UPDATE2: Its borked again...UPDATE: Its fixed...maybe?? It's borked

"ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability" (italianjobr53)
10/19/2019 at 21:00 • Filed to: Mini, broke

was driving to work in the am when it started vibrating in the front like I had a puncture. On the way back after work, there was a bang and then she lost drive. I’m thinking something related to driveshafts or clutch...

Update: the drivers side driveshaft had poped out of the diff. I have no clue why it would do that... especially today, not yesterday when I was hooning it on the Tail of the Dragon

Update 2: Well the driveshaft popped out again...I guess it is slightly shorter in length than the older one. However, there was some damage on the driveshaft this time round:

Look at them sheared teeth(splines?) just below the cir-clip! Fortunately I couldn’t see any damage on the diff’s splines

I have ordered a new shaft from fcpeuro now...I guess I never should have bought one from Amazon in the first place

DISCUSSION (32)

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
10/15/2019 at 18:52

If it was a driveshaft, you should be able to tell from looking underneath?

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
10/15/2019 at 19:01

Yes, but it too low to look at it. I'm back home now so I'll lift her up and check

BeaterGT > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
10/15/2019 at 19:17

On the plus side, dailying the Z?

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
10/15/2019 at 19:19

Keep us apprised!

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
10/15/2019 at 19:22

The “bang” does not bode confidence.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > BeaterGT
10/15/2019 at 20:34

Yes!

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
10/15/2019 at 22:23

how are the splines on the cv?

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
10/15/2019 at 22:24

Decent:

Kinja'd!!!

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
10/15/2019 at 22:45

Glad all seems well-ish! You might consider getting a new CV though...not sure I would trust the old one after this...

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
10/15/2019 at 22:47

It is new! I just replaced it 1000 miles ago...maybe it is not to spec tho, different length than what it should be perhaps

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
10/15/2019 at 23:09

How even?

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
10/15/2019 at 23:22

Could be, any way to return it if it was, indeed, the one that was supposed to be for your car?

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
10/15/2019 at 23:44

No clue at all

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
10/15/2019 at 23:46

I could ask. It was a cheapo but supposedly good part off of Amazon.

What I don’t get is that there is enough play in the CV that it should not pop out... I'm thinking maybe I didn't press it all the way in when I put it in the first time

SlideshowOhNO - Fixit Union, Chapter of Kinja > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
10/16/2019 at 00:16

I have major trust issues with non-OEM parts these days. The aftermarket bits, with few exceptions have proven sketchy at best.

Recent concerns:

-Non-OE (All aftermarket ones) Beetle TurboS half-shaft not having g the correct mass, leading to torque steer and vibrations.

-Non-OE (Timken) wheel bearing being noisy at low-speed on an R X-8. Have heard several complaints from owners of these failing after a single auto X. Same for NTN/KOYO/Others.... KOYO was even the source manufacturer of the OE bearing, but I guess they sell a different spec to consumers.

-Mustang lower control arm bushings, from MOOG, not matching spec of rubber for OE.. y oo soft, improper clearance of bushings to subframe, and a balljoint not matching the low-friction design of OEM.

Many of these are respected brands, but here they are, offering crap.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
10/16/2019 at 00:22

I’ve actually had that happen. Replaced CV axles on my sister’s former probe (2nd gen, 4 cylinder, but manual) back in the day. It went together fine until one of them popped out on the highway at 80mph the next day.

After pushing the car up on my trailer and taking it back home, I took it apart and couldn’t find anything obviously wrong. Out of curiosity, I compared the new axle to the old one and found the brand new one was about 1/4 inch shorter . I returned the new one and compared if to another of the s ame brand new, aftermarket axle that was also too short. After that I picked up a remaned ax le that was actually the correct lenght.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
10/16/2019 at 00:41

That’s exactly what it was. Not in all the way. Honestly it's a crap design that it can even all fit together that way, but it does. The only other possibility is the circlip on the end wasn't there or broke during install. I've seen this happen on minis before.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > SlideshowOhNO - Fixit Union, Chapter of Kinja
10/16/2019 at 00:45

Lots of OE suppliers are really bad about selling lower tier parts to the aftermarket. It's part of why they can be cheaper (only a small part of that equation, but a part nonetheless). Bosch is the worst offender in my opinion.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > SlideshowOhNO - Fixit Union, Chapter of Kinja
10/16/2019 at 04:56

Damn....I have mostly ZF/Lemforder stuff on the Mini from fcp, everything else seems to be working with far...

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
10/16/2019 at 04:58

The clip itself is there and unbroken so I think I chickened out and did not slam it all the way in the last time around

RacinBob > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
10/16/2019 at 07:56

For those that are not familiar, this type of CV joint locks into the differential with the circlip that is on the end of the spline. I cannot think of a reason that there would be pulling force that would make it want to “un plug”, unless the j oints were shorter or because the axle was shorter, or unless the lower ball joint fell off which would be it’s own problem. Or the locking mechanism in the differential failed.

I suppose what happened is it unplugged but did not separate which was the vibration and then it fell out. I would think that if it fell out though the end would gnarly due to the differential turning and the axle not. If that is the case yo may need a new diff.......

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > RacinBob
10/16/2019 at 08:09

Right, but the splines on the diff look good too. Shitty image for now, I’ll get a better one today evening

Kinja'd!!!