CV Joint Error
 

Now, I know this must have happened before to some out there, so fess up.

After a new engine install, I apparently did not torque down those CV bolts tight enough and the joint attached to the left side of my tailshifter tranny came free (one bolt held, no lost bolts at least), as I pulled out of a gas station. I could shift into gear, but as the clutch was released all I heard was toothed surfaces sliding, rather than meshing--the shifter was not kicked out by the action. I coasted right into the gas station beside that one, towed the car a few miles home with a friend, and re-bolted the CV axle to the tranny.

But this 'non-meshing' sound remains, and I'm going nowhere in it now. Although I can shift into any gear, as the clutch is slowly released I hear only the rubbing-grinding, and have no engagement.
I'm wondering what has happened inside my poor transmission, and how I might approach repairing it.
BTW, I heard no worrisome sounds from the rear of the car while I was towed. I'd hate to think an error so lame has ruined a perfectly reliable gearbox.
--John

In my experience, you have blown the drive side CV joint....I did the same thing. Hard launches on the starts and equally hard downshifts led to a loud thump, and then no go...simply replacing the axle and two good CVs got me back on the track in 30 minutes...

Later a disasembly found an explosion of parts....nothing saveable....

I replace the cv joints/axles yearly on the race car as a precaution. It saves me the horror of getting towed off the course....

Check to see if the boot is ripped up. If the CV joint is gone, the outer part will rotate when in gear and not the inner part connected to the axle shaft.

ps I did the same thing on a bug I owned, your not alone. Visegrips didn't make a good substitute for the 12-point tool http://www.pelicanparts.com/ultimate/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by roadtrp204 (edited 03-22-2000).]

Well, sure enough, it was the CV. I was hearing the outer housing spinning around the inner ball cage. I need this thing running now--so starts the in-town search for a bus joint that will fit (would never find a 914 specific part locally). No luck yet. But thanks for the advice, saved me tearing down the gearbox unnecessarily.

Get the right part, please!

The easiest CV joint to get (from some VW or another) that actually fits does not have the dowel pins. I don't even think it has the provision for them. These joints routinely unbolt themselves. Not infrequently they chew something up when they do.

Just get the 914 part. It's the right part. Get a used one if you have to. If you spend more than a couple of days looking for a VW joint that fits, you could have gotten the correct part by mail-order. (Gee, I wonder who you can get 914 parts from? Hint, hint! ;^)

--DD

i also think that the 914 CV has 4 bolts whereas the bus (at least the vanagon does) has 6 bolts