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General No hope with the punto

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General No hope with the punto

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onthejazz

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Well I think it's time to cut my loses. Bought it cheap for daughter to learn in and now she has passed. But with the clunking noise still there after changing almost all the front end.
Top mounts. Springs. Struts. Track rod arms. Wishbones. Both driver shafts. Front disk and pads and out roll bar bushes. It still won't stop knocking.
I won't be happy to allow her to drive by her self knowing it's still doing it.

So I think it's time to give it a good wash in and out and sell. Shame as I liked it and it's a really clean car.
2003 1.2 8v sporting 69k with around 8months mot.
 
Recently had both front shocks and springs plus lower arms fitted...and had a clunking noise when I turned the steering or went over speed bumps, it didnt do it all the time. After some investigation i spotted that the front passenger side spring was contacting the inside of the suspension turret. Garage has now replaced both top mounts(gree of charge to me), but as someone has pointed out the springs have to fit a specific way due to being banana shaped.
Spring is no longer contacting and noise has gone.
https://www.fiatforum.com/punto-ii/453595-question-about-front-springs.html
 
Last edited:
have you checked the Gearbox/Engine Mounts ? That can also produce a knocking noise.
Also worth checking the back end too, as Exhaust knocks against rear suspension if not quite lined up correctly on these cars. Also worth checking the rear shocks as that can also make knocking noise.
 
Scudmonkey said:
have you checked the Gearbox/Engine Mounts ? That can also produce a knocking noise.
Also worth checking the back end too, as Exhaust knocks against rear suspension if not quite lined up correctly on these cars. Also worth checking the rear shocks as that can also make knocking noise.
Click to expand...



I just checking price for gearbox/engine mounts now, if they aren't to much will just buy and replace them.


Was thinking about rear shocks but the sound really sounds like its drivers fronts
 
onthejazz said:
I just checking price for gearbox/engine mounts now, if they aren't to much will just buy and replace them.


Was thinking about rear shocks but the sound really sounds like its drivers fronts
Click to expand...

aim it at a few small speed humps.. then you should know which wheel / corner to look at ;)

had all this with my marea.. ,
keeps passing MOT's.. but still annoying:(
 
99.9% sure its the drivers side.


Didn't do it when we bought it, but 4days after owning it, it started.
so while looking at the state of play everything was, just thought might as well replace the lot lol, when parts don't cost much.


Don't really want to take it to another garage to pay them to strip it all down and check everything we have checked before.


Only thing we haven't changed is the inner anti roll bar bushes, new full bar £110 that will be the most expense part I will buy for it. But don't want to if it doesn't fit it.
 
Check the exhaust. Sometimes the prongs on the backbox can hit the inside of the bumper. Try pulling the back box (when it's cool) towards the back bumper to see if there is clearance. This was one annoying difficult to find knock for me
Another one was the handbrake cable hitting inside the wheel, after its mount to the trailing arm dissolved through rust.
Costs nothing to check these ones. Good luck
 
onthejazz said:
Well I think it's time to cut my loses. Bought it cheap for daughter to learn in and now she has passed. But with the clunking noise still there after changing almost all the front end.
Top mounts. Springs. Struts. Track rod arms. Wishbones. Both driver shafts. Front disk and pads and out roll bar bushes. It still won't stop knocking.
I won't be happy to allow her to drive by her self knowing it's still doing it.

So I think it's time to give it a good wash in and out and sell. Shame as I liked it and it's a really clean car.
2003 1.2 8v sporting 69k with around 8months mot.
Click to expand...

The first part of the exhaust as it comes out the engine should have a fiat. bracket fixed to the bottom of the gearbox. Hard to make your own one so often they are not replaced for a new exhaust. You then have the whole exhaust moving around when it should just be the parts under the driver that move independant of the engine.
 
Cheers for that info.
I will have a quick google for what the bracket looks likes as am unsure if the down pipe has been replaced. I know it needs to be lol
 
Well spent more time removing drivers strut and checking everything again. And still the same. Think I might have to pay a garage to look fully at it. Hate to do this.
Knowing everything is new and still the same sound.
 
onthejazz said:
Well spent more time removing drivers strut and checking everything again. And still the same. Think I might have to pay a garage to look fully at it. Hate to do this.
Knowing everything is new and still the same sound.
Click to expand...

Have you tried 'aiming' at the edges of speed humps..

To check if its just 1 corner...

Will rule out a LOT of stuff


Charlie
Oxford
 
99% sure it’s the drivers side. But I does make a small noise when aiming pass side. But just think that’s the car flexing.

Going to strip everything off drivers side on Sunday and remount it all
 
Was doing some tests just now. And noticed at speed you let of gas and back on to get it rocking you can hear it.
 
onthejazz said:
Was doing some tests just now. And noticed at speed you let of gas and back on to get it rocking you can hear it.
Click to expand...
Not suspension but likely to be an engine mount twisting more then it should
Suspect the dogbonr underneath that attaches to gearbox

Also ensure the backbox also isnt been pulled into the back axle and th sound then travelling up the exhaust tunnel


Ziggy
 
Hello

All engine mounts and gearbox mount replaced. Exhaust has all
Be checked as well :(
 
I assume the drop links have been changed too as everything else has been, as it’s a Punto they are notoriously bad for knocking. I feel I’m stating the obvious but I did re-read the top paragraph.
 
Done track rod arms. As there aren’t any drop links that I can see. Only sway bar bushes. Both outer have been done. Inner 2 look ok
 
onthejazz said:
Done track rod arms. As there aren’t any drop links that I can see. Only sway bar bushes. Both outer have been done. Inner 2 look ok
Click to expand...

How heavy a sound have you got? The radiator should be on rubber bushes.

The top mounts have a triangular tab that points towards the rear. Springs should only be fitted so they go in stops on the plates/cups.

There is a plastic bottle for emission control above the plastic wheel arch liner on the right hand side.

Did you find you do have the gearbox bracket for front pipe of the exhaust? I suppose you would call this pipe the exhaust manifold, i think it is all one piece from the engine to the flexi link.
 
Didn’t see the bracket for the exhaust. But we have now replace the full unit. It’s a loud clunking noise. Like the strut is moving or the wisharm is banging. It’s so hard to discribe. Will have a look at the wheel arch
 
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