Transmission and cv joints

[Alexios]

Hi

I have been having a noise in my transmission for a while now and it has been getting worse. Load banging that comes and goes. The noise is there when the car is under load. The noise gets loader or goeas away when i turn the wheel slightly which makes me think it has something to do with the diff. I decided to buy a used trans and i managed the unbelievable! AW trans with a zf diff! I have been wanting a zf for ages now. I have booked the car in at a good workshop to do the swap.

Here is my issue: i just looked under the car and saw that the cv's have been sprayinc grease all over the place. Both on the trans side are covered in grease. Cv's are almost brand new from the thing shop and the boots have no tears. How is the grease escaping? Is it possible that the seal behind the cv's is busted and leaking oil to the cv displacing the grease? I am sceptical removing them in case oil starts leaking all over the place. The shop that is doing the swap is 45km from here and i want the car to make it there...

Alex

[sixty9fasty]

Chances are that yes, the seals behind the cv's are bad and that tranny oil is getting into the cv's, and the tranny oil is escaping. Probably the reason for the noise too.

Sweet news on the ZF, I really want one too!
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[Ian Epperson]

If the transmission fluid has been leaking into the CVs for some time, then it's likely that you'll need new inner CVs. This may or may not be the full problem - it could be that one of the CVs is making noise that goes away when the angle changes as the car sways when you turn. If it was loud banging, I'd guess that the CV was very near failure. I doubt this is the issue, but it may be.

My bet is either you've got something in the transmission fluid that is randomly catching gears, you've got a broken tooth or two on one of the gears or that maybe the mounts are old and allowing the transmission to sag and hit the frame horns.

If any of these were true, I would not drive the car. I know you don't really care if the transmission eats itself, but you would care quite a bit if it seized up solid while rolling down the highway. Each km driven with improperly greased CVs increases the chance of ruining them. It would be safest to tow it to the mechanic - with the wheels off the ground of course.
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[Bruce]

[Alexios]

Thanks all for the replies.

This is what has been done to the car since I have owned it (2 years now):
-changed transmission oil twice. Last time was around march. Oil came clean. no change in the noise level
- CV were changed 2 years ago. I have maybe 2500 km on them. I tought originally the noise came from them. Bought at the thing shop complete with axles. I greased them well and clocked them.
- can is lifted by adjusting the torsion bar. no notched spring plates. not resting on the stops.
- last I looked under the car was when I changed out the winter tyres. (april). cv's looked good.

Is the leak from behind the cv's a slow leak? I want to pull them off for a clean and regrease but i don't want transmission oil gushing all over the place....I spend some time today cleaning the garage and making space so I can work on the car. I will get it on stands tomorrow.

Bruce: Does one need special tools to remove and replace the diff?

Alex

[Ian Epperson]

The CV seals will be a slow leak. You can't replace the seals properly with it leaking over your work. If they have been leaking, then you've probably got a CV boot full of transmission oil - it'll dump out when you open loosen the CVs.

Can the banging be coming from one of the rear wheels? Maybe something is rattling around inside a brake drum?
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[Alexios]

Hei Ian

new drums and bearings all around...
I had the car at a work shop and the mechanic there was 100% sure it came from the transmission.

I have been stuck in the mud a few times and with one wheel spinning the banging is at its fiercest. I hope with the new tranny and ZF both the noise and getting stuck will be a "thing" of the past.

Alex

[SilverThing]

Something to remember about the zf is you need to use transmission oil with additives for limited slip differentials.
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[Bruce]

[Alexios]

Thanks for the heads up on the transmission oil. I have been reading up on the zf diff since before i bought the car. Such details though as using the correct oil cannot be mentioned tool many times!

I got some garage time tonight. Got the rear of the car on stands and remived the wheels. I took a closer look and found the source of the mess around the cv's. 3 of them have a rip. I am surprised how short time they lasted ( bought as complete set cv/axles from the thing shop, less than 3000 km on them). A thing that has been bothering me since i installed them was how tight the cv's felt. Moving them around was a bit difficult and once installed i could not move the axle in and out. I thought this was because they were new. It has not gotten any better. The original ones are moving like butter. Thank god i did not through them away. I am going to give them a clean and use them instead. The boots on two of them are dry and will start to tear eventually.

After a long rambling the question of the day is:
- where can i get boots that are not crap?
- best way to clean cv's? Contemplating using gasoline put i am afraid ut will soften the rubber cv
- how does the boot come off the cv?

Alex

[SilverThing]

The cv is held on the axle shaft with a circlip. I think there is a dished washer there too. The boot is attached to a flange that is held against the cv by the cv bolts. once you unbolt the cv from the transmission and/or stub axle, the flange/boot is no longer held against the cv. Remove the circlip (note the dished washer and how it is/was on there), remove the cv, and you can now remove the boot from the axle shaft (it probably has a clamp to keep it in place on the axle - remove that too).
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[Bruce]

[Ian Epperson]

[Alexios]

Hi

The new transmission is on the car now. The shifting is super slick! I have not had the chance to try the car offroad to try the ZF diff. I guess the true test will come when the first snow falls.

I still have some noise in the rear and the mechanic is pretty confident it is from the cv joints. I bought the cv/axle kit from the thing shop. I have driven less than 3000 km. All boots ruptured and the joints are shot to hell already. I am really disappointed about the quality of this.

Does anyone have a tip on where I can get genuine german cv's with the correct articulation? (must ship to Norway)

Thanks Alex

[mcmscott]

I really hate to say it but I have had the best luck with the cheapo empi boots, 15 k on a set and they look like new. The quality "German" boots lasted less than 1000 miles, all 4 destroyed

[Solomon Grundy]

[Alexios]

Thanks for the replies. I already have sourced cv boots. I need new cv's as well and would like some tips on where to get them. Most places sell t2 cv's for the 181 and that will not work well....

Alex

[yellow73kubel]

You said the original CV's are moving like butter, any reason not to use them? As long as the balls don't show pitting and the cages aren't gouged or worn, they should be fine.

Is it possible for you to get new joints from Germany? Perhaps try some off of a 944. They are the same joint - part # 113-501-331-D. You'll probably pay a bit more buying them individually, but there's a better chance of finding them closer to Norway.

[kubelmann]

I have good German 944 CVs available..

[Alexios]

Hi kubelmann

Are the 944 cv's a direct swap? ( fit with my existing axles and flanges?)
Can you pm me the price for 4 pcs as well as freight to norway, postal code 0268

Thanks Alex