Hi all,

Just took a look at the plenum chamber (all dry and working properly), under the carpets all dry too. I'm stumped as to the misting although I agree it must be water somewhere. BUT WHERE?

Secondly, I've just discovered the drivers side CV joint (which started knocking recently) is totally dry and the boot is split. I can have this done on monday but I have 480 miles to do sat/sun. Is it ok to drive on it like this? I have no choice, it's work.

Worried,

Rob

If there is no water ingress, misting could be because of stuck recirculation flap motor - basically no air is taken from outside of cabin. Worth checking error codes with VCDS or similar cable, or the flap itself - press recirculation button with fan full on and see/hear/feel if there's any difference. Obviously, do not use recirculation (no arched arrow on the airco screen) at all if possible.

If you drive 500miles with dry CV joint, you will quite likely have to replace the joint afterwards, that's about 10 times more expensive than replacing just the boot now. But since you wrote it is knocking already, this probably means the joint is already knackered and will require replacement anyway.

I have just replaced both CV boots on my Superb, 1 already cracked, the other was about to split. Cracked boot joint still had some grease in, the only symptom was slight initial resistance at full lock. If the CV joint is knocking, it's done for and no amount of fresh grease is going to fix it. You may have some luck swapping the joints left-right, but then again this requires opening the other joint so not worth it.

For both worskhop and DIY, I strongly recommend using Skoda CV boot replacement kit, it's <£30.

There are a lot cheaper kits of similar quality, e.g. Febi, but they come with different bolts to stock (and hideously ugly), and in Febi kit the small boot tie is too large (35mm instead of 33mm) and as a result the boot is leaking grease from thin end.

A half-way house solution is to buy Febi CV boot kit (<£7) somewhere, and a driveshaft bolt (£9) and the small boot tie (33mm, <£2) from Skoda, that still costs <£20. Driveshaft bolts are stretch bolts and you really feel them stretching when tightened 1/2 turn from 190Nm, so do not save and use new one.

Thanks for that,

Do you think it would be ok to drive for the next two days/480 miles?

If driven gently, yes, it should hold for 500 miles without failing completely, but you will need a new CV joint afterwards.

If it is knocking already, it is probably broken beyond repair already now so a new boot won't help.

Last time I checked, new Skoda joint was £260 for a 6-speed, it pays to shop around for the joint itself (GSF?).

Thanks,

Well I did 200 miles tonight and it held up fine. I did spray a bit of WD40 into the joint before I left and believe it or not, it stopped the knocking, more tomorrow. As for the price, I can get a joint here for either €70 or €120, depending on the part number, (mines a 5 speed) so including a boot and fitting it should be around the €200 mark......... It wasn't knocking too badly so there is a small chance the joint can be saved. Fingers crossed and I'll keep ya posted.

Thanks a mill,

Rob

Thanks,

Well I did 200 miles tonight and it held up fine. I did spray a bit of WD40 into the joint before I left and believe it or not, it stopped the knocking, more tomorrow. As for the price, I can get a joint here for either €70 or €120, depending on the part number, (mines a 5 speed) so including a boot and fitting it should be around the €200 mark......... It wasn't knocking too badly so there is a small chance the joint can be saved. Fingers crossed and I'll keep ya posted.

Thanks a mill,

Rob

£260 for a CV joint (presumably OEM) sounds very dear, is that right?

Rob

Edited 12 June, 201115 yr by Robbo Cop

Oops, double post above...!!

Regarding that misting, there is a difference in sound with the recirculation on (so it is working), but is it possible it could be working in reverse? Car seemed fine tonight (same temp etc) with it switched that way..... weird...

Rob

£260 is Skoda price just for the joint, that's why I said it pays to shop around for the CV joint. Last time I bought a CV joint for the Octavia at GSF, it was 1/3rd Skoda price.

The CV boot kit is best from Skoda/VW, though, despite ridiculous ~£28 price.

Anyway, if greasing stops knocking (it might rather be clicking than knocking), then you're in luck and the joint might be saved, but I'd use thicker grease, preferably lithium-moly (the black stuff that normally is in the CV joint).

Edit: For the recirculation motor flap, it should take cabin air when arrow is displayed on the screen. So normally, you should run it without arched arrow on the screen. If the car is misting more without the arrow than with the arrow, it is best to check error codes with VCDS if they show recirculation flap position problems (there's a sensor there). It is unlikely the positions are swapped unless motor or sensor is damaged, or the flap was serviced earlier incorrectly.

Edited 12 June, 201115 yr by dieselV6

Good quality CV joints (eg. GKN) are available from the factors - buying them from VAG is very poor value for money.

The best way to check the recirc flap is simply to remove the pollen filter paper element. You can then see the flap itself and check that it opens and closes as it should. On "recirc" the flap should fully close and you should not be able to see the blower fan blades from above.

rotodiesel.

Thanks very much for the help lads.

I think you're right describing it as a clicking rather than a knocking, so maybe I can save the joint.... Fingers crossed. Luckily, it's mostly motorway stuff today, so not much steering angle. We'll just have to see how it goes.

I'll take a look at the pollen filter housing for the "recirc" flap but I think it is working as it should, so again I'm stumped as to the misting.!!

Oh the joy's of motoring,

Rob