4 replies to this topic

[jpsmini]

Hi all, 


I'm new to the world of Mini ownership, but I've just completed an engine out spring clean, changing a suspect crankshaft oil seal and fitting a MED lightweight flywheel / AP racing clutch assembly and cleaned the engine bay etc.

 

The process of putting the engine back in has - so far - been quite simple. Engine mounts tightened, speedometer cable on and so forth, but the process of reconnecting the inner CV joints to the differential almost seems to easy...

 

When I took the engine out, I separated the top ball joints and pulled the pot joints away from the differential housing with a block of wood and some careful prising. This seemed more logical to me than separating the CV joint from the driveshaft itself. 

 

Therefore all I have done is simply push the pot joints back onto the differential, ensuring they were on the splines, and then tightened up the ball joints again. I could see there is an oil seal inside the differential housing ends, so I assume this will prevent any oil from escaping from the gearbox. 

 

The Haynes manual makes reference to ensuring there is a circlip retaining, but I am assuming this is making reference to the connecting the pot joint / inner CV to driveshaft connection, not the pot joint to the differential - I can't see this coming out by itself unless something horrendous has occurred at the other end! 

 

Any advice kindly appreciated.

[mk1leg]

you give it a hard push until it clicks into place

[jpsmini]

Ah ok, good news. However I haven't noticed an appreciable click yet, and there's a slight difference in the gap between pot joint and diff side casing on each output.

 

I might loosen the top ball joint and push the hubs a little harder to see if that clicks them into place - but I'm not too keen on pushing too hard in case it'll damage the splines? Would they not click into place when the car is lowered onto its wheels?

[Ethel]

The circlip is a split ring of spring steel on the end of the spline shaft sticking out of the diff housing. As the pot joint allows the drivishaft to slide in & out to compensate for suspension travel, it shouldn't be able to push the pot joint against the diff. You could push the pot joint itself, or push the driveshaft beyond where the ball joint would stop it before you stick it back in the suspension arm.

[MRA]

If you lower the car in an attempt to push the shaft into position, you will damage something !  by hand you may damage something especially if your name "the hulk"