ChrisC Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 As I pulled away, another set of loud clonks, and more drive road speed clonks, appeared. So I pulled in again, and called the AA. He checked it all over and found nothing visually wrong, so we made the choice to continue driving home, staying under 30, on the assumption “what’s broken has already broken”, so will try and make it home. Anyway, about another 2 miles down the road all the noises stopped - as suddenly as they started.So - what should I be checking??? I have pulled the diff plug, to see if there is any metal, but the result was as posted on here as “normal”. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SM25T Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Something caught under car ..... something now fallen off ... wheel nuts loose ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ. Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 It's worth checking the propshaft bolts and joints, then see if there's any movement in the CV joints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 Ok, so I have checked the wheel nuts, all to specified torque. There was nothing under the car when the AA man jacked it up, and it did it for a couple of miles after that, so I think we can rule that out. All the bolts are present in the Prop, but I havent checked the torque.What is the best way to test the CV joint? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Brown Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Engine mount bolts to the block can work loose. (K series) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vine Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Also worth checking whether your rear gearbox mount is loose, damaged or not properly centralised, as this can cause the gearbox housing to knock against the side of the transmission tunnel.JV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted May 5, 2015 Author Share Posted May 5, 2015 Thanks, all will be added to the check I need to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonym Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 sounds like something (eventuially) fell off.what's missing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonym Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 diff bolts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted May 6, 2015 Author Share Posted May 6, 2015 I hope (know) the diff bolts havent fallen off Nothing looks to have departed. I have noticed there is a faint clicking noice coming from the diff now its jacked up, when one of the wheels is turned by hand and the other wheel turns in the opposite direction. I am not sure if this is normal? It could be just don't think I have noticed it before. I am going to a local car park tonight for some tight turns to see if I can reproduce it tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mankee Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 That's normal behaviour for an open diff. Please don't say you have an LSD?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted May 6, 2015 Author Share Posted May 6, 2015 Yep - Open diff. Ok so some testing time tonight. I only got the noise once, and no where near as loud as it was on Monday, turning left anti clockwise in tight circles. Each time I tried clockwise right turn there was no noise. I remember going over a rough surface as I turned left each time the noise occurred Monday, so does this point to a CV joint?I thought if a CV joint was gone the noise would be constant, and not intermittent. Currently it can be a silent as I make myself dizzy driving round in circles, and banging like an old washing machine if I have just gone over rough ground. Is it normal to been a new CV joint after 4 yours and 7000 miles?Also I see on the Caterham Parts site it driveshaft replacement only, is this the only way to go, or is there a supplier of just the joint, or maybe a company that can recon them.Finally would you do both sides or just the suspected left side driveshaft? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SM25T Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Not normal after 7000 miles !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vine Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Are you able to pin down the approximate source of the clonking -- that is, does it emanate from the rear, centre or front of the car, and on the N/S or O/S? And what happens if you are two-up?From your latest experiment, it does seem like it's something solid contacting the chassis or bodywork. I'd be looking first at engine mounts, gearbox mounts, and exhaust pipes. Then I'd move on to the rear suspension, de dion and diff mounts. I'd be surprised to hear it was a CV failure.JV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted May 6, 2015 Author Share Posted May 6, 2015 Its near side rear, and its road speed related. Reading an old thread driving circles and getting regular clonking in one direction is a classic why to diagnose CV joint problems, but I just can't understand why after such a low mileage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil G Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 I had a clonk when turning right at relatively slow speeds over uneven surfaces. Found the rear N/S ARB drop link was loose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vine Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 What year and model is your car? Does it have a rear ARB?JV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted May 7, 2015 Author Share Posted May 7, 2015 7000mile, 2011 ex Academy car is the spec, so it has a rear ARB, but the noise last night was not suspension. It's always been road/wheel speed related, but it seems to be triggered by road surface condition. It's the intermittent nature that's making diagnosis so difficult. At its worst is was way louder than when my A frame snapped, but last night is was hard to hear over the exhaust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Pearce Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Piece of gravel trapped behind the disk? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted May 7, 2015 Author Share Posted May 7, 2015 Thanks Ray, will be checking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Vine Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 Hub bearing?JV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Geoff Brown Posted May 8, 2015 Area Representative Share Posted May 8, 2015 My last car developed a clonking noise from the nearside when turning right at speed.Guess what?.....an empty water bottle 'lost' under the passenger seat striking the outer seat rail.Only one person to blame for that....SWMBO when in Nav mode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted May 10, 2015 Author Share Posted May 10, 2015 I have spent the whole day trying to find the problem, but the biggest problem has been trying to reproduce it. So all I can say is thank you all for the pointers and advice, but as for a resolution or answer, it's going to have to remain a mystery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted May 18, 2015 Author Share Posted May 18, 2015 Well my noise is back, but only as I drove 100 meters on a super smooth road close to home at the end of a blat. Stopped pulled away and it was gone again. The noise is exactly the same as this http://youtu.be/0TQatsVaSy4 but I haven't been able to reproduce it on command.It's loud, I have ear defenders and a helmet. If my diff has gone then I won't rebuild it, it will be replaced with an LSD, but why is it intermittent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted June 11, 2015 Author Share Posted June 11, 2015 Problem solved, it was a spring in the drive shaft that locates it. The last couple of coils have snapped off. This was found by Boss Racing, thanks Rob. Who also fitted a nice new Titan LSD Now I need to make up for lost time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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