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MK3 Engine Mounts


reilig
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Hows your car doing now?  

 

 

Allan

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  • 2 weeks later...

3 weeks further on. 

In the last 6 months, I believe that I have replaced my whole front end suspension. This was because I felt a clunking as I changed up or down in low gears. At carious times, I also felt vibrations or rattles in each of the front wheels at different times. It was extremely hard to diagnose. I could drive it for a week and it would be rattly as hell and as happened one night when I was on my way to my local mechanic to put it on his lift, I hot a bump and it was perfect again. 

 It started with engine mounts - the bottom one first - it was goosed and causing major engine swing. After replacing it, there was still a clunk. Gear changes also felt notchy - especially when the car was cold.   A week later I noticed oil leaking from the top right one. I replaced it (it was obviously gone for a while - you could see the tracks on its rubber where the engine was moving. I replaced the one under the battery too even though it looked to be in perfect condition.

For about 7 days after replacing all of these mounts, the car drove perfectly. No clunking, no notchy gear change, no vibrations or rattles. But unfortunately, it started again. The clunk that it was making felt like the engine was moving forward and back. I changed the bottom engine mount which left it driving perfect again for a week. But it started again. My mechanic friend put it on his lift and went through the whole suspension, but could find no movement - bar a weathered wishbone bushing which wasn't moving. We drove it over his pit, checked everything with weight on it. Checked droplinks etc. but still could not find anything.  A pretty reputable and experienced place fitted tyres for me (they also specialise in suspensions - I got them to go through the suspension, drop links etc for me. But they could find no problem. I stood under their lift as they went through it, but could find no problem and could give no explanation for the clunking while driving it. Brough it to a ford garage. Paid €100 for to have them inspect it. They told me that all focus's of that era clunk. It didn't clunk when I bought it. I drover it for 10,000 miles before it began to clunk. 

In recent weeks it got more rattly. Most of the rattle seemed to emit from the left side - the side with the weathered wishbone bushing. I got my mechanic to replace the whole wishbone (€70 + labour.). This made it feel perfect for 48 hours. But as we drove home from a wedding over 100 miles away, it developed a loud knocking from the left side, and the clunk on gear change began again. I jacked it up and could clearly identify that there was movement in the shock on the left side. My mechanic removed the shock and the mount and bearing completely fell apart. He identified that both shocks were gone completely - they did not rise after being compressed. New shocks and mounts €340. I put a new wishbone on the right side at this time too which cost me €70 to buy but was included in the shocks labour. 

As before, the car was perfect for a week. Then, it developed a vibration in the front left wheel when I drove over 50mph. Within a day after that, the clunking was back when I changed gears. As well as that, there is a rattle when I hit a small bump or when I go over a rough road surface. Also, gear changes became more notchy That was last week. I'm so pi$$ed off with it. It's a fantastic car to drive with great handling and great power. But I have had a long line of Renault's before this car and none have ever given such problems. 

So last week, I'm on google looking at what parts I may have missed that could be causing the problem. Realistically, the only thing I have not changed is the drop links. So I order what I think is a set. A package arrived yesterday containing only one. I put it on the left side myself late last night. Removed the old one and it does no appear worn at all. Had it out on the open road this morning. The clunking between gear changes is gone. Gear changes are really smooth. The vibration over 50mph on the left side has now moved to the right hand side and is not half as bad. The really noticable difference is when I hit a bump with the left side and there is no rattle. I have ordered the drop link for the right side this morning. I'm hoping and praying that it might just solve my problem and get rid of the vibration from the right side altogether.  

It is possible that the failure of all of these components is linked? ie. Drop link failure linked to shock failure linked to engine mount failure?

 

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It's no good. I changed the second drop link on saturday. it behaved perfectly for 24 hours. Had a long drive to do on sunday afternoon and the clunking between gear changes was back by the end of the 150 mile round trip. It slowly got worse and worse. 

 

I'm at a serious loss here. What other component could be worn in the front end that might cause clunking? 

 

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To eliminate a cheaper easier fix, get under the car and aggressively shove the exhaust back and forth replicating a jerking motion as gears change and clutch enganges. You want to be as close to the front where the down pipe joins as you can get, and if you have a second person, have them shove the back in the same way as you listen. Front exhaust hangars are a common failure and make a hell of a racket after they really let go, it could be the mechanic did a quick visual check and it wasn't bad enough to flag up before.

As for the vibration, is it at speed? Have you checked the tyres for deformation? The inner sidewalls can be a pig for vibrating and such but mostly overlooked as they're not seen or not as obvious.

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  • 3 months later...
On 11/20/2019 at 9:58 AM, reilig said:

3 weeks further on. 

In the last 6 months, I believe that I have replaced my whole front end suspension. This was because I felt a clunking as I changed up or down in low gears. At carious times, I also felt vibrations or rattles in each of the front wheels at different times. It was extremely hard to diagnose. I could drive it for a week and it would be rattly as hell and as happened one night when I was on my way to my local mechanic to put it on his lift, I hot a bump and it was perfect again. 

 It started with engine mounts - the bottom one first - it was goosed and causing major engine swing. After replacing it, there was still a clunk. Gear changes also felt notchy - especially when the car was cold.   A week later I noticed oil leaking from the top right one. I replaced it (it was obviously gone for a while - you could see the tracks on its rubber where the engine was moving. I replaced the one under the battery too even though it looked to be in perfect condition.

For about 7 days after replacing all of these mounts, the car drove perfectly. No clunking, no notchy gear change, no vibrations or rattles. But unfortunately, it started again. The clunk that it was making felt like the engine was moving forward and back. I changed the bottom engine mount which left it driving perfect again for a week. But it started again. My mechanic friend put it on his lift and went through the whole suspension, but could find no movement - bar a weathered wishbone bushing which wasn't moving. We drove it over his pit, checked everything with weight on it. Checked droplinks etc. but still could not find anything.  A pretty reputable and experienced place fitted tyres for me (they also specialise in suspensions - I got them to go through the suspension, drop links etc for me. But they could find no problem. I stood under their lift as they went through it, but could find no problem and could give no explanation for the clunking while driving it. Brough it to a ford garage. Paid €100 for to have them inspect it. They told me that all focus's of that era clunk. It didn't clunk when I bought it. I drover it for 10,000 miles before it began to clunk. 

In recent weeks it got more rattly. Most of the rattle seemed to emit from the left side - the side with the weathered wishbone bushing. I got my mechanic to replace the whole wishbone (€70 + labour.). This made it feel perfect for 48 hours. But as we drove home from a wedding over 100 miles away, it developed a loud knocking from the left side, and the clunk on gear change began again. I jacked it up and could clearly identify that there was movement in the shock on the left side. My mechanic removed the shock and the mount and bearing completely fell apart. He identified that both shocks were gone completely - they did not rise after being compressed. New shocks and mounts €340. I put a new wishbone on the right side at this time too which cost me €70 to buy but was included in the shocks labour. 

As before, the car was perfect for a week. Then, it developed a vibration in the front left wheel when I drove over 50mph. Within a day after that, the clunking was back when I changed gears. As well as that, there is a rattle when I hit a small bump or when I go over a rough road surface. Also, gear changes became more notchy That was last week. I'm so pi$$ed off with it. It's a fantastic car to drive with great handling and great power. But I have had a long line of Renault's before this car and none have ever given such problems. 

So last week, I'm on google looking at what parts I may have missed that could be causing the problem. Realistically, the only thing I have not changed is the drop links. So I order what I think is a set. A package arrived yesterday containing only one. I put it on the left side myself late last night. Removed the old one and it does no appear worn at all. Had it out on the open road this morning. The clunking between gear changes is gone. Gear changes are really smooth. The vibration over 50mph on the left side has now moved to the right hand side and is not half as bad. The really noticable difference is when I hit a bump with the left side and there is no rattle. I have ordered the drop link for the right side this morning. I'm hoping and praying that it might just solve my problem and get rid of the vibration from the right side altogether.  

It is possible that the failure of all of these components is linked? ie. Drop link failure linked to shock failure linked to engine mount failure?

i am experiencing same ***** currently....... hit a bump and that was it.  i was so scared that i couldnt do past 50mph

1. car started shaking/ mild vibrations from left side. Noticed 2 tear on the gearbox mount.

2. ride is shockly bone shaking........

my own solution is to jack the car up (front) with support and let gravity do its thing....... after couple of minutes  I feel its better again but for some time.  my car is a 2012 diesel and felt so good before hitting bump.  ride is firm and comfort is good basically rode like it is on rail.

 

The problem I am assuming is;, beside weak/inferior mounts, weak /inferior shock, is the sub-frame bolt/mount coming loose.  Which inturn ***** up the alignment (caster, camber).  simple as ABC.  the sub-frame is used to adjust camber and caster while the outer tie rod is for toe setting. 

as for me .......well i have some tools as alwaeys do tear it apart and put it back together again and ride  becomes normal atleast for a while till it repeat ***** again.

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