General oh i so hate taking the panda to a garage...

[peterainbow]

so had the clutch done earlier this week

and now it makes an odd squeaking noise

and then today whilst driving to the shops the exhaust started blowing

so when i got home had a look and it was at the joint just behind the CAT, bolts felt a bit loose..

so i took apart and was in the process of fixing when i noticed that the lower engine mount wasn't bolted on!!!

they did the bad thing of undoing the middle bolt and as i discovered it's a pig to get back on, i'm not even sure it's right now

anyone got a picture of how it should look? 1994ish?

guess i'll have to go back to the garage and get them to check it all over, annoying as i paid the money to get an easy life...

 

[lewey]

I'm not sure how it could be put back on wrong. It is certainly very difficult if not impossible to do up the central bolt without a spanner on the other side of the mount which would mean removing the orphaned mount from the car chassis. I'm amazed that the car moved without serious complaint with the gearbox/engine swinging on the two wing mounts. I do have photos of the underneath of my car, but given it's non-standard parts, it is probably best to wait for someone else. Can you provide a picture of yours perhaps?

Edit: Having given it more thought, I suppose the exhaust was supporting the whole lot until it gave way under the strain.

 

[peterainbow]

... I'm amazed that the car moved without serious complaint with the gearbox/engine swinging on the two wing mounts. ...
Edit: Having given it more thought, I suppose the exhaust was supporting the whole lot until it gave way under the strain.

well it did feel odd etc, but thought it was the new clutch, but i was concerned

i guess was trying not to think about it, our lucks not been great over the last couple of years

and yes very annoyed about the exhaust

trying to keep calm about it and i'm not looking forward to the conversation with the garage on tuesday...

the mount looks a bit odd, but might be how it should be and yes it was a pig out in the freezing cold under the car trying to keep a spanner on one bit whilst tightening up, i tried taking the mount off at first, but couldn't get the leverage to get it back on...might be me doing wrong under the car and was very tired...

i'll get a picture tomorrow whilst i'm checking the bolts
almost had the car fall on me when tightening the things up...not having a ramp/pit/stands etc is why i got the clutch done by someone else in the first place

 

[purple haze]

Lewey is right. Without lower mount the engine would rock and break the exhaust...sorry to hear your troubles...

 

[peterainbow]

yes very upsetting and i'm not very stressed at the moment, not looking forward to trying to keep calm when taking back...

dead easy job the clutch when you have a ramp...

had another look at the mount this morning when not so tired and cold and i think it's as it should be

was worried about the gap between the arm and round rubber, but think the rubber around the bolt is to allow free movement and the rubber is to provide an end stop

see picture ( not clear ) and i'm not explaining well...will be getting them to check next week anyway...as well as redoing my clutch
supposed to be a fiat specialist garage too...there was even a punto with a fiatforum sticker there...

 

[purple haze]

That gap should have a large diameter washer...

 

[peterainbow]

the washer between the swing arm and the rubber? is that to stop the movment wearing the rubber strut?

there was a large diameter one on the top inside the car body...

anyone got a picture?

wonder where i can get one of those...

annoying as that means either he hand tightened this up or in the garage there was a large washer and nut left lying there which a pro mechanic would have thought...hmmm...woner what those are for...hard to miss...

 

[purple haze]

Yep....between the mount and the rubber as per your pic....it's about the same diameter as the rubber but does not touch it. It just allows a slight movement and acts as a stop.

 

[peterainbow]

i guess not so important for now, so i'll have to live without it, grrrrrr

 

[pandamonius_maximus]

This is why I do everything myself now!

But anyway, I had trouble tightening the center bolt up on the back gearbox / engine mount in the past as well...so I ground down a spanner so it just fit through the hole in the chassis above it.

Just a thought if you want to try fixing it yourself before Tuesday. Hope the exhaust wasn't damaged too.

Cheers,
Si

 

[peterainbow]

i've done myself already, complete with car almost falling on me when tightening up...

the exhaust was badly damaged, at least the connecting pipe was...could have been worse could've been the CAT

would've done myself but don't have a good place to jack up and do something like the clutch...otherwise would have done...

going back so i can get them to fix the clutch and exhaust and check over ( and try not to rant to much... )

will insist someone pro to do this time

 

[peterainbow]

well car back after exhaust/mounting and new clutch done...hopefully all will be well now

the garage was very good about it all

although i've not been underneath to check it all yet...too much rain

and someone's nicked our wheelie bin which to my horror i've found my crappy council charge for, i despair at this country...