Knocking from under bonnet...

[steg90]

Hi,

Everytime my car ( Peugeot 406 1.8 ) goes over a bump, it sounds like it is going to fall to pieces. At first I thought drop links, but these seem fine, after inspection under the bonnet it appears the passenger side engine mounting is moving. If you push the car side to side, you can see it move, thus the transmission moves with it and causes the knocking noise. Is it a simple job to replace this? Do I just put a jack under the transmission and loosen the engine mount, remove the rubber bit and replace?

Many thanks,
Steve

[mjb]

Pretty much, yeah. It's just one nut on top to free the gearbox from the mount and then a couple of torx screws holding the mount on. Make sure you have the metal sleeve, which may be stuck inside the old mount

[steg90]

Thanks for that,

Those torx screws are very very tight, struggling to get them to budge, any tips on how to loosen them

Once the mount is loosened, without having the gearbox on top of the jack, would it just drop?!

Thanks,
Steve

[mjb]

Those torx screws are very very tight, struggling to get them to budge, any tips on how to loosen them

Mine weren't. I used a ratchet + extension + 1/2" to 1/4" adaptor + 1/4" socket + torx bit. Wouldn't try using anything smaller than a 1/2" ratchet for anything to do with engine mounts!

Once the mount is loosened, without having the gearbox on top of the jack, would it just drop?!

No, but depending on the engine it'd more likely damage the other 2 mounts, probably tear the top one and twist the bottom one. You do NOT want to take that risk - replacing the bottom engine mount is not a job to be taken lightly! In short, make sure the gearbox is supported!

[steg90]

Thanks for that.

I' not too sure now that the knocking could be this now! Apparently the movement is normal. It sounds more like
at the front end of the car just under the engine, need to get it on a ramp and take a look. It just happens when the
car goes over bumps?!

Cheers,
Steve

[Blue406]

is there any play in the steering? could be the track rod end if so?

[teamster1975]

Check out the pear shaped rubber bush that screws into the O/S wheel arch. The top mount sits over this and it can work loose.
Remove the top mount & check the rubber bush for tightness; on mine it was a few turns out!

If it's not that check the antirollbar bushes & drop links for wear.

[steg90]

Hi,

The mount on the drivers side, the rubber bush that is in it is split, although, not much play and the noise I'm getting when going
over pot holes, bumpy roads does sound at the bottom front of the car. There is no play in the steering, the drop links are ok, no play
in them. How do I check the antirollbar bushes?

Cheers,
Steve