Date:         Mon, 29 Jul 1996 14:05:57 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Rick Koller <rkoller@helix.nih.gov>
Subject:      syncro noise - gone

Fellow syncronies et al,
        First I thank all of you who offered helpful suggestions - they worked!
The front end noise I described a couple weeks ago was in fact an
insufficiently greased outboard cv joint. This however took some time to
pinpoint due in part to lack of complete access to the offending joint when
forced to work on ones back. Anyway all sniveling aside, I would recommend
packing these joints periodically since they cost about $220 each (the front
outboard ones). My procedure follows:

1.Remove clips from cv boots and push boot away from joint.

2.Wipe out as much old grease as possible.

3.I used a hypodermic needle grease injector available at FLAPS and a grease
gun to try and displace as much old grease from inside the joint as
possible. This is a laborious process on the driveway environment. I again
wiped away old greenish grease.

4.I then gobbed as much new black cv grease into the joint with my hands as
possible and returned boots in position. ( I use rubber gloves doing this job.)

5.I used plastic cable ties to temporarily secure the boots to the cv joints
until the new clips I ordered from the dealer show up.

        Interestingly, (sort of) the inboard joints' grease was much more
dried up and hard than the outboard ones and I presumed that these guys were
the source of the clicking. They were not. I suspected the offending
outboard joint from the start and did that first and after a test drive the
noise was still evident. So I packed the remaining front end cv's and still
heard the evil clicking! I thought the syncro-gods are having a little fun
at my expense, in fact I simply had not put enough grease in the initial
joint and after jamming some more of the black goo into it, it became silent!
        Hope this is of interest to someone.

        Rick Koller
        '90 syncro Westie
        '81 air Westie
***************************************
Richard Koller
Email: rkoller@helix.nih.gov
Phone: 301-496-8414
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