Two steps forward, one back Topic is solved

Jaguar xjs · Post by **Jaguar xjs** » 09 Nov 2016, 16:32

Hey folks, just need to get some feedback. I'm getting a new to me 96 850 back to stage 0. I just installed rear shocks (Sachs) mounts and transverse arm mounts. On the front, new struts (Sachs) and all associated bits and pieces, lower control arms, sway bar links, inner and outer tie rod ends. Replaced all engine mounts. All bits are blue box with no aftermarket parts.

In the mean time, I'm getting a slight clunk from the front end when I take off from a stop. I know that all the newly installed parts are properly torqued to spec. The clunk may have been there before the refresh but hard to know since there were so many clunks to deal with.

Could the subframe mounts being worn out create a the slight clunk I'm now noticing? Car has 150k on the clock.

Gordon

Post by **rspi** » 09 Nov 2016, 19:31

It it manual or auto?

Jaguar xjs · Post by **Jaguar xjs** » 10 Nov 2016, 02:21

Automatic.

Gordon

Post by **850 LPT** » 10 Nov 2016, 07:13

I wonder if this could be related to worn cv axles. Do you know the condition and how old they are? Any clunks when you make turns?

Dirk

Post by **erikv11** » 10 Nov 2016, 07:26

CV is a good idea, I didn't think of that. Especially if they have ever been replaced, because that almost always means a non-Volvo axle, which almost always means trouble. The aftermarket ones can typically be ID'ed by being all rusty.

The car's mileage is so low for any kind of subframe mount problem, but I suppose. Not sure how to test those or what the symptoms of bad ones are, try some searching or wait to see what others say.

On a related note, does "all engine mounts" include the upper torque rod mount, both ends (firewall and engine)? Those would be much more common to fail. Good on you if you replaced all six mounts with Volvo parts, smart way to go.

Is the transmission clearly up off the little rubber pad you can see through the driver's side wheel well? And I know you already told us everything is tight but, but did you recheck the nuts on the sway bar end links? That's a common misstep that leads to clunks, and is easy to check.

Jaguar xjs · Post by **Jaguar xjs** » 10 Nov 2016, 14:18

Thanks, gents. My best guess is the cv's are original. No grinding but will listen for clunks on turns over the next day.

All engine/transmission mounts have been changed, upper mount got both ends as well as lower trans mount. Again, all blue box.

I'll do another wrench check on front end bits to eliminate that as a possible cause. I'll also check the trans being off the pad.

Gordon

Post by **MrPc** » 10 Nov 2016, 14:33

You described the clunk as "slight", so I'll throw this out there just in case. I had a really small clunk in my steering wheel, typically when starting from stop, even after changing everything in the front just like you did.

In my case it turned out to be dried up grease in the steering column. The steering wheel is attached to the body, but the other end of the column is attached to the subframe. Stiction in the column can create little clunks from the relative motion. The clunks are more felt in the wheel than heard, but you would definitely feel them if you just replaced everything in the whole front end and then went for a test drive, hoping for a perfectly smooth ride.

My whole story is here:
https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... 93#p346395

The good thing is that this one is easy to check for by adjusting the steering wheel extension/angle and seeing if there is any change in the clunks.

Paul

Post by **theWIFES_S70** » 10 Nov 2016, 16:10

I get a small clunk, too. I have no play in my wheels. I have an older CV axle (Napa from the P.O.) and a newer Pepboys CV axle that I installed, but I don't think it's from them. (No sounds at all when I turn the wheel.) The car tracks straight and rides smooth on the highways and I can do 70+MPH without any vibrations in the wheel or anything. I only ever get it when I shift into first really hard, or into reverse really hard, or if I slam on the brakes. (I also have all new mounts.)

The clunk is less pronounced after changing all my subframe bushings. But it's still there. It could be my FEBI control arms. (When they fail I will get Lemforder ones.) But they look good to me. And again, I have no play in my wheels...

I really think it's my sway bar bushings. It's the only piece of rubber that hasn't been replaced in the front end.

Jaguar xjs · Post by **Jaguar xjs** » 11 Nov 2016, 14:20

Today I had a 4 wheel alignment and had the wheels road force balanced. The mechanic had to remount all four tires to meet the parameters of the road force machine. He looked over the suspension and found everything tight but heard the clunk on the first test drive. The 4 wheel alignment, road force balance and suspension kit was kinda pricey but I believe the car rides as if it were almost new.

Now on to the clunk. It seems the clunk can also be recreated with the wheel turned to the right. Mechanic found the right cv inner boot torn and the grease was everywhere as one would expect. Hard to believe I ran all the grease out of the joint in a week or so and trashed the joint.

I read above by DIrk and Eric they thought it could be a joint. Not very experienced with cv joints but will it clunk when applying torque but once under load remain quiet? I'd hate to replace an oem part with a napa part but I need the car to travel in a few days. Perhaps I can use a napa piece and rebuild the oem?

Gordon

Post by **erikv11** » 12 Nov 2016, 13:09

If the CV is for sure what is clunking then it must be bad, but I'd be very surprised if it went bad in a just a week or two with a torn boot. That's unusual. But in that case, just repacking the grease and putting on a new boot won't fix things. Getting a new CV to put on the axle is not really an option, I don't know that people know where to source the GKN/Lobro CV that came with the car.

I saw your other thread about trouble with the aftermarket NAPA axle. Can you get a Volvo axle from the junkyard? Not many good options out there for axles.