Banging Noise

Fireflie · Mar 15, 2007

My beloved 1986 Lux is making a banging/clanking noise when I am driving. It's only when I'm moving forwards, gets worse going uphill, is louder at slower speeds and gets faster as I accelerate.

Garage can find nothing wrong!!! Yet I still have this wretched noise. I first heard it a few weeks ago, then it stopped and has just returned for last three days.

Any ideas before I try somewhere more competent?

Neil Haughey · Mar 15, 2007

To be honest, and I don't want to sound negative but this could be so many many things that it would be almost impossible to diagnose without more information;
1) Is it regular or random
2) Have you an idea of which part of the car it seems to be coming from.
3) Is it purely speed related or does it change with rpm's.

I have heard bizarre stories in the past like brake calipers that have only 1 bolt holding them on (effectively), and loose luggage hidden away on odd parts of the car. This is non-pork cars of course.

It could be the torque tube, a CV or even the engine knocking if the mounts are worn, however this is in all honesty wild speclation. As an example I had a strange knock when moving from reverse to foward. Turned out to be a tiny missalignment in the gear selector linkages and was cured when I had the links adjusted during a garage "session".

Fireflie · Mar 16, 2007

It's a random noise, it happens and then it stops, then it's back.
It seems to be coming from the rear, maybe rear left of the car.
I do the brakes myself so I know its not those, and I've already checked for loose stuff in the boot - been caught out like that before!
I think it's speed related. It happens at any rpm and doesn't seem worse when the revs are higher/lower, it just gets faster as I do and slows as I do. With a lot of revs at a slow speed its just as fast as when at slow revs at a slow speed, if that helps.

I have a hunch its a cv joint, but this happens as I'm travelling in a straight line, and I thought cvs were worse round corners.

Thanks for the reply.

knightma · Mar 16, 2007

Worn CV joints on a rear drive car will not make a lot more noise when cornering as the joints are not articulating under steering like they are in a front wheel drive car.

Diver944 · Mar 16, 2007

ORIGINAL: Fireflie

I think it's speed related. It happens at any rpm and doesn't seem worse when the revs are higher/lower, it just gets faster as I do and slows as I do.

I have a hunch its a cv joint, but this happens as I'm travelling in a straight line, and I thought cvs were worse round corners.

It's obviously something in the driveline and I ted to agree it could be a CV. It may be worth swapping the two driveshafts over to see if the noise then moves to the rear right of the car.

Fred Hindle · Mar 16, 2007

Does the noise disappear when slight pressure is applied to the brakes? If it does then loose brake pad rattling.

Take the car to an empty car park. Drive slowly on full lock, first one way and then the other.
CV joint that usually goes is the one nearest the exhaust.

Cheers,

Guest · Mar 19, 2007

ORIGINAL: Fireflie

It's a random noise, it happens and then it stops, then it's back.
It seems to be coming from the rear, maybe rear left of the car.
I do the brakes myself so I know its not those, and I've already checked for loose stuff in the boot - been caught out like that before!
I think it's speed related. It happens at any rpm and doesn't seem worse when the revs are higher/lower, it just gets faster as I do and slows as I do. With a lot of revs at a slow speed its just as fast as when at slow revs at a slow speed, if that helps.

I have a hunch its a cv joint, but this happens as I'm travelling in a straight line, and I thought cvs were worse round corners.

Thanks for the reply.