Grinding noises

[Sam]

Drove through a flood on my way home from work yesterday. Took the car out for a drive today and there's this loud grinding noise coming from the rear nearside panels, I've had a look for the obvious potential problems but everything looks okay, so really don't know what it is!

It's very annoying when I'm driving along and then hearing this grinding sound, almost like something rubbing or a loose panel rubbing against something.

Car is driving fine and everything, despite driving through a flood, just can't pinpoint this noise! :-(

 

[Karl]

How fast did you go though the flood?

 

[Sam]

well it's a 60mph road, but it was around a bend at the bottom of a hill, so I was doing about 35mph and didn't see it until it was too late. I lost control momentarily and aqua-planed about 2 metres and then the road climbs back up hill so I got out of it.

 

[Karl]

Its not the rear bumper is it? or a heat shield under the car?

 

[Sam]

Its not the rear bumper is it? or a heat shield under the car?

rear bumper seems secure, as do all of the main body panels. Not considered the heat shield, will have a butchers.

 

[Sam]

had another look, heat shields seem okay.

Started her up, got back under, there's a red clip thing attached to [the exhaust??] in the middle underside of the car and that looked like it might have been the culprit. It was shaking around when I accelerated and I think it might be responsible for the noise, unless it's supposed to move?? Any ideas what it might be?

If not I'll take a photograph.

 

[Karl]

Picture please

 

[Matt]

There is a red exhaust mount rubber about half way, is that what you're talking about? Should be a metal hook that goes into it from the exhaust.

 

[Sam]

This thingymabob.

 

[Karl]

Its a exhaust mount.

 

[Matt]

Yep as I suspected. There should be some play allowing the exhaust to move with the engine and to absorb shock. Are you certain its not hear shield above this area? How about getting under the car (when it's not running and nice and cool) then shaking the exhaust in various places?

 

[Sam]

Yep as I suspected. There should be some play allowing the exhaust to move with the engine and to absorb shock. Are you certain its not hear shield above this area? How about getting under the car (when it's not running and nice and cool) then shaking the exhaust in various places?

Could be actually. I didn't see it moving/vibrating when I had the engine running but will have a look at that tomorrow.

At first I thought perhaps the under-carriage was just waterlogged and needed to dry out, but it's looking apparent that it's not.

If it's not the heat shield above the mount is there anywhere else I could look to try and diagnose it?

Thanks for your help both.

 

[spiderman]

Does it grind only when you are moving?

I popped the bottom edge of a wheel arch liner once going through a puddle.
It caused a grinding noise when you turned the wheel in a certain direction, just push fit it back on, all was well.
This wasn't on a twingo and i don't have mine here to look at to see if it is the same. But worth a look anyway.

An easy fix for a disturbing noise. The other question would be, did it only start the following day?
If so have a look at the brakes for binding/corrosion, water can work fast on modern discs, and if you have drums, then the water could be inside them doing the same.

Good luck

Sandy

 

[Sam]

Yeah it only started the day after (Saturday) and tends to be louder when the vehicle is in motion.

Concerning if it is corrosion on the brake discs but as said before the car is still driving fine and stopping okay as it should.
Thanks for the advice though

 

[Sam]

Ok I went out and recorded the sound earlier, you'll hear the noise every so often and loudly towards the end. Also at the very end, when idling on my driveway it was making a loud knocking sound, which you will also hear.

I know the sound quality is rather poor so please forgive that! Have a listen to the MP3 file: here.

 

[spiderman]

Unusual way to try and diagnose a problem, but it doesn't sound nice, neither does the knocking.
Just how deep was the puddle? :?

its very hard to work on descriptions (I hear a metallic rattle not grinding) and as it does it when stationery, you can rule out most of the likely causes :? running gear/brakes etc.
But it does sounds more like a vibration when you hear it a few times, like a shield, as first thought. Perhaps somewhere a bit more inaccessible? and harder to spot.
The knocking sounds like a loose zorst as well. could be a couple of things working together

Good luck, worth getting it up on a ramp somewhere.

Sandy

 

[Courtney]

I would just take it to the garage now and see if they could come up with an idea and maybe they would have a quick look and not charge you for it?

 

[Sam]

Unusual way to try and diagnose a problem, but it doesn't sound nice, neither does the knocking.
Just how deep was the puddle? :?

its very hard to work on descriptions (I hear a metallic rattle not grinding) and as it does it when stationery, you can rule out most of the likely causes :? running gear/brakes etc.
But it does sounds more like a vibration when you hear it a few times, like a shield, as first thought. Perhaps somewhere a bit more inaccessible? and harder to spot.
The knocking sounds like a loose zorst as well. could be a couple of things working together

Good luck, worth getting it up on a ramp somewhere.

Sandy

I would just take it to the garage now and see if they could come up with an idea and maybe they would have a quick look and not charge you for it?

I'd guess it was about 1in to 1.5in deep although I can't be sure, it did aqua plane though. Yeah it does sound very metallic I agree. I will contact Renault on Tuesday and get it booked in, they don't usually charge to look at it. Hopefully they'll be able to squeeze me in at some point this week.

 

[TURBO]

from that sound clip it sonuds like your car has been kidnapped and put in the back of a dust cart :lol: :lol:

have you got under the car and seen if the exhaust is touching a heatsheild anywhere??

do you get the noise when you arent moving??

 

[Sam]

Hahaha, that's exactly where it'll be going if it doesn't start behaving!! :lol: :lol:

Nope, the noise only seems to occur when moving. When idling I sometimes get the knocking noise like at the end of the clip. Had a look under the car but everything seems okay. Tried applying light pressure to see if the heat shield was loose, unless maybe it's loose in a different part. It's like trying to find a needle in the haystack!