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Fri Oct 24, 2008 2:33 pm

So on my way home last night I pull away from a light acelerating hard but by no means "lighting them up" and when pulling in second at about 3.5K RPM wheeeez...RPM go up and I lose power. I assume I blew a CV joint (raised Baja bug), but then realize it still drives so I figure I will nurse it home. Bascially it just seems so slip and make noise when pulling ahrd in second gear. To me this eliminates the clutch and probably the cv's. Could a partially blown CV do this? Im thinking worst case...Rancho Super Street tranny with less than 1000 miles fell apart. Too bad it sat in my garage for a year before I installed it and know it's not under warranty...D'oh!! What is your best guess?

Fri Oct 24, 2008 3:00 pm

If it does it only in 2nd gear then you broke 2nd gear. If it does it in all 4 gears and reverse, it is either the ring & pinion or the spider gears. Before you do anything else make sure you didn't strip the splines on your brake drum.

Fri Oct 24, 2008 3:08 pm

vwracerdave wrote: If it does it only in 2nd gear then you broke 2nd gear. If it does it in all 4 gears and reverse, it is either the ring & pinion or the spider gears. Before you do anything else make sure you didn't strip the splines on your brake drum.

X2 regarding the splines on the drum. However that said he probably wouldn't be going anywhere if that happened.

Years ago I thought I broke my tranny and had the car towed home. I didn't have the money for a new tranny so the car sat on the side out the house for nearly an ENTIRE YEAR.
After explaining my problem to someone they said to look at that, I may have gotten lucky. Sure as hell, the splines on the drum stripped. Basically I didn't drive the car for a year because I thought it would be $1k or more for a tranny, ended up being a $50 drum :evil:

Live and Learn #-o

Fri Oct 24, 2008 4:26 pm

Thanks guys. If I "broke" the second gear would it "slip" when accelrating hard? It's weird because it will drive fine in all gears but if I get on it hard in second gear it slips and makes wierd noises.

Fri Oct 24, 2008 4:28 pm

What does the brake drum, or the splines on the brake drum have to do with the car doing what is stated above? Just trying to understand and learn for my own purposes because and NOT purposely jack the thread. I bought a 67 Beetle which I have been trying to find out why it was brought to salvage. The response I got from the previous owner was that while he was driving on the highway the car "acted up", so he slowed to the exit ramp at which time is sounded like "a bicycle chain dragging" and "it felt like when you put the car in 3rd or 4th to start out driving instead of 1st". Also said that it "revved high, but would not go past 5mph" Said he could not find damage under the car. could that be the same problem re: brake drum splines? Or does that sound like a tranny issue?

Fri Oct 24, 2008 4:57 pm

The raised slots on the axel match the depressions in the brake drum that slides over the axel. The wheel then bolts to the brake drum.
These raised slots are called the splines.

If the axel sheers of the splines (like from launching hard with beefy tires that grab the road) the axel will spin but the drum/wheel wont move. Picture a gear or interlace your fingers.

Fri Oct 24, 2008 5:26 pm

i hope you have stopped driving it. if a piece broke off the gear it could get picked up and munch something else in your tranny