Interesting Transmission Problem?, Can anyone give me some insight??? Options

[CanadaCelica]

Hey everyone. I have quite the interesting symptom going on with my transmission. I hope maybe someone could help me out here with a diagnosis.

Hers the situation,

When ever I make right turns or am turning the wheel more to the right, say accelerating onto the on ramp for the expressway I hear a strange thudding noise. Only thing I can think of comparing it to would be tapping on a wooden table. It only happens when I am in 1st gear and is the most noticeable in second gear and at a slower speed. Once I am in third and going about 50+km it can’t be heard.
This noise also never happens if I a have the clutch pushed in or I am in neutral coasting. And it can really only be heard inside the cabin and seems to be coming from around the center of the dash but right by the floor.

The problem first showed after I got my clutch changed but didn’t start till about 4 months after the change.
It doesn’t affect performance at all or I don’t notice it affecting.
Another thing, I don’t know if this would have anything to do with it, but on the passenger side axel where it goes into the transmission there is a small leak. I believe the seal has gone.

Well that’s all I can think of for now as symptoms, if anyone has a clue as to what this could be that would be great.

[Bitter]

check your CV joints, it sounds like it could be an outer joint.

reach in there and grab the axle. try to wriggle it all around and twist it back and forth. you *might* be able to get it to move around some if its real far gone. is it almost like a click or a dulled snap?

This post has been edited by Bitter: Sep 13, 2006 - 3:29 PM

[CanadaCelica]

check your CV joints, it sounds like it could be an outer joint.

reach in there and grab the axle. try to wriggle it all around and twist it back and forth. you *might* be able to get it to move around some if its real far gone. is it almost like a click or a dulled snap?

Thanx ill have to go under again and try to wiggle the axle. But today its kinda pouring rain out so might have to wait till tomorrow.

and yea its just like a dull snap

[Bitter]

i can almost guarantee its a driveline problem and not in the trans. another possibilty is that you've damaged something in the differential, but thats more remote since you're not putting down enough power to break that unless you're doing high rpm launchs with a very grabby clutch. but what you have sounds like the classic bad outer CV joint. it may or may not wiggle for you, they usually only wiggle easily when theyre REALLY far gone. your best bet is to just replace the whole axle/CV joints as one peice. the labor involved in doing JUST the joint everything you do for swapping the axle and then another couple hours of work.

[CanadaCelica]

i can almost guarantee its a driveline problem and not in the trans. another possibilty is that you've damaged something in the differential, but thats more remote since you're not putting down enough power to break that unless you're doing high rpm launchs with a very grabby clutch. but what you have sounds like the classic bad outer CV joint. it may or may not wiggle for you, they usually only wiggle easily when theyre REALLY far gone. your best bet is to just replace the whole axle/CV joints as one peice. the labor involved in doing JUST the joint everything you do for swapping the axle and then another couple hours of work.

Alright well I guess ill look into buying a new axle and cv joint's for the passenger side.
hmm I find this quite sad for only 115,000km's
and I definitely don’t launch the car at all. But I also have no idea how the other owner treated the car before me. I’ve only driven it myself for 20,000km.

Do you think I can make it another month and a half from the symptoms? At that point the car goes into storage for winter and then I can work on it.

Thanks again

[Bitter]

yea, its unlikely it will catestrophically fail in the next month, but anything is possible!