Galaxy 1.9 Tdi Knocking Mk2

[PhilH]

I have just bought a Ford Galaxy 53 plate 1.9 tdi. There seems to be knocking coming from under the pedals kind of area which happens mostly on gear changes but also occasionally on bumps. It's hard to replicate on bumps but seems most common (but not exclusively) during gear changes. It's a single knock not a grind or collection of knocks.

 

Is this a needle in a haystack or something easy to diagnose? I'm really hoping that it's something simple and not a gearbox or clutch problem. The car has been well serviced and well looked after an has done 78k.

 

When test driving I put it down to drop link bars but now I'm not so sure, actually petty convinced it's not with it being coincidental to changing gear.

 

Any advice please on what I can do to diagnose? I'm worried I've bought something requiring an expensive repair bill.

[seatkid]

Check the engine roll restrictor bar - fitted underneath between the gearbox and the front sub frame - the common fault is the bolt shears.

 

item 20/21 here

 

Often you can check it merely by rocking the engine back/forward by hand - if you hear a clunk/bang, the bolt is snapped.

 

Otherwise the front droplinks give all sorts of nasty bangs even if an inspection cant see any obvious play.

Edited June 16, 2013 by seatkid

[PhilH]

Many thanks for your response seatkid, I'll try rocking the engine tomorrow and have just ordered some new drop link bars. They look like the originals anyway so won't hurt to do them. Will get back to you on the engine rocking.

[PhilH]

I can rock the engine and there is a definite clunk. So is this what I'm after - 

26    N   907 069 01 hexagon head bolt (combi) M12X1,5X107  1   

?

 

Is there a more search friendly term for the right bolt?

 

Cheers again

 

By the way should I stop driving it until it's fixed? Or is it safe to drive still?

Edited June 17, 2013 by PhilH

[gregers]

well i VERY gently drove mine around when mine broke,but be aware it can/will be excess stress on certain parts like the downpipe/cat area as well as other things?

they do (restrictor bar)come up on ebay every now and then.

[PhilH]

Not planning on doing many miles in it and on Saturday will get it up on some stands and have a good look underneath. Could his cause a judder felt through the clutch?

[seatkid]

Could his cause a judder felt through the clutch?

 

Yes

 

First you need to remove the snapped bolt - in all probability the head will have sheared off leaving the threaded bit left inside. But by all previous accounts on the forum (try a search), its usually not too difficult to remove this.

 

Try Ford/VW/Seat Dealer for the bolt - probably VW will be cheapest. It needs to be a high tensile bolts (i.e. ordinary bolts dont last long.

[PhilH]

Thanks again. I've contacted VW and they have a bolt that they think sounds like what I'm describing. He referred to it as being for the engine mounts after I tried to describe that it was for the roll restrictor between the gearbox and the subframe. The part he suggested was N907 068 02 at £7.30ish.

 

Ford asked if was the bolt hat goes into the subframe, they said they had one for £4.75 part number 1452 004 at £4.75

 

If I print this out and say it's number 26, that should clear it up shouldn't it?

[gregers]

dont hold ur breathe with fords understanding that,but anythings worth a go.

[PhilH]

Ok so, it's not the roll restrictor - seems to have been replaced already by the looks of it. Going to go and do the drop links now. It's not just a cluck now, seems to be a series of knocks :(

 

http://i40.tinypic.com/t88a3t.jpg

[PhilH]

Ok have done drop links and no difference. I'm starting to think it's the gearbox now. I mis-diagnosed it. 

 

So:

• There's no clunking when moving around the engine
• Stationary with hand break on, rocking back and forth on the clutch bite makes no sound.
• The noise happens with clutch in and out in gear and out of gear.
• It seems to happen an any gear.
• If I jerk the car by pressing the accelerator and backing off, I can consistently replicate the noise.

We've just been under and with car in neutral moved the front wheel around and back and forth. There is a slight squeak and a knocking coming from the transmission - hopefully you can see in this video 

 

Is this normal?

[PhilH]

starting to poo myslef now, wife is due a week today :(

Edited June 22, 2013 by gregers

[Galaxy newbie]

Have a look here:- http://www.fordgalaxy.org.uk/ford/index.php/topic/21141-reworked-gearbox-stub-and-half-shaft-assemblies/?hl=%2Bhalf+%2Bshaft+%2Bsplines. I'm no expert on the galaxy but copy and paste that link into your browser I think this maybe your problem, hope it helps. Andy

[PhilH]

Thanks Andy, I've found the parts on eBay for £80 so will try that next week. Didn't want to start spending money on it until I could be sure of the problem. It looks like I'd need a rolling road or something to do that though.

[mikey boy]

hi try jacking the front of the car up and lift the wheel up and down. sometimes the top of the suspension wears (bearing)

[PhilH]

Cheers Mikey. Wouldn't just pushing on the front of the car do the same thing?

[mikey boy]

hi if you jack up the front it will take the weight off the suspention

[PhilH]

Makes sense, cheers. Will give it a go on Saturday.

[seatkid]

hi try jacking the front of the car up and lift the wheel up and down. sometimes the top of the suspension wears (bearing)

 

Take no notice of this suggestion. The Shalaxy front suspension design is such that the top strut will drop by several mm when the body is jacked up. This is normal.

[PhilH]

Ok thanks. From reading through lots of threads, the knocking I'm getting  could be from a loose bolt in a wishbone, a track rod end, gear box mount and a number of other things. The fact it was happening in conjunction with gear changes may have been throwing me, or it could be the intermediate driveshaft. 

 

My plan for Saturday is to get it back up on the axle stands, inspect, shake and rattle everything. If I can't see anything, change the intermediate driveshaft (low funds and convenience means I'm going to go for a cheap one from ebay - plus it's slightly guess work). If all that fails then I don't know.

 

I'll post an update on Saturday.

 

Cheers again for the advice.

[viperclive]

Check the rear mounting on your wishbone because when the rubber splits and parts the wishbone tends to whip up and down thus knocking around in it's housing when you accelerate and decelerate also going over bumps

[PhilH]

Well after lying under the car for a few hours with a prize bar, we found nothing. If anything it has now got worse and we're convinced it's down to drive-line, When I pull forward and back on the drive, when the clunk happens, my partner in crime said the front wheel juddered/wobbled in line with the noise I've been getting. It's no longer a clunk but more of a grind. I wish we'd checked both wheels no thinking about it, that wobble was on the driver side.

 

Unfortunately the shop I was going to buy the intermediate drive-shaft from closed early on Saturday. They also put the price up from 79.99 to 399.99! Apparently they are short on stock but are getting 70 or so shipped in from China in about 10 days. I've emailed these for a quote http://motomax.eu/.

 

I just hope if it is the problem, that it holds out. It's only being used for the nursery run at the moment.

[viperclive]

Could you not pick one up from a breakers, try Silverlake in Hampshire, very good breakers, also on the internet and they ship out parts, worth a try!

[PhilH]

There are others on eBay for about £100. Those guys did say they'd be dropping the price once they got their order in - it was actually 700 they're getting in not 70. I think the original pats are suspect anyway so will jst get something brand new. Cheers for the tip about the breakers though, I'm sure they'll come in handy :)

[PhilH]

Hi Guys,
I'm attempting to change the intermediate driveshaft tomorrow. This will be the first time I've got the car up on stands at home, before now it's been round a mates house. I have a few questions.

1. The trolley jack and axle stand set I have is Sealey and rated to 2 tonnes. They've always been fine on a Mondeo but I'm aware of this being a much bigger heavier vehicle. I'm thinking axle stand either side and they jack in place for backup. What do yo think? The axle stands are the 3 legged folding type. (it has a full tank of fuel too)

2. Once I've got the tray out of the way, could this actually be done with the car on it's wheels? I'm doing it on my own so won't have anyone to stand on the brakes to undo the splines. 

3. Am I going to be able to get the stub in on my own? It seems everyone struggles with compressing the spring enough to get the allan key bolt started.

Any advice greatly appreciates. Cheers.