Yet again, I have the 306 running very sweetly, just treated to a new ac compressor, and a knock or a clunk has appeared in the front end. It's not the top engine mount, it's all good. Strut tops are good. Lower control arms are only 2000 Kay's old. Everything suspension wise looks perfect. But I'm getting a clunk... It's only ever one clunk when turning into a drive or a sharp low speed turn. Left and right. Particularly noticeable when turning into a steeper than usual drive. It feels like something binding and then releasing. The only associated noises are the occasional groan from the front sway bar bushings when going over a speed hump. Any ideas? My mechanic couldn't see anything at all the needs fixing.
Mystery front end knock (clunk) 306
- Thread starter lowpugV2
- Start date
Interesting, I've done the usual full lock driving in circles to test the CV joints and the seem silent. It's definitely a knock once per turn thing. Really odd.
The plastic front sway bar links are prone to snapping, and can end up hitting the inside of the wheel arch when you have the wheel turned and there is a lot of suspension movement, like going up a driveway.
Happened to me once... don't ask how long it took me to figure it out.
Happened to me once... don't ask how long it took me to figure it out.
As in the drop links?
Check out drive shaft nut end may be loose, re-torque.
Better check wheel nuts as well
Check all compressor mountings, this is where it started anyway.
And anything else they removed to change the compressor.
Looking into my 306 crystal ball........it is the battery that is loose
Problem solved, do I get 3 wishes now?
Better check wheel nuts as well
Check all compressor mountings, this is where it started anyway.
And anything else they removed to change the compressor.
Looking into my 306 crystal ball........it is the battery that is loose
Problem solved, do I get 3 wishes now?
could well be shocky rubbers becoming brittle and move the once then settle
Check the strut lower clamping bolt tension for the correct torque setting and even the brake calipers for tightness. Have come across these issues before ! First thoughts would be sway bar link !
Alain
No wishes yet, easy option of battery is a no go... Solid as a rock. Curiously, whilst looking around the car I noticed the front left tyre is down to about 1mm to the wear marks whereas all other tyres are at 4 mm. That's a fair difference . Must be connected.
Will check this too, on the weekend I'll get it up on jack stands. It's really bugging me as everytime I get the car "perfect" there's something else. Not sure why I'm surprised... It's my fourth 306
Checking the suspension visually is not going to do much. You need to get in there and give things a vigorous shove and push to see what's what. I suggest you suspend the car (wheels in the air) and get serious. My money sez it's a suspension related thing.
Use a pinch bar everywhere on all joints.
N5?
My N5 306 XSi cracked the body where the engine mount was attached, and made this type of clunk when turning through table drains and driveway entrances. The only way you could see it was to completely remove the engine mount.
I found someone to weld it up as I couldn’t do it myself.
My N5 306 XSi cracked the body where the engine mount was attached, and made this type of clunk when turning through table drains and driveway entrances. The only way you could see it was to completely remove the engine mount.
I found someone to weld it up as I couldn’t do it myself.
The main top engine mount? This was my first thought but my mechanic said it's fine. Maybe it's not visible until you remove it though. I had wondered if it is body related as it does sound like that
Don't stick too hard to this conclusion! The 306 is old enough now that there can be lots of little different things happening in the same area. I've fallen in the trap of thinking 3 very similar symptoms were one problem. Little 306 just keeps throwing it's shoe!
I had a clunk in mine after a gearbox change. one of the bolts connecting steering geometry to the suspension strut wasn't tight enough.
That’s right. Removed the mount and the body was cracked down under the mount.
I regretfully sold my 306 XSi ~15 years ago but strangely, I just found this whilst googling:
the cracked chassis sounds bad , hopefully not that
your problem sounds just like what I had a few weeks ago (205 not 306)
mine was a slightly worn RF tie rod end balljoint, would clunk when turning right into driveway
to check, jack under subframe, wheels off the ground
grip the tyre top and bottom and see if there's any unwanted play/movement when you wrench it about
its also difficult to know which joint is worn - inner (where it joins the steering rack bellows) or outer
to check that I had to take off the steering arm nut to release the tie rod end balljoint
then see if I could get any movement in the whole arm by pulling it in/out
it was solid but the outer tie rod end balljoint just had a small bit of play
(a previous owner had given it plenty of welly on the track I think )
your problem sounds just like what I had a few weeks ago (205 not 306)
mine was a slightly worn RF tie rod end balljoint, would clunk when turning right into driveway
to check, jack under subframe, wheels off the ground
grip the tyre top and bottom and see if there's any unwanted play/movement when you wrench it about
its also difficult to know which joint is worn - inner (where it joins the steering rack bellows) or outer
to check that I had to take off the steering arm nut to release the tie rod end balljoint
then see if I could get any movement in the whole arm by pulling it in/out
it was solid but the outer tie rod end balljoint just had a small bit of play
(a previous owner had given it plenty of welly on the track I think )