Date: Fri, 16 Jun 2006 09:48:57 +0100 From: "Charles C." <c.k.christacopoulos.removeme.nospamee.ac.uk> Subject: Late 9000 driveshafts or differential
Hi, Car 9000 CSE (2.0, LPT) Year 1997 Mileage 92K Manual gear box. Recently, I have noticed a kind of deep click (clonk) coming from the front left of the car. Those familiar with the c900 reverse clonk of the brakes would immediately think of the noise as being brake calipers moving. From inside the car the noise comes from the front left. From outside the car the noise comes much more from the underside/middle of the car .. differential area. When does it happen. At very low speeds (normally when coming to a stop) with the clutch pedal depressed (still in gear). The level of noise varies from just audible to noticeable. There is vibration together with the click coming through the gearstick. Most often I can get it happen reversing into my drive. I reverse downhill and turn left into an uphill ramp. At any point of the reverse I can feel the click (sometimes). Easiest point to get it is with the car partially up the ramp, and partially turned into the drive. (the nose is low and the left suspension compressed because of the uphill angle of the road). Possible symptoms. It is not CV joints, no noise in full lock going round in circles (forward/reverse with either left or right lock). It does not feel right for a faulty ABS sensor ... I am not applying the brakes so ABS should not come into it(?) and I feel the vibration through the gear stick. (a) Inner driveshaft where it couples with the differential? or (b) Inner driveshart/tripod joint? If (a) from the diagrams it does not look as if the inner driveshaft goes direct on the big cog(? is there one) of the differential as I think the c900 was. However the whole sensation of click + vibration would be consistent with two cog wheels slightly jamming. If (b) I could understand it in terms of the housing (receptacle) of the tripod being worn and thus at a certain angle of the components it is a bit more likely to jam. Does it look like (b)? Can you suggest anything else cheaper? :-) And I am due an expensive service in 3 weeks time :-( before the above problem comes into it. Regards Charles PS. Same side needs a new CV joint boot (not split yet) so it will cost me. Time for a new larger jack I think and start working on a 9000. -- Please remove _removeme_ to reply.
