VTS-Vibration on idle..

[mini-valver]

Bought a mk1 VTS for a runabout while the Clio is away as Im farking sick of taking the bus. I only paid £500 so I expected some problems, now the gearbox is whiney and the clutch is slipping slightly when you change gear high up the rec range. It knocks when you turn and put the power down etc so I'm thinking the top mount has gone (No movement in the wheel). Today at some lights I pulled away a little enthusiastically and it made the knock bu slightly louder and now when it's idling, the whole car vibrates. If you touch the accelerator and leave it about 1500+rpm it stops but I'm sure when I'm giving it beans I can feel it vibrating.

I'm going t0 put a box and damper on it next week, hoping that the box is just mullered making it vibrate but is there anything else it can be? I've been under it and all teh engine mounts seem fine and theres nothing visible touching the body from the engine..... Any ideas??

 

[SBV116]

On my VTS, the engine mount on the O/S inner wing, come undone inside and dropped down, visibly it looked ok, but made the entire car vibrate!

There was a Torx bit inside that had come undone!

The gearbox is on its way out, i had 4! The diff bearings are packing up!

 

[Mark One]

No idea about your vibrations mate.
If it's not engine mounts then what can it be?

As for your suspension knock, I'd say don't jump straight for the top mounts. Could be ball joints or wishbone bushes or something.

Best of luck.
I hate busses too. All they ever do is make me late

 

[sideways danny]

knocking when turning sounds like a driveshaft/cv joint which wouldn't surprise me at all, pugs/citroens are shite for CV joints. Saxo clutches are bad for release bearings collapsing.

 

[mini-valver]

The one under the ECU?? 4 torx bolts into the head and one onto the inner wing? What am I looking for?

Yeah, when you hold the casing it feels like a washing machine with nuts and bolts in, lol. When you've driven it and stopped I can smell gearbox oil faintly but theres no leak??
The gearchange is fine though, synchro's dont seem worn.
I tried tightening the clutch cable up earlier but it doesnt seem to have made a difference regards the slipping. Anything else I can try as the bite is fairly low so not sure thats its worn....

Also, the linkage from the stick to the S shape gear arm, the end of it has a cylinder which looks asif it should have a bush inside. There was nothing in it so the gearchange felt like you were in neutral when you were in gear. Ive bodged some coolant hose in and tie wrapped it and it feels mint now, I tried Citreon today but the parts counter were closed and PMF dont stock them. Any ideas if you can just buy the bush or do I need the whole rod?

 

[lemonnobby]

Yep i too have seen that top mount on the o/s go. and also he left it and it took the gearbox mount out which resulted in the gearbox caseing beening broken

 

[mini-valver]

knocking when turning sounds like a driveshaft/cv joint which wouldn't surprise me at all, pugs/citroens are s**te for CV joints. Saxo clutches are bad for release bearings collapsing.

I thought it could have been the inner one but it's not asif you have to lock it round, it does it when you hit a bump too. If I go over a speedhump above 5-10 mph it seems to just clunk down, if that makes sense? It looks to be on standard supension and the prev. owner didnt mention and lowering springs so I was just going to replace the dampers+springs with some low mileage 2nd hand ones to see of that improves it as it seems really unstable driving it anywhere near quick round bends.....

 

[sideways danny]

check out bottom balljoints and ARB drop links then. had to do mine on my 205 last week. essentially the same setup and the drop links are bad for wear

 

[mini-valver]

Yeah I know they're quite common. Would it knock when I turn though? Besides split boots, how will I know they're worn? Never worked on a Saxo before, lol

 

[sideways danny]

easy to tell when drop links are worn, just grab hold and push/pull up and down. there's a balljoint at each end but it's the ARB end that wears worst. They're attached to the strut so move about when you turn. Cv joint wear can be identified similarly by just pulling the shaft about and feeling for play, they should move but smoothly, ie no clunking. Normally the outer end suffers worst. a split CV normally signalls imminent death of the joint

 

[mini-valver]

I'll have a play with the links tommorrow then mate. It's a fair old clunk though TBF, lol....


Any more ideas on this virbration? I was sure it was engine mounts but visibly they look fine and to rock the engine by hand and revving it, seems to be pretty stable.....

 

[sideways danny]

not done mounts on a saxo so not sure how they go together. If the clutch is really bad it could be falling apart and causeing inbalance. guess if it's coming apart to do that you'll find out if the mount is loose too

 

[mini-valver]

That was what I thought, maybe sticking to the flywheel and wobbling. If I can put off doing the box I will, As its just noisy. If theres no way of adjusting the clutch though (I've tried to tighten the cable, doesnt seem to have made much difference) I'll have to take it off anyway. It's the vibration and knocking Im more worried about TBH!

 

[SBV116]

The mount by the cambelt cover held on with torx bolts and two 13MM bolts from memory, take it off completely, (remember to support the engine), and there is another torx bit that runs through the middle of the mount, its in two pieces!! Fairly common for that to come undone!!

Try that first fella!!!!

 

[mini-valver]

Done about 25 miles this morning taking the missus to work and it feels as though it's gotten worse and the exhaust has started to blow so I'm going to check all the mounts today, starting with that one! If the bolt is snapped, I take it I can just replace it for one of the same size?

Cheers mate, appreciate it!!

 

[SBV116]

Done about 25 miles this morning taking the missus to work and it feels as though it's gotten worse and the exhaust has started to blow so I'm going to check all the mounts today, starting with that one! If the bolt is snapped, I take it I can just replace it for one of the same size?

Cheers mate, appreciate it!!

Yes, cant see why not! Mine had just worked undone!

 

[mini-valver]

You're officially invited to my Max Moseley inspired bunker! Took the mount of and the boilt had snapped in the thread so given it to my neighbour whos taking it to work tonight to drill it out and re-tap it if needs be. Need to get an allen key wheel bolt socket before I investigate the knocking but I'm over the moon that it's a simple fix!
Cheers fella!!

 

[SBV116]

The boy has done good!!!!!! Glad it was simple!

 

[mini-valver]

Box and clutch next, if I can find one for decent money! Need to do it this week though....

 

[SBV116]

Car transplants will have a gearbox by nantwich i should think!!

 

[mini-valver]

I was hoping to drop on a cheap one TBH

Only because I'll get a brand new clutch and I'm farking skint! Got any kicking around??

 

[SBV116]

Ha ha! at one point i used to keep a spare! But unfortunately them days are over, sod it, just drive it till it stops!!!! There a mint car for the money!!

 

[mini-valver]

Especially for £500, lol! It's not mint by any means though!

I would but the clutch is slipping so while I'm doing that I might aswell put a new box on....

Quick one mate-1.1 box is the same as VTR but with a shorter final drive right? Theres a cheap one on the 'bay in Wolves. I know the VTR box is meant to be crap as iots longer but does the final drive bring it down much? I'm a noob

 

[sideways danny]

give A5 salvage and auto5 a call. they normally have loads of saxos in

 

[rnglasgowpower]

mate only thing i could say about a vts/106 gti get it too f**k gti had nothing but the gear linkage snappin i mean on a weekly basis at one point and no one could figure out why.. all mounts every thing ok.had full engine out and checked and never found and vts dont even go there with that peice of s**t..lol overheating vibrations on idling everything .same thing practicly rebuilt it with no resolution to the problem soo good luck mate..