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Car Forum / MINI / November 2003Clonk...
1998 Cooper, low mileage - I've been trying to pretend this isn't happening, by practising my smooth driving, but - Go along slowly in 2nd or 3rd, open throttle abruptly - clonk. Or sometimes even clonk, clonk. More felt than heard. Any suggestions?  SignatureRoger >1998 Cooper, low mileage - I've been trying to pretend this isn't >happening, by practising my smooth driving, but - [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >Any suggestions? Sounds like worn-out bushes in the top engine stabiliser bar. SignatureChris Morriss I bet... Rubber bushes in the stabiliser bar need replacing. The clonk is the distributor hitting the front panel or the inlet manifold banging on the bulkhead. The Muffin Man > 1998 Cooper, low mileage - I've been trying to pretend this isn't > happening, by practising my smooth driving, but - [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > -- > Roger Hi, Check the engine stabiliser bushes. These are located at the left side of the engine looking into the bonnet.The are at each end of a bar that connects between the engine and the bulkhead. When these get worn, they allow the engine to rock back and forth when you touch the throttle. Keith > 1998 Cooper, low mileage - I've been trying to pretend this isn't > happening, by practising my smooth driving, but - [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > -- > Roger Would replacing the bushes be the cure for a "clonk" I get when I take my foot off the accelerator in my Moke especially in low gear? I'm sure it's the exhaust manifold (Mini extractors) hitting the bodywork as the engine rocks and I've been wondering if the stabilisers aren't stablising. The bushes look alright without getting them out to check. Graham > Hi, > Check the engine stabiliser bushes. These are located at the left side of [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > -- > > Roger > Would replacing the bushes be the cure for a "clonk" I get when I take my > foot off the accelerator in my Moke especially in low gear? It would be a very good place to start. Check the bracket(s) on the bulkhead are sound and the bulkhead hasn't got any movement from fatigue cracks too. > I'm sure it's the exhaust manifold (Mini extractors) hitting the bodywork as the > engine rocks and I've been wondering if the stabilisers aren't stablising. Even if nothing else makes contact, the slop in the stabliliser with dead bushes can make quite an impressive clunk. > The bushes look alright without getting them out to check. Grab the top of the engine. Push. Pull. Does it move? You can't tell other than by sticking your hand on top of the rocker cover and pushing and pulling to see if it moves. The only cost ?2 or ?5 for uprated ones The Muffin Man > Would replacing the bushes be the cure for a "clonk" I get when I take my > foot off the accelerator in my Moke especially in low gear? I'm sure it's [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > > -- > > > Roger I've checked it, and if I grip the rocker cover, I can rock the engine. It looks like the front bush on the top stabilizer bar is soft. I haven't checked the bottom bar yet. Just looked at MiniSpares, and there seem to be an awful lot of different stabilizer bits and pieces available! Different bushes, sleeves, etc. So I guess I've now got to work out which bits I actually need... >Hi, >Check the engine stabiliser bushes. These are located at the left side of [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >> -- >> Roger SignatureRoger Get deflex bushes for the standard stabiliser arm. There will be four pieces of rubber and a couple of bits of steel. Dead easy 5 min job. http://www.minispares.com/web/Item/C%2DSTR630/InvDetail.cfm The Muffin Man > I've checked it, and if I grip the rocker cover, I can rock the engine. > It looks like the front bush on the top stabilizer bar is soft. I [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > -- > Roger > Get deflex bushes for the standard stabiliser arm. There will be four > pieces of rubber and a couple of bits of steel. Dead easy 5 min job. > > http://www.minispares.com/web/Item/C%2DSTR630/InvDetail.cfm > > The Muffin Man 2 part bushes bad, get the 1 part ones, and find a bolt with a few washers to pull it through. Last longer, work better :) splam I have never seen a one part standard bush never mind an uprated one. Where do you buy from? I am intrigued The Muffin Man > > Get deflex bushes for the standard stabiliser arm. There will be four > > pieces of rubber and a couple of bits of steel. Dead easy 5 min job. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > splam > I have never seen a one part standard bush never mind an uprated one. > Where do you buy from? I am intrigued > > The Muffin Man Well, it's in New Zealand :) But it's a polyurethane jobby and was produced by an Australian company called SuperPro - And I think there is a UK distributor. :D So it is another uprated one then? I have never had a problem with uprated bushes coming in pairs ;) The Muffin Man > > I have never seen a one part standard bush never mind an uprated one. > > Where do you buy from? I am intrigued [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > :D > So it is another uprated one then? > > I have never had a problem with uprated bushes coming in pairs ;) The 2 part polyurethane ones I tried went oval shaped in about 5 months... no good, the fit was lousey, and they where pretty pricey. The one part ones where quite a bit cheaper, and have a very snug fit! :) > I have never seen a one part standard bush never mind an uprated one. Where > do you buy from? I am intrigued > > The Muffin Man The original SuperFlex ones from Oz are one piece and are available through distributors in the UK. Ahem :-) They are like a cotton reel shape. Picture in the engine mounting section of our site. SignatureRgds Steve steve@dsnclassics.co.uk www.dsnclassics.co.uk I've got the same problem on my SPi cooper - ! tried to replace the bushes today but it was anything but a 5 minute job. I've managed to replace the end which connects to the engine block (took me a couple of hours) but I can't even get a spanner near the bulkhead end of the bar! How are you supposed to get to it? > Get deflex bushes for the standard stabiliser arm. There will be four > pieces of rubber and a couple of bits of steel. Dead easy 5 min job. [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > > -- > > Roger Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Rover started putting random things in the engine bay didn't they. You need a decent set of spanners and a socket set with a bendy thing - are they called rose joints? The engine end should have been easy enough though as it should be two bolts to undo and redo. You may need to move the computer and/or the fuse box but I couldn't really say having never had an SPi or MPi myself and this is all from memory. I do know your problem though as a mate has an SPi and even changing the exhaust manifold gasket is a ball ache because of the unnecessary stuff in the way like pipes. The Muffin Man > I've got the same problem on my SPi cooper - ! tried to replace the bushes > today but it was anything but a 5 minute job. I've managed to replace the [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > > > -- > > > Roger >I've got the same problem on my SPi cooper - ! tried to replace the bushes >today but it was anything but a 5 minute job. I've managed to replace the >end which connects to the engine block (took me a couple of hours) but I >can't even get a spanner near the bulkhead end of the bar! How are you >supposed to get to it? I did mine today on my 98 Cooper, and I am now clonk free! I got at the nut on the back bolt from under the car with a socket and a long extension bar. To make some room round the front bolts, I removed the black cylindrical thing (oil separator?) that is bolted to the top of the crankcase. I was also going to do the bottom bar, but getting at the nut on the front bolt of that has so far defeated me. I don't know if they're all the same, but my bottom bar goes forwards to the subframe, and the bolt is sort of recessed above the bottom lip of the subframe. I can't get a socket on it. I can just about get a ring spanner on it, but there's no room to turn it. I'm now wondering if I might manage it with a box spanner. SignatureRoger MiniChicago wrote:11/15/03 1:27 PM In mini automotive terms a five minute job translates to half a day. >> I've got the same problem on my SPi cooper - ! tried to replace the bushes >> today but it was anything but a 5 minute job. I've managed to replace the [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > room to turn it. I'm now wondering if I might manage it with a box > spanner. In DIY house jobs a "5 min job" relates to 1/2 a day. Even in gardening jobs, a "5mins job" relates to 1/2 a day. Something will always take longer than it should. Today it was the drilling of holes through the angle aluminium I was using to box in the back of the pickup with wood. The Muffin Man > MiniChicago wrote:11/15/03 1:27 PM > [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > room to turn it. I'm now wondering if I might manage it with a box > > spanner. As I was starting on my stabilizer bar bush changing job, I said to my wife "It shouldn't take long". Having been married to me for many years, and many cars, she replied "Oh good, so that's only two weekends?" >In DIY house jobs a "5 min job" relates to 1/2 a day. Even in gardening >jobs, a "5mins job" relates to 1/2 a day. Something will always take longer [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] >> > room to turn it. I'm now wondering if I might manage it with a box >> > spanner. SignatureRoger I have been working on the boarding out of my pickup now for three weekends. It was supposed to be a 2 hour job ;) Looks the Mutts Nuts though ;) The Muffin Man > As I was starting on my stabilizer bar bush changing job, I said to my > wife "It shouldn't take long". Having been married to me for many years, [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > -- > Roger Hi people I'm trying to fix the same fault, having recognised the symptoms from your descriptions here. I've checked the bushes, they are new and ok. I think the problem might be that what is fitted into the block is a set screw as opposed to a bolt (according to the previous owner). Does anyone happen to know which bolt I should order? I can't work on it until the weekend, and I'd like to be prepared. Someone has mentioned UNF5/16. I'm new to mechanical work, so any advice welcome- i.e. I don't think UNF5/16 describes the length- how long should the bolt be? Is it necessary to change it, or would "lock-tight" (sp?) or similar compound suffice? Is it likely to be the engine mountings underneath instead? As always, thanks so much for your advice! Cheers Will > I've checked it, and if I grip the rocker cover, I can rock the engine. > It looks like the front bush on the top stabilizer bar is soft. I [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > >> -- > >> Roger >Hi people > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > >Will Although a 5/16" set-screw (diameter by the way, and UNF refers to the thread pitch) isn't ideal, it shouldn't be causing any problem unless it's too long and bottoming in the hole. There should be a tubular steel distance piece in the bushes and the bolt should clamp tight on this, so even with a set screw it should be ok as it should still be clamping the steel tube tightly, which in turn places a slight compression on the rubber (or synthetic Deflex) bushes and holds everything tight. SignatureChris Morriss >> Hi people >> [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > steel tube tightly, which in turn places a slight compression on the > rubber (or synthetic Deflex) bushes and holds everything tight. Thanks Chris. Do you happen to know the correct length of the bolt so that I can get hold of one just in case this helps? Also I'd be interested in anyone's views about lock-tight (seems like a bit of a bodge to me). Cheers Will SignatureUsing M2, Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/m2/ >Thanks Chris. >Do you happen to know the correct length of the bolt so that I can get >hold of one just in case this helps? Also I'd be interested in anyone's >views about lock-tight (seems like a bit of a bodge to me). >Cheers >Will Without taking the one out of mine, then no, I don't know the length. If I was you, I'd undo the bolt, (take the oil separator off if it's in the way...not sure if modern Minis have oil separators bolted on the flywheel housing though). When the bolt is out and you have access to the hole in the block, then screw the bolt in by hand to see how far it goes into the block. A bit of measuring the length of the engine steady bushes etc. will allow you to calculate the bolt length required. (Bottoming it so it doesn't tighten the bushes up is a BAD idea!) I've heard of this bolt breaking because too long a one has been fitted. The shearing force on it is high, so it must fasten everything up securely. Because it is tightening up against the steel spacer tube, there's no need to use a thread-locking compound (I've not had the bolt loosen anyway) SignatureChris Morriss > >> Hi people > >> [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > Cheers > Will its been OK up to now without lock tight, I dont suppose you need to use it now, anyway when you need to replace the bushes in the future,or remove the head, you will give yourself a further problem, Fitzy > Do you happen to know the correct length of the bolt so that I can get hold > of one just in case this helps? Also I'd be interested in anyone's views > about lock-tight (seems like a bit of a bodge to me). > Cheers > Will 1-7/8" or 2" will do the job just fine. And you are correct that the thread is 5/16" UNF. SignatureRgds Steve steve@dsnclassics.co.uk www.dsnclassics.co.uk Hi, It's worth checking underneath, as the brackets are prone to breaking, and if there is any loose oil floating about under the engine and it gets on the rubber they can soften and fall apart. keith > Hi people > [quoted text clipped - 42 lines] > > >> -- > > >> Roger |
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