car has suddenly became really loud and vibrating

7th December 2011, 18:59

yet another problem with my reliable saxo, was driving up to my house today, and suddenly the car started vibrating violently, enough to make my cds impossible to play because its shaking, and the car is really loud in the cabin, the vibration is on the steering wheel, pedals, seat, and pretty much all the interior, checked underneath the car and there is two wee holes where the down pipe meets the catalytic converter, could this make the car shake that bad and sound so loud?? outside the car it sounds normal as before but inside its ridiculous. Even if it was the exhaust i didnt think it would make a difference that quick, i thought it was gradual, anyone else know?

7th December 2011, 19:05

or could be engine mounts but where are they?

7th December 2011, 19:06

Your upper engine mount bolt has snapped.

You need to remove ALL the engine mountings from engine to chassis to get to the snapped bolt. Basically the engines dropped on the drivers side.

7th December 2011, 19:14

is it safe to drive? till i get it to a garage

7th December 2011, 19:16

I'm never gonna say 'yes' to anything thats not working properly. But if you're wanting to know if the engine will fall out? No, it won't.

7th December 2011, 19:18

so if i took it to a garage how much would u think it would cost, and would it take long, reason i ask is id rather do it myself it was to dear as just got new clutch and skint?

7th December 2011, 19:21

Half an hours work. They need to have a decent bolt to fix it with.

You can do it yourself with a few basic tools. The worst being a T50 (i think) torx bit. Getting the remaining snapped bolt out of the mount might be a mission but they usually unscrew quite easily if you have a drill bit that runs in reverse. Need a jack and peice of wood to support engine too.

7th December 2011, 19:40

where are the mounts anyway? are they visible from the engine bay? or at the least the one you mentioned?

7th December 2011, 20:10

bumpings

7th December 2011, 20:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by DundeeUnited

where are the mounts anyway? are they visible from the engine bay? or at the least the one you mentioned?

I reckon Kris has hit the nail on the head, it will be the engine mount to the right of the ECU.

Looking at the engine bay, locate the ECU (left of the bay)

To the right of this will be the engine mount.

It comes in two parts, bolted together and the bold can snap which causes vibrations through the chassis.

I drove my old vtr with a snapped bold for weeks but it depends where the break it so I wouldn't advise it.

Get a second hand one off ebay or here and change it, 30 minute job max with a jack (to support the engine) and a socket set

7th December 2011, 20:27

good advice

7th December 2011, 20:27

upper engine mount is on drivers side under the ecu tray.
once ecu tray has been removed, theres 4x torx bolts (T50) towards back of the engine, and 2x 13mm nuts on the actual mount. these all need to be removed, obviously put a trolley jack under that side of the engine.
its really easy to do, like KrisB has said...it will take about half hour

7th December 2011, 20:33

i checked the engine mount but looks fine to me doesnt move or nothing, the bit i can see is silver and in a diamond shape, with 3 bolts that i can see, and looks like theres on under ecu, could it still be this mount as it may be underneath what i can see?

7th December 2011, 20:35

You won't physically see anything iirc. Just change the upper mount and feel the difference. It happened to mine too.

7th December 2011, 20:55

As above, you may not feel it because the bolt will still be holding the two parts together.

Remove it to check anyway, it's an easy enough job and a common failure on saxo's

7th December 2011, 20:55

wen i put my hand at the back of the ecu i can feel the thread, and the bolt is at the top so is defo that, will i have to replace the whole thing or just the bolt

7th December 2011, 20:56

and how do you remove the ecu lol

7th December 2011, 20:58

Think you should it to a garage chap. It's a 10 min job.

7th December 2011, 21:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by DundeeUnited

and how do you remove the ecu lol

unplug it, BUT only if your ecu has been unlocked , if you're not sure get a garage to do the mount for you

7th December 2011, 22:12

how do u know if its been unlocked? and can u just take the ecu tray off without taking the actual ecu thing out?

7th December 2011, 22:31

8th December 2011, 07:10

Just have a look for yourself man! There's only so much we can tell you on a forum before you have to pick up your tools and do it.

Look at your engine bay and look for something with an orange cap. Loosen everything you need to get to it then replace it. You don't need to unplug the ecu.

8th December 2011, 07:46

You don't need to remove the ECU from the cabling, you can just unbolt it and move it out of the way.

If you can't remove an engine mount without help then I would suggest taking it to a garage.

8th December 2011, 19:40

not being funny but see the bit with the cap on it, what that do, kuz took that off and didnt seem to be attached to anything, should it be? and im gonna but a new mount, so do i get the mount plus that bit with the orange cap or what?

8th December 2011, 20:06

The orange cap part should be bolted to the diamond part which makes up the engine mount

8th December 2011, 20:28

Yes get the Orange cap bit and everything else connected to It. Then take it to a garage for them to fit.

8th December 2011, 22:09

never taken the cap off before but if i did, im taking it that there would be a thread? and if so could i not just push the mount back into the orange thing and bolt it? or am i talking shite?

8th December 2011, 22:37

Stop asking questions and go fix it! Youre talking shite, the bolt has snapped deep inside the mount. You wont see the snap, but itll be there. Seriously its like youre asking questions for the sake of it. Im all for helping members out with their cars but this is silly.

8th December 2011, 22:40

so do i buy the cap and the mount, or just the cap, or the mount?

8th December 2011, 22:43

What do you think?

8th December 2011, 22:44

Buy an entire engine mount. Why the hell would you just want the cap??

8th December 2011, 22:50

now ur probz gonna be annoyed but may identify what i need, ill explain what i see and if this is it, there is a diamond silver shape that connects to the engine and the orange cap thing, today i unscrewed the orange cap thing and it came free, is this because the bolt has snapped or is it meant to do this, reason i ask is because if they are meant to come apart, then im wondering if i have to buy orange cap on its on, BUT if by standard, that Citroen made them both to be joined together, (orange cap thing and diamond thing) then i will buy it as one? kapish

9th December 2011, 18:01

It came free 'cos the bolt has snapped.