E36 318is Rear End Knock

For the past year and a half or so there has been an annoying knocking noise coming from the rear of my 318is. It's a metallic noise and is in time with the car going over bumps on a rough road surface.
In an effort to find the noise I have done the follow:
Replaced the standard shocks and springs with Weitec coilovers.
The rear top mounts were replaced with Meyle HD units
All bushings replaced with OEM bar the four rear subframe bushings which are Powerflex
The handbrake shoes and cables have been replaced
The differential and both driveshafts have been replaced
The exhaust rubber mountings were replaced with OEM

So all of that has been done in the past year and have covered probably no more than 4000 miles.
In the past few weeks I've tried driving while holding the handbrake up, driving while pressing the brake pedal and driving while holding down the clutch and the noise remains constant.
Last weekend I stripped the boot completely of all plastics, carpets and sound deadening and the noise remains.
I also had someone drive the car while I layed back into the boot to listen for the noise and as much as I can tell it seems to be coming from the right side wheel well.

I'm open to any suggestions for what it could be as i'm pretty frustrated by it at this stage. Searching online suggests rear trailing arm bushings and rear top mounts but these have been changed.
So anyone who can solve this I will be eternally greatful

Something up behind the heat shield like a stone
Pin fallen out of handbrake shoe?
Broken dust shield on hub?
Honeycomb loose inside exhaust
Heat shield over exhaust loose

I feel your pain


Sent forward in time from my Nokia 3210

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lucifer

Something up behind the heat shield like a stone
Pin fallen out of handbrake shoe?
Broken dust shield on hub?
Honeycomb loose inside exhaust
Heat shield over exhaust loose

I feel your pain


Sent forward in time from my Nokia 3210

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Thanks Richard,

The stone is a possibility.
The hand brake pins are intact and the dustshields are new.
The heat shield is solid and when I shake the exhaust I cant hear any noise from it.
Thanks for the input

Is the fuel tank/filler neck loose???

That's another possibility I can check John

No help what so ever but this made me think of this straight away! :tounge:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JF-KJ5-KNQk

But seriously this must be head wrecking altogether after the work that has gone into the car!:sad:

Thanks for that Dave:tounge:

Good number plate on that Golf. :cool:

Had traveled far to get to Italy. :wink:

This is finally resolved and it turns out it was the new Meyle HD rear shock mounts which were causing the problem.
Pictures and explanation here http://www.bmwhaus.ie/forum/showthread.php?tid=554&pid=23119#pid23119

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EndaC

This is finally resolved and it turns out it was the new Meyle HD rear shock mounts which were causing the problem.
Pictures and explanation here http://www.bmwhaus.ie/forum/showthread.php?tid=554&pid=23119#pid23119

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Strange one all right. Something like that is head wrecking. My own is like a Prius at the moment with the new clutch. Although won't be long now till something else starts crying lol. Glad to hear it!


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