Date: Sun, 20 Apr 2008 15:35:02 -0700
Reply-To: neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: New Noise coming from under the body
In-Reply-To: <2D303247-9EB0-4710-8774-004990E3BB63@mac.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Unca Joels advice is right on as always.
I have another concern:
one of the CV's might be working its' way loose.
I should have expressed this originally.
Have a look asap. Not to alarm you, but look now.
I don't know the Vanagon auto transmission, but I'm pretty sure there
will be 1 inboard (easier to see) CV and 1 outboard CV per driveshaft.
You will need a good light to see the outboard ones as they "housed"
by the rear trailing arm. You can see them. Just harder to inspect.
At the very least do a visual inspection. Look/feel for any bolts
coming loose, or obvious play between the CV's and surface they bolt
to.
Better yet, get the rear end up safely on blocks/jack stands at home,
and turn the wheels by hand to see if anything is wrong.
Not to nag, but you really don't want one of them coming apart while driving!
Best of luck,
Neil.
On Sun, Apr 20, 2008 at 3:04 PM, Robert Stewart <robertmstewart@mac.com> wrote:
> Tires are round.
>
> Tranny Mount is only 2 yrs old. Still look good.
>
> From what you and Uncajoel wrote I thinks the CV, joints based on everyones
> description, I was noticing on some turns and going up hills where the van
> had to work pretty hard to get up.
>
> It sounded like a thump, low not high. It was would start like a slow thump
> and as I went faster it was go away.
>
> I already have the Valvoline Extended Life Power steering fluid in the
> resevior wtihout any issues so far, I will take it a mechanic and have them
> drain and then put my Dexron III in? Does it need to be flushed?
>
> Thanks to UncaJoel for the detailed description on how to do this. I am
> going to print it out and take it to my local Brooklyn Shop to take care of
> it. Can I drive on it for another 2 hrs of highway driving or No?
>
> TIA
> Robert
>
>
>
> On Apr 20, 2008, at 5:15 PM, uncajoel wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > > It sounds like something hitting the frame and vibrating up to the
> > > front, and appears to be coming from the passenger side to me. It
> > > comes and goes and sounds at times likes it tied to the rotation of
> > > tire as the timing of the banging seems to coinside with speed ratio.
> > >
> >
> > if it sounds like a woodpecker with a ballpeen hammer, it's most likely
> the cv joints gone dry of grease. often, you can't see anything (unless the
> gone-dry is because the rubber boots are torn and the grease has slung out)
> at all.
> >
> > another way to clinch it is to find a big empty parking lot and drive in
> very tight circles ... first one way and then the other. the cv joints will
> make noises when they are under a lot of stress ... like accelerating, going
> up a hill, going around a corner, and so on.
> >
> > it's not a 'difficult' job, but very dirty and greasy. best description of
> what to do is found in the Muir book "How to keep your volkswagen alive (a
> guide for the compleat idiot" ..about $25 in most big bookstores. or order
> from www.motorbooks.com or busdepot.com and other booksellers. or search the
> archives.;)
> >
> > i recommend using Valvoline Moly EP wheel bearing grease to slop in there
> and regrease the joints. it comes in those paper round tubes (for grease
> guns) at about $3/tube, i think. cut the tube in half and put one half-tube
> into each joint (so you'll need two tubes). what won't go into the cv joint
> itself, smush into the rubber boot up close to where it fits onto the joint.
> make sure the tube sez "for cars with disc brakes" on the side ... it'll
> handle higher temps.
> >
> > and on an automatic, do one axle at a time ... cause the axles are
> different lengths and you don't want to get them mixed up.
> >
> > and when you clean them (before regreasing), use generic carb/brake
> cleaner in spray cans in a VERY well ventilated area! like have a fan
> blowing on you!! and if you see more than two gallings (looks like spot
> welding) per joint, start saving to buy new cv joints. but regreasing will
> still get you by for another year or so.
> >
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