Mk1 Inner CV Boot FULL of Tranny Lube ?

[Baron VonZeppelin]

I gotta problem here i think ...
Just pulled an axle - and the inner CV Boot was full of tranny lube.
No sign of any CV grease left at all.

81 Truck with an 85 ACH 5spd (diesel 90mm) tranny.

By pure coincidence after refreshing all my brakes - i found my "minor rumble-shimmy" in the steering - that i couldn't find before. The right (pass) side axle was bent a little.

After getting the  brakes buttoned up - i decided to run it in gear without the wheels on it for the heck of it. No telling when i would have caught this, otherwise. So i got a little lucky on that.

I only have access to an Mk2 Bentley, and it said to replace the paper stick-on flange gasket. So i shop around for an axle, and a flange gasket, for 81 Truck. NOBODY lists or carries the gasket - so i hoped one would come with the axle.

It did Not.

The old unit had no gasket on it either.

I did some searching and all could find was a discussion about some had them and some didn't. (mk1 vs mk2 ? / 90 vs 100 ?)

Now I'm thinking maybe i should have ordered the axle by the tranny (85 Jetta) instead of for 81 Truck ?
Would the 85 Jetta axle work ?

Or try to source the gasket using 85 Jetta, instead of Truck ?

WHAT THE HE// DO I NEED TO DO NOW ?
WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO BUY ?
HELP !!

This truck had been wrecked in the front right, years ago.
Came loose from behind a motorhome and ran into and over some stuff.

It is my belief these axles were rebuilt by hand after that accident, and the bend went undetected/unchecked.
The boots on both sides appear to be in equal (good) condition, the shafts had the same amount of weathering as all the other suspension components. Leading me to believe they are the original shafts.
OR they were done just before the wreck. And they didn't check for bent axles afterwards. idunno
I can't imagine how else this axle shaft could have gotten bent.

I thought i was done with all the mechanicals when i wrapped up the brakes. This thing needs to hit the road REAL DAMN SOON.

I need some knowledgable advice - ASAP !

Thanks Guys

[Vincent Waldon]

Yeah, it's not the gasket you need, its a new drive flange cap probably:

(typical picture)

It seals up the centre hole in the CV joint and keeps tranny fluid out of the joint itself.

With the joint full of fluid you'll want to:

- repack the joint, since the grease is now dilute
- top up the tranny fluid level, lest you lose 5th gear in the near future   :'(

[Baron VonZeppelin]

Thanks for that Vince.  ^5

I've got new complete cv/shaft assy for passenger side - it came with bag-o-grease for the inner CV to be packed with.

I bet my driver side will be full of tranny lube also.
Might as well pull it off and check it too. And repack.
I'll order 2 of those caps - just hope i can find a supplier ! FAST !

Does the drive flange cap go on the CV - or on the Flange ?
Which application would you suggest me to use to look up part online (81 truck or 85 jetta) ?

I'm going to go ahead and start hunting them now.
Will check back here for further suggestions, and updates.

Will definitely keep an eye on the lube level.
I put fresh standard lube in it recently as a flush run.
After 300-400 miles gonna drain again and go Full Synth.

TYVM !

[fatmobile]

I've only seen 100mm inner CVs with a gasket.
 The puck seal goes in the center of the flange.
 I'd save the outer CV if it doesn't look worn where the bearings ride. They are spendy.
 The gear oil probably allowed to much wear on the inner CV races,.. but check it. You can see where the balls wear into the metal, when they are too worn.

Your other puck seal will probably be fine.

[Baron VonZeppelin]

Thanks Fatmobile. ^5 (hi-five)

Looks like whoever/whenever did this work, did both sides at same time. Identical condition and appearance on all the boots. And the Truck has a million and 61 thousand miles (rolled over). So i know they are not the original boots, pretty much for sure.

The pass side had no puck/cap.
So that is why i'm thinking the driver side won't either.
Going for safer than sorrier, just to see.

After i had about 3 bolts out of the pass side - the tranny lube started dripping out the bolt holes. I started cussing.
Knew that wasn't a good sign.

One of the bolts had been stripped already inside the triple square.
They must have done it when tightening it back up.
Because it was the tightest of them all (#@%$&).
Prepped it, tapped bit in place solid (did that to all of them), hoped for the best, nothing doing with this one.

Tried every pair of vise grips in the shop, every allen head, star bits,
impact driver bits .....
Thought i had a good deal going when i hammered a box end 12mm wrench over it - but that didn't work out either.

Spent about 2 or maybe even 3 hours on that last bolt.
Including breaks for cussing, smoking, re-thinking, rummaging through everything i have to find something else to try, etc...

FINALLY - thought about trying to hammer/chisel the bolt strap down, with hopes it might give the intial movement to break the torque of the bolt - well it worked.
Thank God. 
Half a turn with vise grips after that, and it came out by hand.

About 3-4 ounces of tranny lube came out into the catch pan by the time it was all over.

The new CV/Shaft assy came with new trip-square bolts.
But i might check for some suitable allen heads instead. lol

[rs899]

I smear some Hylomar or Permatex #2 around those caps when I install them in the axle flanges.  You don't want them to leak (as you know) or pop out.  I thinkI had that going on with the tranny I pulled last week, although the seal was present- the inner CV was pretty dry.  Triple square bolts are just fine- they don't need to be torqued all that much ( IIRC about 35 ft lbs is about all).

[theman53]

It seems that the seal will be tanny specific. The 81 seal I just looked up was smaller than the 85. I bought to kits from autohauz for 19.90 and then had extra when I got the 80% peloquin. If I still have them I would sell them to you for 20.00 shipped:D They were for my 85 built jetta with the ags and should have the exact same seals in it as your ach.
You need the weird c or u shaped tool as well to get the flange off. You can make your own like in this link http://www.vwdieselparts.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=771&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30

the tool is a carriage bolt on page 3. Hope it helps and let me know on the seals:D

[81 vw pu]

Will definitely keep an eye on the lube level.
I put fresh standard lube in it recently as a flush run.
After 300-400 miles gonna drain again and go Full Synth.

I did the same thing to my 81 caddy, put in fresh standard oil, ran it for a few hundred miles, then switched to full synthetic. About 2 weeks later there were small leaks at axle seals. About 1 more week my clutch started slipping in 5th gear. When i removed the transaxle the clutch was covered in gear lube. I had to replace the seal and bushing for the clutch release rod, as well as both axle seals. I have heard the synthetic oil will clean up gunk that is keeping your seals from leaking with standard 80-90. Just a heads up here, speaking from my bad experience of switching to full synthetic.

[Baron VonZeppelin]

I'm REALLY appreciating everyones help and input here. 
I've never had front wheel drive cars before these VW's.
And this is first time doing any axle or suspension work on one of them.

eGerman shows same axle flange cap for 81 and 85, and looks just like the 94 that Vince posted. I couldn't find them on AhausAZ, or anywhere else ...ughh

My local Carquest deals in Worldpac, fixing to go there.
Usually next day service, but its been unpredictable sometimes.

[Baron VonZeppelin]

If I still have them I would sell them to you for 20.00 shipped:D

You need the weird c or u shaped tool as well to get the flange off. You can make your own like in this link http://www.vwdieselparts.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=771&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30

the tool is a carriage bolt on page 3. Hope it helps and let me know on the seals:D

Thanks 53, i'll let you know if i need those caps.

So i have to pull the flanges off the tranny to put the new caps on ?
OUCH !

I've tried to check the link but my ISP isn't cooperating right now.
I'll keep trying.

Anyone else have any tips or tricks or outlines about installing the caps in the axle flanges ? I'll use some sealer on them.
But what is the R&I proceedure - i "think" the outer edge of the old one is still embedded, now that i know more about what I'm looking at (sorta).

I'm going to pull driver side axle out later today.

I have 2 spare trannys of unknown condition. Got to move some stuff to get to them better. But i can see one of them has at least one axle flange cap still in it.

[Baron VonZeppelin]

I made it to the link theman53 posted.

If you meant the tool/post by Op-Ivy, i "think" that is for the flange seal ? I'm doing the Flange Cap.

link to that pic: http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l163/Op-Ivy/Drive%20Axle%20Flange%20Seal/P1010003.jpg

[81 vw pu]

I've never had any issues switching to synth.  It actually sounds like your atmospheric bleed got plugged which causes pressure to build in the tranny case and pushes fluid out every seal below the fluid level.

I never checked the vent, but I would think if it were plugged it would have pushed gear oil out before and after the new seals. Also the clutch pushrod seal is above the fluid level right?

[rs899]

theman53 is confusing you, I think.  You just have a fluid leaking through the center of the flange because the flange to axle stub joint is not oil proof.  theman 53 thinks you are trying to replace the outer flange seals where you have to pull the flange off, but you are not.

[Vincent Waldon]

Yup, flange stays put when you replace the flange cap.

[Baron VonZeppelin]

Thanks guys 

Worldpac is sending new axle flange caps from Raleigh to my local CarQuest. "Supposed" to be here by noon'ish tomorrow.
Sure hope they make good on their end.

Placed order for new shaft assy on Driver side - just in case there is carnage found there too.
Shaft assy's are with AdvanceAuto. $70 new, not remand.
But made in China.

CarQuest has remand for $53, but no bolts and no grease.
I can go either way - but thinking to stick with the new china's.
And they come with new bolts and grease. 

I wanted new that Oreilly offers for $60. They say they use 6 cylinder CV joints on 4 cyl apps. And heat treat axle to .25 depth instead of just surface treat. But it takes 5-7 business days to get them here. F'd on that deal.

Driver side of truck is shaded now, out we go to play more wrenchypoo. Stay Tuned.