Clicking noise, suggestions please

[Desmk11]

Good evening I have recently purchased a low mileage, 37000 miles, mk11 saloon registration XOT309J, some people on here may even know the car.

The thing is the car drove very well indeed apart from a clicking which you could hear when turning left, you could in fact turn the clicking on and off like a switch with steering left a little then back to centre.

Immediately after purchasing I made the decision to address the oil that was leaking from just about every gasket and oil seal and starting at the back seemed like an ideal place to eliminate said noise, two birds one stone approach.
I dropped the diff, new gaskets, cleaned and painted, job done. Swapped both rear driveshafts also, although no issues were found but the noise had not changed.

Then I did all the front end, engine gaskets and oil seals all replaced except the rear crankshaft which was done when I dropped the gearbox and propshaft.
The gearbox was treated to new oil seals and the prop to a new pair of uj's, this is the bit where I thought Bingo we have success. One of the sliding spline yokes is quite loose and the new uj went in as easy as the old one came out. I did put an oversized circlip in to try and help things and the uj did seem secure but could this still be my problem?

I have the front brakes and wheel bearings to service and who knows I may find something there but any help/suggestions would be very much appreciated at this point.

Des

[johnfrancis898]

I had a similar noise and it turned out to be a rear wheel bearing so worth checking them.

[Desmk11]

johnfrancis898 thank you for your reply. I am at a complete loss as to what the clicking is so I will be checking the wheel bearings again.
I have just serviced the front brakes and nipped up the front wheel bearings but will not be able to test drive until the weekend.
I am helping a friend with a PI do a compression test so hopefully take the 2000 along.

[Clifford Pope]

Brake pad lightly touching the disc on one side when turning, or the disc touching a bit of rusty dust plate?

[johnnydog]

johnfrancis898 thank you for your reply. I am at a complete loss as to what the clicking is so I will be checking the wheel bearings again.
I have just serviced the front brakes and nipped up the front wheel bearings but will not be able to test drive until the weekend.
I am helping a friend with a PI do a compression test so hopefully take the 2000 along.

As the front wheel bearings are taper roller, a slight bit of play is acceptable, and equally preferable. Only tighten the castillated nut finger tight, but then back it off to the next slot for the split pin. Invariably there will always be a slight bit of play, but this is preferable to no play whatsoever.

[Desmk11]

Thank you also to johnnydog and Clifford Pope, all suggestions are very much appreciated.

I did have to straighten the back plate where it was bent near the front bolt attachment.

Both bearings needed adjustment but I'm not happy with one, I need it to have another hole, I may try a washer and see how it goes, roll on the weekend.

[Clifford Pope]

I've always adjusted taper roller bearings with the wheel fitted, rocking it top to bottom and gradually tightening the nut. The play initially sounds as a clonk, then a click, and finally you can only just feel it through your fingers. I do this without regard to whether the hole lines up - if it doesn't, I play around with washers until it is spot on.
It's always better to have a little bit of play than to be tight.

I used to have an annual friendly argument with the MOT tester. He didn't understand taper bearings, and thought they ought to be tight - preloaded like a modern bearing. So I tightened them just before the test and then immediately slackened them again. Now he's retired and I don't do MOT tests anymore.

[harvey]

I used to have an annual friendly argument with the MOT tester. He didn't understand taper bearings, and thought they ought to be tight - preloaded like a modern bearing. So I tightened them just before the test and then immediately slackened them again. Now he's retired and I don't do MOT tests anymore.

And these idiots are writing out the tickets....

I had a mate took his TR7 in for a MOT. When he picked it up the tester said that there was play in the front wheel bearings, so he "did him a favour" and adjusted them up. Some favour, my mate immediately went on holiday in the car, and somewhere in the middle of France the hub bearings collapsed.

[Phil T]

Many years ago my 2.5PI failed on 'play in wheel bearings' and I had the same chat. I took immediately to another garage and passed.

(It was in the days when the brakes were road tested. The first garage took my car out for about 5 minutes to the industrial estate across the road. The previous car was an E Type and that was out for nearly 30 minutes.........)

[Desmk11]

Had a couple of extra jobs to do on the 2000 but was able to take it out for a test drive at the weekend and I am happy to report that my clicking noise has gone completely. It seems it was infact where the o/s front brake back plate had been butchered and was catching the disc, I'm embarrassed but happy to have it sorted.

Top marks guys for your help and support.

Des