S

steveeasy

Active Member
Well My L322 had its MOT and passed. Suspension is fine. yes fine. The air bag light I got removed by removing steering wheel and cleaning the earth contact from rotary wheel to steering wheel.

However there was a noise from front, a clonking as I moved car. Checked all bolts for subframes and arms bushes. Had new tyres fitted yesterday and it got a lot worse. as you turn steering wheel lock to lock it clonks from lock to lock. The MOT garage did the tyres and did not notice it. My initial feeling is its the steering rack, but there is no play. surely the garage would have found a problem if there was one. it cant be drive shafts. perhaps struts. the inner and outer track rod ends are changed. it only leaves the steering rack. it never did it before I removed the front subframe. the bolts are tight. If I need too, can I slip it out while subframe is in.
Any thoughts appreciated.
Steveeasy
 
I seam to remember the Dunlop struts clonked and the Delphi ones were ok but i think it was clocking over bumps.
 
Have someone turn the wheels from left to right while you look under each side for the noise.
It could come from the top of a strut as it resists turning.
Keep te wheels on the floor to help replicate the issue. ;)
 
Hi Mark,
Yes been trying that. Its not the strut tops. Ive undone the outer track rods separately and then turned the steering to find out if its the left or right side and it still made the noise. so it looked like it was the steering rack. but it has no play at all. So we looked in the power steering reservoir. looks a little thin. So It got me thinking, when I put the subframe back in and connected the power steering back up it must have been low. Who filled it up and what with is between myself an my son. I wonder if one of us put ATF in. very similar but not right. So I am going to drain it tomorrow and refill with power steering fluid. Could it cause friction within the steering rack causing a grating noise.?. If it does not make any difference ill change the rack as although it feels fine, clearly something is not right and probably don't want the rack to snap or fail while Driving.

Let me know what you think about ATF vs Power steering fluid.

Thanks
Steveeasy
 
steveeasy said:
Hi Mark,
Yes been trying that. Its not the strut tops. Ive undone the outer track rods separately and then turned the steering to find out if its the left or right side and it still made the noise. so it looked like it was the steering rack. but it has no play at all. So we looked in the power steering reservoir. looks a little thin. So It got me thinking, when I put the subframe back in and connected the power steering back up it must have been low. Who filled it up and what with is between myself an my son. I wonder if one of us put ATF in. very similar but not right. So I am going to drain it tomorrow and refill with power steering fluid. Could it cause friction within the steering rack causing a grating noise.?. If it does not make any difference ill change the rack as although it feels fine, clearly something is not right and probably don't want the rack to snap or fail while Driving.

Let me know what you think about ATF vs Power steering fluid.

Thanks
Steveeasy
Click to expand...
What is specified for the steering?
 
If i have this right you have changed the subframe on the front, were all the bushes tightened up when the car was back down on the ground as it needs to be under load before the bolts are done up, i may be of on a wrong track but just trying to think what it could be.
 
brianp38dse said:
If i have this right you have changed the subframe on the front, were all the bushes tightened up when the car was back down on the ground as it needs to be under load before the bolts are done up, i may be of on a wrong track but just trying to think what it could be.
Click to expand...
Hi,
Urm. tightened the four bolts on the subframe when it was up. ive subsequently done them since. Bushes?. The subframe has four bolts only from what I can remember. I wonder if I should undo them and retighten them then.
Steveeasy
 
tomcat59alan said:
What is specified for the steering?
Click to expand...

Hi,
Texaco Cold Climate PSF 14315 fluid. Not quite sure what the specification is. Im not sure ATF was used, but having discussed with the man that was filling the system while I was under the car doing things up, he might have put dexron 3 ATF in by mistake. Feels fine no sound, I mean no pump sound, just this metallic clanking sound.
Steveeasy
 
steveeasy said:
Hi,
Urm. tightened the four bolts on the subframe when it was up. ive subsequently done them since. Bushes?. The subframe has four bolts only from what I can remember. I wonder if I should undo them and retighten them then.
Steveeasy
Click to expand...

I was thinking that if you had changed the sub frame the suspension was probably swapped as well and its the arms that need to be tightened up once the weight of the car was on the wheels.
 
brianp38dse said:
I was thinking that if you had changed the sub frame the suspension was probably swapped as well and its the arms that need to be tightened up once the weight of the car was on the wheels.
Click to expand...

Well it was all removed and some new some old put back on. all tightened while jacked up. never heard of that one. The front creeks as the suspension goes up and down now. Perhaps I need to slacken them off. That's a new one to me though. Ill try it.

Steveeasy
 
I would try undoing the lower steering column bolt where it connects to the rack. The could be some pressure there.
As for reseting the arms at near horizontal or normal ride height, that will relieve the bushes and lengthen their life span. As rightly pointed out:D
Always measure the hub center to wheel arch at normal height with wheels on the floor and the suspension can be jacked up after the arms are changed to match that measurement and then tightened.
D2 and d3 can be used but not mixed with anything else.
I'd stick to the specified ;)
 
Mark Piercy said:
I would try undoing the lower steering column bolt where it connects to the rack. The could be some pressure there.
As for reseting the arms at near horizontal or normal ride height, that will relieve the bushes and lengthen their life span. As rightly pointed out:D
Always measure the hub center to wheel arch at normal height with wheels on the floor and the suspension can be jacked up after the arms are changed to match that measurement and then tightened.
D2 and d3 can be used but not mixed with anything else.
I'd stick to the specified ;)
Click to expand...
Hi Mark,
I will look at the column bolt tonight. again this was done up while off the ground. As for power steering fluid, D3 or D4 can be used but not mixed. I wondered if it was a CV joint. but when I disconnected each side independently still got the noise but not quite so loud. I also get it raising and lowering the suspension now without turning steering wheel.
Steveeasy
 
So the noise is present without turning the steering?
Could it be a suspension bolt not done up to spec and the Bush could be turning in its mount?
I would reset the suspension arms as we've discussed then that's out of the question.
Go over everything that you have unbolted and check for tightness.
You will find it. ;)
 
Mark Piercy said:
So the noise is present without turning the steering?
Could it be a suspension bolt not done up to spec and the Bush could be turning in its mount?
I would reset the suspension arms as we've discussed then that's out of the question.
Go over everything that you have unbolted and check for tightness.
You will find it. ;)
Click to expand...
Hi Mark,
Turning the steering you get a metallic grinding clonk say 5-6 times from lock to lock. without turning steering much less say 1-2 similar sounds. but yes the same type of noise when raising or lowering suspension. It was not really evident until new tyres were fitted. its not a healthy noise and one I want to dismiss. Ill look at it further and report back.

Steveeasy
 
Hi Brian and Mark,
Update. Right got home this afternoon and the creaking had spread to the rear as well. So using ramps keeping weight on wheels I merely loosened the front arms and retightened them. Back of ramps and low and behold magic. silent wheel to wheel and up and down. new bushes(old bolts). Anyway solved Another mystery solved by this forum. id never have diagnosed that myself. Not sure if it says do bolts up wth weight on wheels in the manual( I did not bother reading up on anything) just changed it. but clearly in hindsight it makes sense.
Thanks for the help, much appreciated.
Steveeasy
 
Sometimes if the bolts are not quite tight enough the Bush can move with the force from the arm trying to spin it.
I told you you'd find it. :cool:
We are good here, we are come on admit it :p and now, you are good as well. :D even @RangeRoller dt is good :p;)
 
Mark Piercy said:
Sometimes if the bolts are not quite tight enough the Bush can move with the force from the arm trying to spin it.
I told you you'd find it. :cool:
We are good here, we are come on admit it :p and now, you are good as well. :D even @RangeRoller dt is good :p;)
Click to expand...

Absolutely. very good forum. good number of members so quick response time. friendly and welcoming and most importantly keen to help. What more could we want. I still cant get over my car is actually working fine. It really was not that painful and jolly worth it.
Steveeasy
 
Glad I could be of help and you got I sorted, it's only from reading through the various threads on here that you learn about different faults on these motors:)
 
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