Low Pitched Noise When Going Over Rough Surfaces

[iantek]

Just looking for some ideas as to what could be causing an odd noise on my mk1 93 Eunos S Special.

The noise is a bit like I have a metal biscuit tin with a large metal spanner inside located somewhere in the drivers side region of my engine bay. The noise occurs only when I go over rough surfaces, potholes etc and I can imagine the spanner vibrating in the tin. I hope this explanation makes sense!

[lodgey77]

Hard to judge without hearing it, my guess would be droplink or a very tired shock absorber. Don't worry it wont be expensive.

[iantek]

Thanks for the reply. As long as it makes it through till next pay day that's fine! On Friday I had a two hundred mile blast on B roads and dual carriage ways and nothing seemed wrong, just that noise.

[MX-5 Lazza]

That does sound like a drop-link.

[iantek]

Cheers! Will that need sorting sharpish or can it stand doing a few thousand miles making a noise? I know its not an exact science this diagnosis by internet but any info would be gratefuly recieved.

[MX-5 Lazza]

It's not urgent/serious but it is an MoT fail for a good reason.

[iantek]

Thanks Lazza, you're a star! I'll try and nurse it through to the end of the month which should be a couple of thousand miles by then. Fingers crossed!

[MX-5 Lazza]

If you are leaving it for a bit you should really take a look underneath to make sure it is the drop link.
Try jacking the front up so both wheels are off the ground then grab the drop link and give it a good tug to see if there is any slack in it. If you can feel any movement at all it's knackered. Luckily, it's a 20 minute job to change them as long as everything comes undone. Give it all a good soak in plus-gas 24 hours before.

[iantek]

Sing hosannas! It was a loose engine cover that wasn't screwed back in properly after I had a new rad fitted. An easy fix for nowt. Thanks for the advice again chaps!

[Prawo Jazdy]

Is this the same noise I get? It's a dull clonk whenever I go over large bumps (regularly - thanks local councils!). I'm pretty sure mine is definitely suspension realted though - not a cover of some sort.

[iantek]

When one of my rear springs snapped it made that noise you describe. Is it coming from the rear?

[Prawo Jazdy]

I think it's the front, but hard to tell.

[Prawo Jazdy]

MX-5 Lazza said:

That does sound like a drop-link.

After complaining about my clonk, I spent a bit of Sunday with the front wheels off the car having a poke around. Everything looked normal, but then everything is covered in crud and my weedy arms don't load things in the same way as 1100kg of car does.

This evening, when rounding the last corner on my journey home from work, there was an almighty BANG! - the kind you'd hear (and feel) if you hit a rock doing 70mph and it was flung into the bottom of the car. I hadn't run over anything, so assumed something must have broken. It felt like the bang happened in the OSF wheel arch (it seemed like you could feel it in the footwell), so I jacked the car up, took off the OSF wheel and had a poke around. Nothing seemed to have changed from the weekend. Then I had a quick look at the other side, with the wheel still on, just to check. The ARB droplink was sticking out and had sheared off at the bottom.

Is this likely to be the source of all my problems? I've got tools and a guide from softtop/hardtop, so hopefully I can get the parts and fit them tomorrow. I've already soaked them in WD40 (still not hopeful i'll be able to undo anything though).