Clunking from back.

[Wild Weasel]

I've got some clunking that appears to be from the passenger side in the back and I can't figure out what it is. You'd think the spare tire was loose and clanking around or something, but it's not. It's definitely from under the car.

I read somewhere that sometimes the rear sway bar is loose, so I checked it and all seems well.

Can someone describe exactly where I should be looking? I'll bring it in for service as soon as possible, but can't tonight. :(

[Triplebogey]

I've got some clunking that appears to be from the passenger side in the back and I can't figure out what it is. You'd think the spare tire was loose and clanking around or something, but it's not. It's definitely from under the car.

I read somewhere that sometimes the rear sway bar is loose, so I checked it and all seems well.

Can someone describe exactly where I should be looking? I'll bring it in for service as soon as possible, but can't tonight. :(



Perhaps some golf balls loose in the trunk :chuckle

sorry to hear that, hope it's not too serious!

[Flagrum_3]

Does it happen all the time or just while taking off from a dead stop? Did you replace anything with aftermarket?
The rear sway bar problem was with the older model Progress bars, so I don't think that could be it.

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[Skarbro]

Loose nut behind the wheel.

LOL

[dsichewski]

is it like every time you go over a pump in the road you hear a bang? could be a shock let go maybe?

[Wild Weasel]

is it like every time you go over a pump in the road you hear a bang? could be a shock let go maybe?

Yeah, it's pretty much any time I go over bumps at regular city road speeds.

Gotta be something loose in the back. :( Hopefully I can have it looked at tomorrow.

[bubba1983]

did you physically tighten the swaybar endlinks?

[Wild Weasel]

did you physically tighten the swaybar endlinks?

No, I just looked at them and both sides looked the same, with the same number of threads showing above the nut.

It didn't budge when I pulled on it, but I didn't have much leverage lying on the ground behind the car.

[Skarbro]

Well visually counting the threads is certainly not an indication if it is loose or not. Drive up on ramps and make sure everything is torqued up.

[Wild Weasel]

Well visually counting the threads is certainly not an indication if it is loose or not. Drive up on ramps and make sure everything is torqued up.

I gotta get ramps.

You busy tomorrow? :)

[Skarbro]

I'm home all day tomorrow. Give me a call.

[bubba1983]

you don't need ramps, jus crawl under there, its easily accessable, or if your a pansy liek that, jack up your car, hahah

[Wild Weasel]

I fixed it. It was the end link, though not the bolt I originally looked at.

Now, does anyone have the MS3 service manual? Can someone tell me the proper torque specs for it?

I made it snug without over-tightening it, but would like to know it's done right.

It was the nut on the bolt going horizontal with that white plastic cup around it that was loose.

[bubba1983]

I TOLD YOU!
mahahahaha

[MPS]

Dam its all MS3 are coming apart there is a bunch of case just like that on M3F
checking mine tomorrow :)

[Flagrum_3]

Dam its all MS3 are coming apart there is a bunch of case just like that on M3F
checking mine tomorrow :)

You guys should get together armed with a manual and several torque wrenches and have a re-torque meet!! ....a friend of mine used to offer the service for $150, they would re-torque every bolt and nut on the car, it was suggested to have it done after the first year of driving.


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[Skarbro]

I fixed it. It was the end link, though not the bolt I originally looked at.

Now, does anyone have the MS3 service manual? Can someone tell me the proper torque specs for it?

I made it snug without over-tightening it, but would like to know it's done right.

It was the nut on the bolt going horizontal with that white plastic cup around it that was loose.

It's probably the same torque as the regular 3. Here:

http://www.icestormdesign.com/mwcc/mazda/manual/esicont/en/srvc/html/B3E021428100W01.html

[Wild Weasel]

40 ft-lbs then. Thanks! I'll torque it properly tonight.

As for paying $150 to retorque a bunch of things... that sounds like a bit of a racket. :) If they're all properly torqued in the first place, you shouldn't ever need to touch them and if they're not and something comes loose, it will be covered under warranty.

It does seem like a good idea in our cases though to get together and check a number of points where there have been known issues!

[MPS]

im still trying to find a rattle in the front for 2 monts now :bang

[Wild Weasel]

im still trying to find a rattle in the front for 2 monts now :bang

Have you re-checked your tranny mounts? :flaming

[MPS]

yes its under the dash rattle :bang

[Wild Weasel]

yes its under the dash rattle :bang

Ah. heh. One of those. I'm all too familiar with hunting those down on the Sunfire.

Once you find them, they're usually easy to fix with a bit of foam or something. It's finding them that's a bitch. :chuckle

Half the time for me, it's just something rattling around in the glove box.

[MPS]

i think i got it :)
dam its my navi WTF :complain

[Wild Weasel]

i think i got it :)
dam its my navi WTF :complain

I'd blame the installer. :chuckle

[Flagrum_3]

40 ft-lbs then. Thanks! I'll torque it properly tonight.

As for paying $150 to retorque a bunch of things... that sounds like a bit of a racket. :) If they're all properly torqued in the first place, you shouldn't ever need to touch them and if they're not and something comes loose, it will be covered under warranty.

It does seem like a good idea in our cases though to get together and check a number of points where there have been known issues!

To elaborate more it was a custom high-end car audio shop, so that was probably the best reason for the practice, and you would think a torqued bolt would not come loose but its not true.As I learned myself while I helped out on a couple of vehicles which were in the shop and trust me there were loose bolts, most of the time it would be body panel bolts, this I noticed but, sometimes bolts you wouldn't even think of like fuel line clamp bolts dash bolts, window slider bolts etc;....definitely not a scam!

I think it would be well worth the effort, it dosen't cost you anything if you do it yourself, except for the tools.(assuming you can borrow a manual) and by doing it yourself you have the comfort in the knowledge it was done completely and correctly and that nothing is going to rattle loose.


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