Knocking Driveshaft/gearbox?

[leon cupra r]

OK, I'm a little worried now... after having a wheel bearing type noise for about the past 8000 miles and having taken it in to numerous different places and just be told "we can't really hear much out of the ordinary, let it develop and bring it back", I noticed yesterday that there is a knocking coming from somewhere when I turn the wheel....

Had the car jacked up to see if there was any play in the bearing or not yet, and while it was up, started to spin the wheel a little hoping to be able to hear something... I did, but it wasn't the noise I hoped for!

Turning the wheel back + forwards (imagine driving about 3 inches forward + backwards if wheels were on the ground), every time I changed direction, there was a metallic sounding knock/clunk.

I'm quite worried as to what this could be, I am assuming it will be something gearbox related? I have a video on my phone, but laptop at home is f*cked so going to have to work out some other way of getting it uploaded...

Not sure if it is related or not, but there are two things I have noticed with my gearbox - one is that I have lost 1st 2nd and Reverse a couple of times, only briefly, for about 2 minutes, the left side of the box just felt like I had wedged a sponge inbetween the stick and the side of the box if you know what I mean...

Also, when driving, if I let the revs drop to idle in 6th, then let clutch out, the gearstick shudders until the clutch has stopped slipping and the revs are matching the speed.


I'm obviously going to take this in to get looked at somewhere, but with it being bank holiday, won't get chance till Tuesday (luckily have day off work as well!), so in the meantime, has anyone got any ideas?!

Cheers

a very worried for my bank account, Ben!

 

[Steely]

you will get a slight bit of backlash noise from the gearbox, this is normal,

but under load if you're getting a metallic knock/click from one side it could relate to anything like the outer CV joint or UJ joint into the diff having play,


is it like a rumbling when you turn corners under load, if so itd point toward the outer cv joint

i had a sheared driveshaft spline that goes into the hub on a previous car, due to a previous accident, this also gave the same sound,


as for the gearbox issues, you got a shortshifter fitted? id be checking your linkages in the engine bay,

 

[S3 Nattie]

What is the UJ joint and how do you check it for play

 

[leon cupra r]

Thanks for the reply mate,

Nah no short shifter, I presumed this would just be the old linkages issue - hasnt reared its head for probably a good 6k miles so not too worried about that one..

Yeah it has started to give a grinding/rumbly noise when cornering hard. Have never heard the clicking noise when actually driving or manoeuvring, only when I had it jacked up and moved the wheel by hand... its quite a nasty sounding noise though, I can't see it being normal!

 

[Steely]

Thanks for the reply mate,

Nah no short shifter, I presumed this would just be the old linkages issue - hasnt reared its head for probably a good 6k miles so not too worried about that one..

Yeah it has started to give a grinding/rumbly noise when cornering hard. Have never heard the clicking noise when actually driving or manoeuvring, only when I had it jacked up and moved the wheel by hand... its quite a nasty sounding noise though, I can't see it being normal!

Im personally thinking its your outer CV joint, that'll rumble once underload and round corners, The clicking you hear once the engines jacked up and moving the wheel will most probably be the backlash in the gears, they have to have a bit of backlash because if they didnt they'd get very hot very quickly, only way to explain it is on a power drill try turning the chuck it'll have about 2-3mm of rolling play before actually turning the gears,

@ S3 UJ (universal Joint) the one going into the differential, A lot of people call them inner CV joints But really they'r UJ's, thats what ive always known them as, (cv- Constant velocity joint) CV is hub end

 

[S3 Nattie]

aw ok thanks for that.

Is there a way how to check for play without removing anything and would it knock when the car is stationary if you pump the clutch to knock the engine.

 

[Steely]

Roll the car back and foward using 1st and reverse, puts opposite load on the driveshafts, you'll hear it clunk each time you change direction, It'll be obvious on the road if it was worn aswell, its not often you see uj's wear though usually CV joints

 

[S3 Nattie]

Aw I think my problem is more related to a mount as I can get the knocking/clunking noise when the car is stationary and when changing through the gears driving.

I think when the engine is rocking, something is knocking/clunking.

I have replaced the gearbox mount and dogbone mount and still got it, stumped now lol.

I will try what you just suggested too though thanks

 

[leon cupra r]

Im personally thinking its your outer CV joint, that'll rumble once underload and round corners, The clicking you hear once the engines jacked up and moving the wheel will most probably be the backlash in the gears, they have to have a bit of backlash because if they didnt they'd get very hot very quickly, only way to explain it is on a power drill try turning the chuck it'll have about 2-3mm of rolling play before actually turning the gears,

@ S3 UJ (universal Joint) the one going into the differential, A lot of people call them inner CV joints But really they'r UJ's, thats what ive always known them as, (cv- Constant velocity joint) CV is hub end

hmm yeah I see what you're getting at, but it's quite a loud clunking noise, I'm struggling to see it being standard on any car! I'll have to get the video up though to explain what I mean!

It did feel like you are saying though - taking up a bit of slack then clunking.....

Any ideas of a rough price on outer CV joints?

Thanks again for all your help buddy

 

[leon cupra r]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3f0jZFBbsc

This is it, apologies for the poor video, was just trying to get the mic closer in so you can hear it more...

 

[leon cupra r]

I have just been out and seen there is a big hole in the top of my gearbox?!?!?!

To the left of where the linkages from the gear lever come in, there is a circular hole (like a plug/cap is missing) which looks down onto a cog. This cog spins when the engine is running... anyone know what this is? to say the least I'm very worried about this! someone at work said he reckons it is an 'oil seal'?

Please help!

Ben

edit: it is this hole

http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=268328&highlight=hole+gearbox

 

[S3 Nattie]

The hole on the gearbox is for the timing. It usually has a plastic bung that goes into the hole. May be around you engine bay somewhere, mine was for weeks. Would worry about it though.

The knocking sounds like a CV joint to me.

 

[leon cupra r]

yeah figured that much out from the other thread, will be nipping down the dealers ASAP for that I think!

So the consensus seems to be outer CV joint knackered yes?

What sort of money are we looking at for that?

Thanks!

Ben

 

[leon cupra r]

Also I have just tried rolling the car back + forwards by hand (no engine noise to cover up any knocking) and I couldn't hear anything at all.... does this also add up to it being the CV joint?

and I presume it will be OK to drive in the meantime, not going to completely cease on me or anything?

cheers

 

[leon cupra r]

Took it to garage yesterday, he jacked it up and sods law, it wasnt knocking! Guy had a quick (I mean quick) look at presumably the outer CV joint next to the wheel and said he couldnt see anything immediately worth noting, told me to leave it a few days and give him a shout next week when his ramps will be fixed and he will stick it on them and have a proper look underneath...

Any more advice before I take it in? rough ideas of prices should he find the problem?


Cheers

 

[Ronaldo2582]

I had a similar noise coming from mine mate

Turned out to be one of the drop links


Ronnie

 

[leon cupra r]

ah cheers mate will mention that when I take it in thanks

 

[kr1s77]

sorry to bring back an old thread but i have the same knocking noise on mine now. did you find out what it was in the end?

 

[endoftheworld]

Sounds like an inner driveshaft joint, these are usually a tripod joint (which isn't technically a U-Joint or a CV joint) and tend to be quite sloppy compared to the outer joint. It's probably just out of grease, or the grease may have turned to liquid which happens after several years.

It may be as simple as pulling the boot back and stuffing some new grease in.

edit: I'm assuming of course this is a new sound and not just the normal backlash in the diff, hard to tell from the video.

 

[leon cupra r]

Sorry mate I can't remember for the life of me. If you think it's CV or UJ I'd grab a new driveshaft from here http://www.jandrcvjoints.co.uk/search.php?search_query=leon+cupra&x=0&y=0 and whack that on. It's easier to change the whole lot in one go, and for 30 quid it's a no brainer. Can get it swapped in a couple of hours easy enough, just try and get your balljoint nuts back in exactly the same place on the wishbone (prob worth nipping to somewhere that does free tracking check after anyway).

I put a J&R shaft on my current LCR a couple of months ago and have probably done 1000 miles on it so far with no probs, can't argue for the money.

Cheers