1998 Xsara - Bearings?

[HullMarc]

My 1998 1.6 Xsara sometimes makes a 'clunk-clunk-clunk' noise when cornering, sounds like it's coming from the front drivers side. When I bought the car in February, the garage's mechanic said it was "definitely not mechanical" and that I had nothing to worry about. I gave a lad from work a lift home last week and he reckons it's the bearings (though he's not a mechanic).

I won't get chance to take it to a (different!) garage until Wednesday. I know you can't diagnose over an internet forum, but I just wondered A) if it sounds like it is the bearings, and B) if so, how much it'd cost to replace?

Same lad reckons it'd be £20 for the parts from the scrapyard and another £20 or so to repair it (I only paid £650 for the car, and my job finishes on Wednesday, so I don't want to be paying too much to repair it!)

Is he right or is he talking out of his backside?

Thanks.

 

[Burnerman]

More than likely to be the outer CV joint on that side driveshaft, mate....these are available separately but its often easier to replace the entire driveshaft with an exchange one.
John

 

[HullMarc]

More than likely to be the outer CV joint on that side driveshaft, mate....these are available separately but its often easier to replace the entire driveshaft with an exchange one.
John

Thanks. How much do you reckon that'll set me back?

 

[heliosuk]

CV joint is more likey to be the cause but only realy noticable on hard cornering. If you hear a loud vibration noise in a straight line which changes pitch with your foot on the clutch, then this will confirm it.

If knocking noise is over bumps then look at springs first and then at lower lower front rear arm bush which might look as though it has seprerated. Need to do this on a wheel free ramp and examine left to riht.

 

[richard1600]

there are a number of things it could be, i would steer my opinions towards cv joint based on what you have said,, my primera cv joint was like £40,, if you can do it yourself great,,, if not,,, its less than an hours labour at the garage.

in my opinion, if your not sure dont guess, just take it to the garage, its easy for someone in the trade to diagnose and fix said problems.

 

[HullMarc]

CV joint is more likey to be the cause but only realy noticable on hard cornering. If you hear a loud vibration noise in a straight line which changes pitch with your foot on the clutch, then this will confirm it.

If knocking noise is over bumps then look at springs first and then at lower lower front rear arm bush which might look as though it has seprerated. Need to do this on a wheel free ramp and examine left to riht.

There is no knocking noise over bumps. There is sometimes a squeaking (like the noise a seal makes) under acceleration/deceleration. The knocking is only noticeable on hard cornering (roundabouts, and inparticular one corner which is almost like a tight left U-bend), as far as I can tell the noise is from the right hand side. Haven't really noticed anything clutch related, though I'll have a listen tomorrow.

there are a number of things it could be, i would steer my opinions towards cv joint based on what you have said,, my primera cv joint was like £40,, if you can do it yourself great,,, if not,,, its less than an hours labour at the garage.

in my opinion, if your not sure dont guess, just take it to the garage, its easy for someone in the trade to diagnose and fix said problems.

I'm good practically but I know very little about cars so will be letting a garage do it. Like I said the earliest opportunity will be Wednesday so I'm just trying to find out possibilities and rough costs etc.

I'm quite annoyed to be honest. The car had a 28 day warranty and I asked the mechanic where I bought it from about the knocking. He took it for a drive round and told me it was nothing mechanical and nothing to worry about. Either he's a terrible mechanic or he just didn't want the company to fork out a few quid for parts (he part-owns the garage). Either way it's been like this since the day I bought it in mid-February, and probably for quite a while before that.

Thank you for your help.

 

[heliosuk]

Excellant!! From the way you describe it, it says the lower arm rear bushes. It's cheaper to get a new lower arm asemby which includes the bushes. Fault description is perfect so go for that.