Q's on clonking, door locking and burning smell

[apole]

Hi there,

I have a few questions I'd appreciate some advise on.

Firstly I have a clonking noise when I'm going forward and apply the brakes. It sounds like someone clicking their knuckles. I'm not sure it's the brake pads as if you are in traffic and move forward then stop it keeps happening, rather than you've reversed, braked then gone forward and then you get the click so that isn't like the pads are moving. I have checked the pads and the front wheels for play. It is happening on the front offside. Could this be the droplinks? If so is there any way of testing?

Next my central locking clicks quite often, like you are locking or unlocking the doors. I think it's happening on the rear sliding door. It stops if you manually lock all the doors via pushing the drivers door lock down. I have checked the cables from the body to the front doors, nothing seems amiss or worn. Could it be the drivers lock switch, or maybe a faulty lock/connection on the sliding door?

Another one, I am getting a quite distinct smell of burning/hot rubber, you notice this only when the car is warm and you are standing at traffic lights etc. I have recently had a hose fail on the rear heater matrix and the temp repair I did utilise one of the remaining hoses. This is not a great hose, it's spongy and weak when cold so I know that needs replacing (plan to do that soon).

I can't easily locate the source of the smell (it's not me honest ) and I will be taking another look over the weekend. Anyone had this before?

Many thanks for the help.

Andy

[Trouble at t'Mill]

If it's the drop links, I would expect them to 'clonk' at times other than just braking - in fact I don't actually recall mine clonking when braking to a halt; they tended to clonk mostly when going relatively slowly over road-humps, pot holes and uneven roads.

How to check them? Can be deceptive as 'play' in the end ball joints sometimes cannot be detected due to the anti-roll bar keeping them in tension /compression (The first time I checked mine I couldn't detect any play - but I finally sussed they were well shot!)

What I'd be inclined to do is to crawl under the car front (no need to jack up...) and grab each drop link firmly and try for 'play'. If none detected, place a jack under the end of the anti-roll bar near (but not touching) where it joins one of the the drop links, and jack it a teeny tiny bit only - a half inch or so, enough to remove any tension on the link. Check both drop links again for play. (With new ones, it's almost impossible to even turn them by hand, so if the central drop link bar can be rotated slightly each way, then this suggests some wear at least, even if not completely shot.)

If no play detected still, then place the jack under the central cross member and again jack the car itself up a teeny half inch or so (nowhere near as far as to cause danger to you being under there!). This should hopefully remove any compression which may be on the links - check them again.

(Most of the above is 'theory'!!)

Central locking - are you saying it operates by itself? I think I've read on here about dodgy driver's door key locks which could be causing unwanted contact - if the switch contact inside is loose so's it doesn't part as far as it should when opened, then movement and vibration could well cause it to make contact again (or possibly I read this about Land-Rovers on behalf of my neighb...). Obviously, any type of short-circuit could cause this, including in the wiring where it makes it's way to the door near the hinge .

[Trouble at t'Mill]

When you replaced the rear hose, did you bleed the coolant system properly? Are you aware of the Bongo quirks in this area? If not, TAKE CARE, and find out about it before using the car...

Apart from localised heating, hot rubber smells can be caused by slipping/worn drive belts (alternator, etc), and I read on here about a collapsing crank pulley which caused much distress (but, that's rare )

[apole]

Thanks guys,

Yes I did bleed the car properly and I have no issues with airlocks or overheating, but thanks for the warning as that would be bad news.

I suspect that it's a failing coolant hose, they are all hot to touch and I'm not loosing coolant but the smell is not normal so I do need to get to the bottom of it.

I'll check the belts and pulleys, good thought there.

Thanks for the info on the drop links as well, I'll give that a go. The noise doesn't happen all the time and it's very slight at present, I just want to be sure nothing is about to fail as I use the car alot and dont' want to head off on a trip somewhere and get stranded.

Regarding the door, it seems to me that the sliding door lock is trying to open. I guess I need to have the door panel off and maybe someone in the back when driving around (doesn't happen when stationary) to see further.

[missfixit70]

For the sliding door, just try a bit of fine emery on the door contacts first & some lubrication on the lock, runners etc & check nothing's obstructing it closing properly.

[teenmal]

Hi Opole,
Re the clicking noise,check the power steering fluid,it could be coming from the PS pump, or the by-pass valve chattering.

Cheers Malc.

[apole]

Hi,

I've cleaned up the electrical contacts both sides, and greased the door, will see how that goes.

PS pump okay and quiet, good idea though.

Had a thought whilst I was cleaning the car in the sun, it could just be a faulty remote, I haven't notice the problem when I use a normal key. I'll put that to the test (and no doubt fail !!) over the weekend.

Thanks for all your help.

[cheffy34]

Apole i'm not dissing you you sure it rubber smell and not burning oil i have it sometimes when running hot stuck at lights or in traffic it my crank seal weeping, oil gathers in the lip around the sump and drips onto the flexi pipe on the exhaust on mine

as to the clonking my first thought was pads moving but the i went back and re read the post

Dar

[apole]

Hi Dar,

Pretty sure but I'll check it out just in case.

BTW I've moved my summer/winter lever over under the bonnet and no smell inside anymore which is a result. Had a good look round today and can't find any sign of the source.

Dar, do you have any pics or a location where I should look for the seal issue?

Thanks

Andy

[cheffy34]

No piccies apole you will see the oil front bottom of engine gathers in the sump pan lip runs around back of engine when driving and drips down onto flexi comes up through the airvents when you stop i wiped mine off and not had the smell back yet goin to try some wynn's first

Dar

[cheffy34]

Oh by the way i haven't got one of those air con setty lever things

[apole]

OK,

I've checked an no oil, that's good news. Had another look for the source and no luck as yet, nothing appears to be burning or getting too hot other than a burn on my forearm, that exhaust gets pretty hot !!