12 replies to this topic

[xrocketengineer]

Saturday night driving home after a car show, starting on a right turn there was a slight jerk of the steering wheel but the car shifted and accelerated fine from there. About a mile from there a lot of clunking got started, sounded to me like if an axle had come loose and lost the drive. Coasted to a parking lot and did a quick inspection with a flashlight and the axles were still in place. There was no oil leaking anywhere.
I have a prime suspect being a pot joint that I bought from Moss about a year and a half ago. The pot joint gaiter develop small cracks all over the surface within a year and it never seemed to have grabbed hold of the locking ring. it would slide out about a quarter of inch from the differential flange. The car was rarely driven, maybe once or twice a month.
Tomorrow I will start the detailed inspection. I am hoping is not much more than a pot joint.

Edited by xrocketengineer, 23 January 2012 - 02:42 AM.

[Ivor Badger]

Broken diff planet gears. It's why the steering jerked

[Mad Max]

Being an optimist, check that nether of you driveshafts have popped out of their CV joints. I was pulling out of a turning and the little c clip on the end disintergrated which meant that drive was just spinning the axel through the diff with no forward drive.

[cooperrodeo]

When I acquired my Mk2 it was a non-runner with no drive to the wheels, yet the speedo ran up. The cause was a clean break in one of the output shafts from the diff.

[Tamworthbay]

Another vote on the diff. It happened to me just like that on my old clubby. If it is then invest in a cross pin diff.

[xrocketengineer]

Update: Finally got the car on jackstands. Either side wheel/axle/potjoint can be spun freely idependently with the car in gear. So there is no differential action. When the engine is running and in gear there is no movement on either wheel.

[xrocketengineer]

Ok the bottom line, you guys were right, the differential is kaput. I pulled out the questionable left side pot joint and the differential output shaft is loose in and out and wobbles around too. It can not be pulled out though.
So, now I need to come up with a scheme to get the engine out and then look at my options.
Thanks for all your inputs,

Ivan

Edited by xrocketengineer, 25 January 2012 - 08:34 PM.

[Duncy H]

Hold your horses a second. Have a look at the advice i was given in this thread, it was rather useful. I'm not saying you have the same fault but it can help identify what might be the problem.

http://www.theminifo...__fromsearch__1

Edited by Duncy H, 25 January 2012 - 09:26 PM.

[xrocketengineer]

I did read your thread in detail the other day and I was hoping that it was something simple like that. However, I was not so lucky. I was hoping for something wrong with the pot joint I had put in that never engaged on the C-clip. Now, it makes sense. Everytime you pushed the pot joint in the differential ouput shaft would slide inboard preventing the clip from engaging. The output shaft is definitely messed up, it slides in and out about a half inch and it also moves up and down a significant amount. I would not be surprised that differential carrier is a goner too. But I will not kow until I take it apart.
I do apreciate your concern and input but I was not as lucky

Ivan

Edited by xrocketengineer, 26 January 2012 - 12:22 AM.

[Ivor Badger]

The diff cage will probably be scrap anyway. The diff pin wears and the swarfe goes beteen the planet wheels and the cage and destroys it. So everything except the crownwheel, centre spacer and output shafts.

[Ethel]

The output shaft will have some play - It's supported by the pot joint running in the bush in the diff end plate.

As above, if the speedo moves you have drive as far as the end of the mainshaft.

Does engaging the clutch make any difference to the sounds?

Jack it up and manually rotate the wheels - the other wheel should counter rotate. Turning one while the other is held solid should also turn the engine.

[xrocketengineer]

I did not pay attention to the speedo and it is too late now to that since I already drained the engine oil. When I took the left pot joint out, the left differential output shaft flopped every which way and moves in and out about a half inch. There was a lot of swarf on the drain plug magnet and a significant amount came out with the oil.
The wheels did not counter rotate while on jackstands and in gear. I did not notice any difference in sound when I ran the engine and tried to drive in gear. However, there was an interesting detail. When lowering the car from the flat bed truck the operator and I noticed that the car was not rolling smoothly down the ramp. It seemed to be in gear. Sure enough, he missed finding neutral. I put in neutral and it was smooth after that.
Since I need to pull the engine, I am going to get an engine crane. I wanted to get one for other purposes anyway. My back is not as it used to be. Any suggestions on what do I need to buy or build to attach to the engine to do the lift? I do not want to use straps, even though I have some.
Any and all inputs are appreciated,

Ivan

PS
Something that might be of use for future reference. When I bought the car 2 years ago it was making a squeaking sound under acceleration only. I thought it was a crack on the floor which I never found. Then it misteriously dissapeared. Then, about six months later, once in a while I would feel a clunk when shifting and then this happened. The steady bushes had been previously replaced. So I wonder if the squeaking was the first symptom of the differential going.

Edited by xrocketengineer, 27 January 2012 - 04:44 PM.

[Ivor Badger]

It's wheel spin that breaks the diff by over working the planet wheels and diff cross pin. The pin and gears wear, then the planet heels drops out of alignment and snaps. This momentarily locks the diff and the steering jerks when it breaks.