Williams dont report this happening at all.

I am really interested in finding a solution to the problem rather than to put up with it, luckily with the Eagle F1s even in the wet it rarely happens but Ill post this question to a mechanic to see if we can work out something.