Groan/catching sound while turning - mechanic says rubbing strut springs

Post by **smacknab** » 07 May 2020, 15:15

Hi friends,

The problem I'm experiencing with my 99 s70 m56 is a catching sound when turning the steering wheel with the car in motion. Its a catching/rubbing sound (kinda like clunk clunk clunk) while turning the car at 75% rotation or greater. I've noticed that the sound only happens while the clutch is engaged. So if I'm mid turn with the sound occuring, when I push the clutch pedal the sound stops. As noted below, the entire suspension is brand new from FCP.

I brought it to an Indy Volvo mechanic and he said it's because the springs are rubbing against the body. Which he showed me, and it's true they are rubbing. He explained the clutch in/out effect to be due to the forced applied to the suspension parts from the CV axle while accelerating.

The sound existed before, but not nearly as audible. I dropped the oil pan last week and since that the sound has been very loud. The thing I can't figure out is why did the sound get worse after dropping the oil pan?

During that I had to disconnect the lower right motor mount and Jack under it to get clearance for the oil pan. I've gone back and double checked that those bolts are tight and applied some loctite. They seem to be fine to me.

The only other thing I could think of was I incorrectly installed the oil pan bolts that go into the transmission bell housing. Other mvs users have noted it's possible for those bolts to touch the fly wheel.. could the bolts intermittently touch the fly wheel only with the clutch engaged AND while turning? It just seems like too many factors. For the record the Indy said if the bolts were in the path of the flywheel, the sound would be there all the time.

So if the oilpan service is unrelated- does this mean some part of my suspension is bad? as other threads have noted bad or incorrectly installed spring seats related to similar sounds.

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For some background I just replaced my entire front suspension over the last few months with the FCP Sach kit (Sachs struts, Sachs spring seats, Sachs strut mounts) plus new lesjofors springs. I also did the inner and outer tie rods, the control arms and the sway bar end links. I ordered all the parts from FCP and tried to chose parts that have been verified on mvs to be quality. I got an alignment with a printout immediately after.

I also replaced the subframe bushings with the IPD inserts. 4 of the motor mounts except for the transmission mount are new.

When hearing the sound I went through and checked and corrected any loose plastic covers in the wheel well, and for loose power steering lines etc under the car. I also tore off my rusty and flapping brake dust shields which I have junk yard replacements for.

Post by **smacknab** » 07 May 2020, 15:17

The Indy also noted a missing inner clip of the outer CV boot, on the right side CV axle. He said it's possible that that has dried up and is causing the noise.

Post by **abscate** » 07 May 2020, 18:31

Double check the front engine mount didn’t tear when you jacked for the oil pan. The cheap ones will break easily under tension

Post by **scot850** » 07 May 2020, 20:04

Check your sub-frame mounts. I chased a groan from the front suspension and assumed it was springs rubbing. I replaced the anti sway-bar end-links 3 times, anti-sway-bar, engine mounts, lower control arms, spring seats, springs, top bearings. Eventually had the dealer look at the front sub-frame bushes. The RH rear one had failed allowing the frame to move everytime the steering was turned particularly on near full lock.

Neil.

Post by **smacknab** » 08 May 2020, 04:27

scot850 wrote: ↑07 May 2020, 20:04 Check your sub-frame mounts. I chased a groan from the front suspension and assumed it was springs rubbing. I replaced the anti sway-bar end-links 3 times, anti-sway-bar, engine mounts, lower control arms, spring seats, springs, top bearings. Eventually had the dealer look at the front sub-frame bushes. The RH rear one had failed allowing the frame to move everytime the steering was turned particularly on near full lock.

Neil.

Thanks Neil, by subframe mount do you mean the subframe bushings at the four corners of the subframe, or the motor mounts that attach to the subframe? Does it make a difference that I can see my springs rubbing on the wheel well?

Steve, I replaced the front and rear motor mounts after the sound started but more by coinscedence. I noticed the rear was rusty with rubber flaking off during the oil pan drop so I ordered them.

Post by **abscate** » 08 May 2020, 04:46

Can you take a pic of the rubbing? Is the wheel liner in place on all of the mount studs?

Subframe mounts 3507293

Post by **smacknab** » 08 May 2020, 07:43

Weirdly enough I just checked with the wheels on the ground and it's not rubbing straight on. I'll take some photos later, of the springs and the subframe bushings as well.

I'm thinking it's the lower right motor mount, which I might've pried at weird angle during the oil pan job. The sound does seem to come from the right side, and the engine moves alot when I push on it

Post by **scot850** » 08 May 2020, 10:18

That is exactly the same issue I was having. Turning the steering puts sideways pressure on the sub-frame mounts ( yes the 4 in each corner of the sub-frame that mount it to the body) allowing the torque of the wheels turning to move the springs toward the inner fenders. The springs also tend to twist and deform when the steering is turned which exaggerates the twist of the spring inwards towards the inner fender.

Hope this helps.

Neil.

Post by **smacknab** » 16 May 2020, 11:08

When I replaced my subframe bushings, I used a little of the grease supplied for the ipd poly inserts on the outside of the subframe bushing to get it go go in easier. Do you think that could be causing a subframe bushing to twist or slide around and cause the noise?

Post by **smacknab** » 16 May 2020, 11:49

I'm fairly confident it's not the motor mount, only issue I can see on it is this little nun that seems like it makes the mount sit in the right spot for holding the motor. Looks like it's been pushed crooked, maybe from when I was trying on the mount to make space for the oil pan. I tried to hammer it back straight which obviously didn't do nothing. Otherwise the mount looks good

Otherwise the struts.. it does look like there's some rubbing marks.. this is the right side strut with the wheel off and on Jack stands