Dan's 20v 1.8T Fabia Estate

[DanHarper]

Well that's the diagnosis on the drive shaft confirmed! 

 

On the original rebirth I thought I heard a faint noise from the drivers side shaft/cv on round abouts, well its got worse now and definitely needs replacing :(

[DanHarper]

Forgot to take the print outs to work to scan, so here are some bad phone pics instead

 

[pip_vrs]

Alot smoother. Very nice.

[DanHarper]

Inspected drive shaft today and can't feel any weird play that makes it obviously that.

 

Went out for a drive and determined the noise happens most frequently under the following conditions:

 

Downshifts (when aggressively downshifting will knock once then cease, if pottering will continue to grind/knock while engine braking)

Downhill maintaining speed on the gears, will cease if brakes are applied moderately or hard, will continue if applied gently.

Off the power over bumps/grates etc will knock, doesn't do it if hard on the power.

 

Mostly its when potting about, gentle up to junctions or on rough roads. Wondering if its a pad rattling as it stopped when going down hill and the brakes were applied?

 

The 'knock' part of it sounds so much like the noise you'd get when drop links are duff. But the grinding part going down hill sounds more like a bearing...

 

Any help? :(

[TrevorB33]

Could be more then one thing mate, best bet is to jack both front wheels off floor stick it in gear then have a listen while wheels are spinning, see if it's wheel bearing, I would check engine mounts and wishbone/console bushes, bottom ball joints, or could be something silly like the shield behind brake disc

[DanHarper]

Already had it up in the air this morning Trevor, couldn't find anything :( All the bushes are new Superpro ones, new HD links, new AP coils... suspect its not suspension as the hill I was going down to test is yorkshires only smooth road.

 

Well I whipped out my shaft, I can definately feel play in the gearbox end CV that simply isn't there on the spare shaft I have. Now, the spare shaft is from a PD130, part numbers are the same except my 1.8T shaft has DH at the end and the PD130 shaft has CL. But its a no-go, won't fit the gearbox:

 

 

[TrevorB33]

When I had the original 1.4 shafts they looked identical length and ends wise it was just the actual shaft was slightly smaller diameter, you got any 1.4 ones kicking around?

[DanHarper]

When I had the original 1.4 shafts they looked identical length and ends wise it was just the actual shaft was slightly smaller diameter, you got any 1.4 ones kicking around?

 

Nah they were minging.

 

Had a brain fart... the bit thats stopping me putting the PD130 shaft on is the end cap. So I thought I'd pop them both off and see if its possible to swap them.

 

 

Can you tell which one is which?

 

I'm not sure if this is a good idea, the end caps:

 

 

Clearly the one is bigger for a reason, presumably to allow for movement in the CV joint.

[pip_vrs]

Id say its just mounting on the Gbox thats different. Swap them over. If nothing else it will eliminate that drive shaft from the equation in finding the noise.

When i swapped from a 5 speed to a 6 speed in my Caddy van the shafts looked different like this.

[DanHarper]

Ordered myself some bolts long enough for the PD130 shaft and will be fitting it when they arrive. Not sure whether to fit the cap or not... seems to be lots of shafts for sale without them and the 1.4 shafts I had didn't have caps, just a little messier that's all.

 

Atleast if this shaft does work it makes ordering new ones a little less of a pain as the majority seem to be this type (or the pictures of the actual items are not actually of the actual items...). PD130/vRS shafts are going to be easier to source from here as well :P

[pip_vrs]

Where are you? Feel free to borrow one of mine, if it fixes it just fet us a replacement. If not ill have it back. Cheaper than buying different parts.

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[Taylor93]

Id be looking at changing the gearbox cups which the driveshaft bolts onto. But theres no guarantee that the splines on the diff are the same.

[pip_vrs]

That sounds like a better plan. I wouldnt have a clue gearbox end, only changed driveshaft/cups over before.

[DanHarper]

Swapping the cups would sort of defeat the object, sourcing the cups would be harder no doubt than sourcing the drive shaft.

 

I already have the PD130 shaft which is the main reason I wanted to try and utilize it.

 

Will find out on Tuesday

[Taylor93]

Is it the inner or outer cv joint you suspect?

Ive made one good driveshaft from two bad ones (damaged inner on one and damaged outer on the other)

[DanHarper]

Is it the inner or outer cv joint you suspect?

Ive made one good driveshaft from two bad ones (damaged inner on one and damaged outer on the other)

 

Play in the inner and I suspect its had water in it:

 

 

Its a different type of CV and that light browny stuff may be a different type of grease, but what ever it is would run out if I laid the shaft down, was leaking past the end cap and is separating slowly leaving a clear liquid sitting on top :(

 

Lengths of the shafts are the same, its just the end cap.

[Taylor93]

Could try cleaning it all and packing ot full of new cv grease

[Lofty]

Looks like emulsified grease - from the water ingress obv.

 

Love this car, such a proper sleeper, like trevors FGF, its the surprise element that makes me chuckle

[DanHarper]

Looks like emulsified grease - from the water ingress obv.

 

Yeah that's the word I was looking for!

 

Anyway, dirty derv shaft fitted and it works, noise has gone away. Happy days

[pip_vrs]

So what exactly did you swap?

Also.. Are you selling the FR wheels you got from Trevor? ;-)

[DanHarper]

So what exactly did you swap?

Also.. Are you selling the FR wheels you got from Trevor? ;-)

 

Put the CV joint end cap from the 1.8T shaft on to the PD130 shaft. Used a little sealant to stop water getting in as the cap design is a little poor. Put shaft on car.

 

Not sure yet. Didn't you have a set?

[pip_vrs]

Yeah i have a set. Bit thinking if you dont need them i would have a set of 7 so could use them for track etc and have sifferent tyres to swap about.

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[DanHarper]

Will know after my brakes arrive and have been fitted whats happening regarding wheels. Hopefully not too long now.

[pip_vrs]

What brakes you gone for? :-)

[DanHarper]

What brakes you gone for? :-)

 

Not telling :P There are enough clues about what I wanted that would dictate the direction I needed to go with the brakes :P