[Vintre]

Hello All,

I have been putting up with a 1st Gear clunk for the summer.

Yes, another 1st Gear Clunk thread!

Anyways, when I pack the universal joint with grease, see picture, it goes away, but comes back.



Is this a sign that the U-joints need replacing?

I twisted the driveshaft and watched the u-joint closely, but don't see any play.

Thanks in advance,

Vin

 

[spiderserie4]

Hi Vin,
that zerk is for the splined joint.........to the left of your red circle (see photo from BB below)
Grab the two bits and see if you get play just with your hands, you shouldn't.

You can unscrew that "knurled" bit at the end and maybe clear out all the old grease by filling it with new, to see if it helps....
if it doesn't then the splined joint is gone/going..........basically a new prop section needed.
(they can be professionally refurbed, I have read somewhere, but it is a highly specialized job that few people know how to do)

 

[mcola]

Is it a single clunk, or the notorious thump thump thump that many of us have and very few have been able to resolve.

 

[Vintre]

Is it a single clunk, or the notorious thump thump thump that many of us have and very few have been able to resolve.

Single clunk.

Vin

 

[Alfar7]

Clunk

Most likely slack/clearance in LSD unit.
See how much slack is in the unit by turning the shaft back & forth.

 

[Vintre]

Hi Vin,
that zerk is for the splined joint.........to the left of your red circle (see photo from BB below)
Grab the two bits and see if you get play just with your hands, you shouldn't.

You can unscrew that "knurled" bit at the end and maybe clear out all the old grease by filling it with new, to see if it helps....
if it doesn't then the splined joint is gone/going..........basically a new prop section needed.
(they can be professionally refurbed, I have read somewhere, but it is a highly specialized job that few people know how to do)

There is no play on the u-joints if I grab them and twist them.

Do you think that spline could produce that clunk?

Vin

 

[Gubi]

Might not be the same clunk, but I always get a clunk or two on hard takeoff. I was told by a previous mechanic that this was the driveshaft thumping the underbody and not to worry about it.

Never had a way to verify if this is the case or not, but it's been doing this for ten years.

 

[papajam]

Do you think that spline could produce that clunk?

Yep. The fact that the clunk disappears when the slip yoke is greased pretty much proves it. Is there any play between the shafts if you twist them? Can't find a spec on the 2l shaft but the maximum wear limit (spline clearance) on the 1600/1750 shaft is 0.2mm (0.0078").

 

[Vintre]

Most likely slack/clearance in LSD unit.
See how much slack is in the unit by turning the shaft back & forth.

If I grab the shaft it has 1/8" slack.

Too much?

Vin

 

[Vintre]

Is there any play between the shafts if you twist them? Can't find a spec on the 2l shaft but the maximum wear limit (spline clearance) on the 1600/1750 shaft is 0.2mm (0.0078").

Hi Jim,

If I understand you correctly, I grabbed a hold of the two shafts and twisted them.

There was no play whatsoever. Could that be because the spline is full of grease?

I will try again if it comes back. Crossing my fingers.

Vin

 

[spiderserie4]

Can't find a spec on the 2l shaft but the maximum wear limit (spline clearance) on the 1600/1750 shaft is 0.2mm (0.0078").

My S4 manual just says to check sliding joint for 'excessive wear in the spline' in the event of noise during acceleration or de-acceleration, without actually giving specs.
The Brooklands manual (Giulia & Spider, 1300-2000 models, years 1962-1978) doesn't differentiate between the models, it too mentions 0.0078"

Brooklands also says to grease it every 3750 miles!

 

[Vintre]

Update

Just an update.

Have put a few hundred miles on the car since re greasing the slip yoke with plenty of stop and starts that would produce the clunk.

Well, no clunk so far.

Since this isn't the first time that greasing the slip yoke has made the clunk disappear does that mean I have a spline replacement in my future or just keep greasing?

Thank you in advance.

Vin

 

[Alfacliff]

just a note, the multiple clunks on acceleration in first is the transmission mount and possibly the guibo. I replaced mine and all the clunkiing went away.
Cliff

 

[Gubi]

Not always. Mine has clunked through two transmission mounts and two giubos.

 

[spiderserie4]

Just an update.

Have put a few hundred miles on the car since re greasing the slip yoke with plenty of stop and starts that would produce the clunk.

Well, no clunk so far.

Since this isn't the first time that greasing the slip yoke has made the clunk disappear does that mean I have a spline replacement in my future or just keep greasing?

Thank you in advance.

Vin

just keep greasing it....that joint is often overlooked,as we are no longer used to grease points on our more modern alfas, all the steering joints are now sealed (my old 101 had a bunch of them all over the place, kept me real busy)

if I recall that is the only grease point (zerk) left on our spiders, so it has been left there throughout the decades for a reason, methinks.....unless we have drilled one into the steering idler, that is!

 

[Vintre]

Thanks, I will keep an ear on it and keep the greasing up.

Its the only grease point that I know of on my S4.

Thanks again to all.

Vin

 

[mcola]

You'll know if you grease it too much when you see grease splattered inside that area of the tunnel. Ask me how I know.

 

[Gubi]

That's just additional rustproofing.

 

[mcola]

That's just additional rustproofing.

That would be the only source of rustproofing for Vince, because every year he goes on his annual oil leak hunt. God bless!

 

[Vintre]

You'll know if you grease it too much when you see grease splattered inside that area of the tunnel. Ask me how I know.

That's how I knew when to stop. The grease starting coming out the U joint end!

Vin