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Knocking sound over uneven surfaces
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Knocking sound over uneven surfaces
Hi, after taking the plunge and buying an e89 Z4 - dream car - I've had nothing but problems, and disapproving looks/words from the wife.
In 2 months I've had issues with the roof not closing (think I found a loose hall sensor with no fixing barb) replaced a rear spring and now this... It's actually making me feel really disappointed and almost regretful for plunging for my dream car.
I'm getting a knocking noise coming from the rear of the car over bumps/uneven roads (which are terrible in North Yorkshire!). Sounds like it's in the boot but probably lower down in and around the suspension.
Weirdly, unlike with the spring, it's hard to hear when I have the roof or windows down. The spring sounded like a bag of spanners and was quite loud with a window down, yet this issue still sounds like it's more in the boot. And feels or sounds central rather than related to one particular wheel (as per the spring).
Sound like anything familiar?!
Help/reassurance that I've not done the wrong thing required!
In 2 months I've had issues with the roof not closing (think I found a loose hall sensor with no fixing barb) replaced a rear spring and now this... It's actually making me feel really disappointed and almost regretful for plunging for my dream car.
I'm getting a knocking noise coming from the rear of the car over bumps/uneven roads (which are terrible in North Yorkshire!). Sounds like it's in the boot but probably lower down in and around the suspension.
Weirdly, unlike with the spring, it's hard to hear when I have the roof or windows down. The spring sounded like a bag of spanners and was quite loud with a window down, yet this issue still sounds like it's more in the boot. And feels or sounds central rather than related to one particular wheel (as per the spring).
Sound like anything familiar?!
Help/reassurance that I've not done the wrong thing required!
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- Lifer
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Knocking sound over uneven surfaces
Don't worry too much, the E89 is generally a good car with very few expensive or hard-to-find common faults.stannie203 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 23, 2023 9:45 pm Help/reassurance that I've not done the wrong thing required!
What engine/ spec do you have? IE 20, 23, 28, 30, 35 or 35is. M-sport or SE spec?
If the noise is in the general vicinity of the boot area, first thing is to check everything is secure in there. All the gubbins under the lift out carpet; battery, roof motor, tool kit (!) etc, etc.
If you provide the information, someone will find the problem even if by a process of elimination.
All good things come to those who wait. I'm really impatient which explains a lot.
F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!
F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!
- DMike
- Senior Member
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Knocking sound over uneven surfaces
I have zero knowledge on e89s, but generally a loose or broken exhaust & silencer hanger could cause knocking in that area — and is easy to check.
2005 Z4 3.0i Sterling grey
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Knocking sound over uneven surfaces
I've given the boot a good check and everything feels really secure. The battery has a bar strapped over it and something near the foot of it to stop it moving.
Unless it's roof mechanism moving that I can't get to, but it probably feels like it's lower down than that, even though I can't hear anything out of the window.
Underneath the car I can see one exhaust silencer hanger (I think that's what it is) and the exhaust generally feels really solid if I try and move it a bit at the end. Everything I can get my hands on under the car feels really solid (albeit a bit rusty, but that's to be expected at 11 years old, right?)
As I said, one new spring a week ago and the other rear spring was replaced not too long back before I purchased. Although, knowing what a broken spring sounds like, it's not that.
Unless it's roof mechanism moving that I can't get to, but it probably feels like it's lower down than that, even though I can't hear anything out of the window.
Underneath the car I can see one exhaust silencer hanger (I think that's what it is) and the exhaust generally feels really solid if I try and move it a bit at the end. Everything I can get my hands on under the car feels really solid (albeit a bit rusty, but that's to be expected at 11 years old, right?)
As I said, one new spring a week ago and the other rear spring was replaced not too long back before I purchased. Although, knowing what a broken spring sounds like, it's not that.
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- Lifer
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Knocking sound over uneven surfaces
So is the knocking sound like something is loose and hitting something else?
All good things come to those who wait. I'm really impatient which explains a lot.
F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!
F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!
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Knocking sound over uneven surfaces
It's so hard to describe. It sounds like it's coming from the middle rear, lower part of the car. It's quite a dull thunking noise over uneven roads. Sometimes the smallest rift in the road causes a thunk, but if I manage it over a speed bump then it's fine. Or if I press down on the boot to rock the car then there's no noise.
I'm on run flats, so I imagine that doesn't help (not something I will change until I absolutely have to or the wife will kill me!)
I'm on run flats, so I imagine that doesn't help (not something I will change until I absolutely have to or the wife will kill me!)
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- Lifer
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Knocking sound over uneven surfaces
I had this when i bought my car. (BMW were a waste of time, yet it was an old BMW bulletin that gave a solution).
Took 6 months to solve.
I removed the rear spring on the right, washed the rubbers top and bottom.
Covered them in talc. Refitted and i rotating spring on fitting by 45 degrees anti clockwise.
The sound, like a rubber mallet hitting underside of boot went away.
I believe the barrel springs pinch the rubbers and rebound causes the knock.
viewtopic.php?t=129915
Took 6 months to solve.
I removed the rear spring on the right, washed the rubbers top and bottom.
Covered them in talc. Refitted and i rotating spring on fitting by 45 degrees anti clockwise.
The sound, like a rubber mallet hitting underside of boot went away.
I believe the barrel springs pinch the rubbers and rebound causes the knock.
viewtopic.php?t=129915
Last edited by flybobbie on Thu Mar 23, 2023 11:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- B21
- Lifer
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- Location: In my Banana Yellow Space Shuttle...somewhere over Southern Caledonia
Knocking sound over uneven surfaces
Could be a worn bush in the ARB links..among many other bushes,,,
We choose to go to on with this endeavour at this time and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard…
A very modified Atacama Yellow 35is
A very modified Atacama Yellow 35is
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- Lifer
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Knocking sound over uneven surfaces
Greasing anti roll bushes helped for a day, noise came back.
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- Lifer
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Knocking sound over uneven surfaces
Mine is also on RFTs and doesn't do this, so don't think it's that. Trying to run them down but they are tenacious gits!stannie203 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 23, 2023 11:17 pm I'm on run flats, so I imagine that doesn't help (not something I will change until I absolutely have to or the wife will kill me!)
Only way I can think to ascertain where it's coming from is to find somewhere (generous) with a ramp and get it up and wiggle everything underneath to see if anything is loose. Unlikely to be the diff or driveshafts, they are pretty good and you would notice an issue everywhere if that was an issue.
Edit: posted before the above.
All good things come to those who wait. I'm really impatient which explains a lot.
F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!
F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!
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- Lifer
- Posts: 11077
- Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2015 10:27 pm
Knocking sound over uneven surfaces
I have exactly the same knocking you describe OP, it's a worn bush for sure, I've had it on a ramp and everything feels ok but one of them has gone, unfortunately it's a bit of a minefield as I've used a pry bar to try to find it but to no avail, you can usually feel which one has gone. Having said that I've not come across a knackered bush on these Zeds before, wouldn't think it's any different to any other BMW but at the moment all I can do is strip things down until I find it. Its not a top mount as I've swapped the rear shocks and mounts round to test them. Once it's found it'll need the other side doing too, these early cars are now in the realm of needing some money throwin at them I'm afraid. Not much help to you I realise.
M roady...OEM CSL’s, strut brace, Remus back boxes, ZHP
MR2 MK 2
E89 35i project car...mapped 365bhp, M4 stoppers & wheels, KWV3’s, H&R front ARB, M3 front arms, strut brace Eisenmann cat back race exhaust, VRSF downpipes inbound
E89 35is
G29
MR2 MK 2
E89 35i project car...mapped 365bhp, M4 stoppers & wheels, KWV3’s, H&R front ARB, M3 front arms, strut brace Eisenmann cat back race exhaust, VRSF downpipes inbound
E89 35is
G29
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- Lifer
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Knocking sound over uneven surfaces
All i can say about bushes is that my car is 13 years old and 98k miles, bushes haven't worn.
- Rockhopper
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Knocking sound over uneven surfaces
Anti roll bar drop links are favourite for knocks going over bumps. Cheap and easy to change as well.
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Knocking sound over uneven surfaces
Thanks all for the replies.
One thing which sounds plausible is the suggestion that the newly fitted barrel springs pinch the rubbers and this rebounding causes a knock - that the springs need rotating by 45 degrees. Would there be any tell tale visual signs of this pinching that I can see without taking the wheel off? Would I expect to see some kind of rubbing away of the black paint of the spring?
I didn't notice this 'underside of boot being hit by a rubber mallet' noise (as someone so accurately put it!) before the spring was replaced. Trying to decide whether a) I didn't notice because the snapped spring was masking the noise, b) the replaced spring fitting is causing the issue, c) that something else has gone kaput since having the spring replaced and it's no coincidence at all!
One thing which sounds plausible is the suggestion that the newly fitted barrel springs pinch the rubbers and this rebounding causes a knock - that the springs need rotating by 45 degrees. Would there be any tell tale visual signs of this pinching that I can see without taking the wheel off? Would I expect to see some kind of rubbing away of the black paint of the spring?
I didn't notice this 'underside of boot being hit by a rubber mallet' noise (as someone so accurately put it!) before the spring was replaced. Trying to decide whether a) I didn't notice because the snapped spring was masking the noise, b) the replaced spring fitting is causing the issue, c) that something else has gone kaput since having the spring replaced and it's no coincidence at all!
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- Lifer
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Knocking sound over uneven surfaces
Mine is on 118k, I guess they have to start at some point. Probably should have mentioned mine started shortly after fitting KWV coil overs which may well have flushed out a wearing bush due to the higher poundage springs.
M roady...OEM CSL’s, strut brace, Remus back boxes, ZHP
MR2 MK 2
E89 35i project car...mapped 365bhp, M4 stoppers & wheels, KWV3’s, H&R front ARB, M3 front arms, strut brace Eisenmann cat back race exhaust, VRSF downpipes inbound
E89 35is
G29
MR2 MK 2
E89 35i project car...mapped 365bhp, M4 stoppers & wheels, KWV3’s, H&R front ARB, M3 front arms, strut brace Eisenmann cat back race exhaust, VRSF downpipes inbound
E89 35is
G29