Evening ALL. I'm back at it again. On the way home I noticed a thunk, but possibly a clunk, on acceleration from the right front. It happens under 2 conditions so far that I have noticed. On acceleration from a stop and when accelerating after coasting in gear. Those are my only symptoms.

I do NOT.
Have a shimmy
It isn't pulling left or right
have any feedback from the break pedal or steering wheel.
I haven't noticed any differences in handling.

I have 3 thoughts about the possible culprits, but it is pouring rain right now and the garage is full of boxes from just moving, so I thought I would throw this out tonight and see if anybody else had this problem before and could give me a place to look.

Possible culprits that I could think of.

1. CV joint, but no shimmy.
2. Lower motor mount
3. sway bar bushing maybe.

I don't know. Is there a common failure here?

FYI this afternoon I might have had a 0-100 sprint messing with a BMW. I've never been accused of driving gingerly... Thanks ahead of time for any assistance.

I am going to be a D@mn MCS diagnostic god eventually.


Chris

 

If you had a 2005 or 2006, I'd say that you're perfectly describing the symptoms of a leaking passenger-side motor mount. On your 2004 the mount isn't fluid-filled, but I'd still look and make sure it hasn't come loose or been torn.

I think the lower engine mount is a good place to check as well, and it's easy to get to.

 

Hmmm...

Scott my '04 does have the fluid filled top motor mount on the passenger side, which produced a very nice "clunk" after weeping it's contents onto the frame rail.

Replaced a few years ago, and no re-occurrence thus far.

Cheers,

Charlie

 

Charlie - thanks for the clarification!

So when was the first year for the fluid-filled mount? I always thought it was introduced with the rest of the 2005 "facelift" changes.

 

German cars like BMW / Mini / porsche has a tendency to phase changes in as they get the updated parts and not wait for model years. Just make it challenging to pinpoint some of these changes.

 

Give the man a prize. I work with a fellow cooper owner. We were out looking at it today and there is a bolt behind the mount that was MISSING. It was on the ledge below the mount. I am so pissed off. I had to have the oil cooler and filter housing changed a couple of weeks ago. I bet money when they went to replace it they took the bolt out to roll the engine forward a little to make more room and only put it back in hand tight.

 

Just drove the car at lunch after reinstalling the bolt this morning. Fixed... AMEN. Thanks guys