114 Days: Pt III (3rd time's a charm)

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KIZAWDinKC
Posts: 80
Joined: Fri Dec 03, 2010 1:53 am

Sasha-CR wrote:The clunks are completely gone now. I did the work myself. Total cost was about 7.00 dollars and a few good sprays of WD-40.
I might jack the rear up today and try this. Clunking only occurs in cold weather, rear drivers side. I replaced sway bar link by myself, but after that effort, didn't help. Maybe some lubricant around the bushings might do the trick? Where exactly did you spray the WD-40???

About a year ago when I bought tires at discount tire store, they didn't do alignments. I took it to a supposedly reputable shop they worked with for front end and back end alignments. I told the shop that while they were at it if they could investigate the clunking. Thinking that they could at least tell me the issue or even repair it if it's something simple such as a loose shock nut or a sway link.

THE RESULT: The only thing I got out of that effort was for the "mechanics" to tell me that they couldn't align the rear because bolts were seized, but they were able to perform a front end alignment. They also couldn't figure out where the "clunk" was coming from, but charged me $55 for the time they took to investigate it. Fair enough for the time, but they had no answer and told me that could replace some of the suspension parts in the rear and would actually follow up with me later by phone to give me an estimate on parts and labor to "fix" my clunking issue. So I get the kizashi back and drive it home from the shop only to notice that the steering wheel was a little cockeyed. Gee, what a quality job just to perform a front end alignment. So I immediately took it back and made them correct it.

A day later, I get a voicemail from some mechanic guy at the shop. I think their approach was basically to replace everything in the rear suspension, of which he wasn't too clear about anyhow. Quoted $2,400 to replace parts to solve the clunking issue and that suzuki parts are hard to find and they need to 'special order' them. :lol: Ya know, if anything, since they couldn't pinpoint the issue, which is understandable because noise symptoms can be impossible sometimes to diagnose, they could have just said "While we had your car up on the lift for the alignment, we took a minute and sprayed some lubricant in various areas of your rear suspension, that might or might not make it better". But that's why I don't like auto repair shops, always feel like I'm being lied to and ripped off, so I try to do my own work when possible.
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OliverB
Posts: 104
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2018 1:32 pm
Location: Canada

I learned yesterday that I have one rear lower control arm and one of the side arm seized pretty badly. Clunk included. I've managed to order one of the side arms at a very fair price along with all the OE camber bolts/nuts. Ideally, I would replace both lower control arms and sidearms, but the control arms alone cannot be purchased under $300 each. Doesn't matter if you have them shipped from a Russian seller on Craigslist, from some shop in India or from one of the many US-based resellers. I have no idea how they can come up to 2,400$ though. You are looking at 1,200$ worth or OEM parts at the very most if you're gonna replace everything that could generate noise in the back. Another 1,200$ in labor seems excessive to me when they have the green light to start cutting if need be.
2007 SX4
2011 Kizashi
WESHOOT2
Posts: 1976
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:37 pm
Location: Vermont

You guys fixed the noises?




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Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

OliverB wrote: I have no idea how they can come up to 2,400$ though. You are looking at 1,200$ worth or OEM parts at the very most if you're gonna replace everything that could generate noise in the back.
It's called 40-50% parts mark-up. Very common.
Ron

2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded :D :D )
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top ( :| sold)
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KIZAWDinKC
Posts: 80
Joined: Fri Dec 03, 2010 1:53 am

No, haven't fixed noises yet. I'll try the WD-40 fix at some point when I get time and feel like lying down on my garage floor. Despite the clunks, still love the ol' Kiz!!!!!!!!!!!! But for now, still driving the Kiz to work and it's runnin' just fine :drive:
Sasha-CR
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2019 12:17 am

Woodie wrote:
Sasha-CR wrote: Suzuki cars have historically been affordable cars, but I wouldn't call the kizashi cheap.. it is now cheap in price for the US market but this car when new, depending on the market, was upwards of 40k USD.
Highest list price for a Kizashi was $29,000 and Suzuki was never in a position to demand full list price, at least not in the States.
Sasha-CR wrote:The clunks are completely gone now. I did the work myself. Total cost was about 7.00 dollars and a few good sprays of WD-40.
Well done fixing that yourself, probably saved $200 at the mechanic. If the clunk comes back get some genuine lubricant in wherever you sprayed WD-40. WD-40 is not oil, it's good at getting into places, but it doesn't stick around at all.
Sasha-CR wrote:The only noise starting to unsettle me a bit is the little chain rattle I sometimes hear on cold starts. Or a faint clunk engine noise at idle when warm... hmmm... might be time for an oil change.
I've got a Suzuki Aerio that makes a horrific thrashing noise on startup, been doing it for ten years. That's a J23, essentially the same engine.
Hi Woodie,

I don't have any brochures to prove it but I know several people who have told me that a new Kizashi in costa rica was about that price, if not more. A lot of that has to do with very high taxes on cars, which have gotten better for new cars since then. But still, I was not referring to the price new of a Kizashi in the US. (The only kizashi sold here by the dealer I believe is the SLS FWD. All the other ones have been imported privately.. mostly from the US).


Thanks for the kudos on the repair. I am happy I did it myself :D The WD-40 was just used to break the nuts loose since they were rusted and quite stubborn. As suspension parts are often.. (Kizaw sorry I didnt see this until today)

The bit about the J23, our engines do share some basic elements with the rest of the J line, such as the use of an aluminum block and timing chain.. but the early J18 to J23 models are more similar to each other than the J24 (and newer J20A) probably due to refinements over the years etc. Anyway the startup noise is most likely the chain tensioner losing tension and allowing excess slack during startup until the oil pressure shoves it back into tension.

The other slight clunk I was concerned about... I took it to my friend, a certified master mech and previous suzuki tech, and he showed me a trick. Apparently it is the transmission making a noise; depends on if the tranny is in gear with the clutch in or in neutral.. Which is apparently normal. So.. At least its not a scary rod clunk or something like that.

KIZAWDinKC, spray WD40 to the two 12mm bolts holding down the clamp which holds the sway bar bushings in place to the frame. Be careful about rounding these off. Mine were not terrible to take off.. and I did this whole thing with the wheels in place.. but.. you will probably have a lot more room if you take the tire off. Problem is the tension that creates.

I had to put a jack in the rear diferrential carrier placeholder, and slightly jack up the rear to relieve some tension I had which was making one side difficult to put back in. Be patient and clever with the use of a pry, and you should have no problem.

Also, the poor man's fix to this is to take the little bushings out, and wrap some sturdy vinyl tape around the stabilizer bar, over the place where the bushing will go, and put back the same bushings. This will tighten up the space between the little bushing and the metal bar, aliviating the noise. This will not last very long, but if you put sufficient tape so as to soak up that space, it should at least tell you that was indeed the problem because it will get rid of the clunk for a while. This still requires removal of the two bolts which may be stubborn.. so.. I would just go ahead and replace them.

PS. To those in disbelief of the high prices.. apparently CR was not the only place with higher prices. Top spec Kizashi in Australia was 40K AUD give or take.. which historical conversion brings us to about 35k USD in 2010, to 41k in 2012, and fluctuations in between... all this available online.. though some folks here from down under may interject more appropriately than the internet articles I read.
WESHOOT2
Posts: 1976
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:37 pm
Location: Vermont

Total personal Kizashimiles now exceed 351,030. I confess i've been considering buying something different.......




120,003
WESHOOT2
Posts: 1976
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:37 pm
Location: Vermont

Gas mileage since my right front brake disintegrated has been 26--29MPG.

Ordered new fronts yesterday -- BrakePerformance drilled/slotted.
Looking forward to more speed soon :mrgreen:
WESHOOT2
Posts: 1976
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:37 pm
Location: Vermont

So I'm Match Director for our club's (IPSC13) March match and I gotta be there early today to set targets and finalize the details. Coming down the long hill from the house into town a billow of smoke from the right front and the brake pedal sinks to the floor. I still have 23 miles to go........


Been a while since I drove with almost no brakes.
Shot a clean match, though 8-)





121,627
WESHOOT2
Posts: 1976
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:37 pm
Location: Vermont

All the goodies are in the trunk; rotors, pads, hardware, and that reman right front caliper. Bro-in-law gonna fix me up on Saturday (but it's a long drive to his garage :shock: ).

Oooh, gotta get brake fluid! Any recommendations?
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