vvec1987

Hi fellas got a slight problem with the impreza. Had to have it towed home last night Basicly whats been happening is whenever ive been turning right (never when turning left) Ive been hearing a rather loud clicking noise for some time now, when i first noticed it i thought it might be the CV joint but m no expert, and as it hadnt really bothered me for a while i didnt get it seen to. Yesterday as i was driving to my mothers i stopped at a junction (incidently i was turning right) and as i pulled away, turning right onto my mothers street the clicking started and i heard a loud snapping noise and there was no power to the wheels. When the engine is turned on and idling in neutral there is a loud-ish clicking but when i put it into gear as if i was pulling off in first the clicking gets real loud :S Initially i feared it was the gearbox or clutch but ive noticed when the engine is turned on i need to dip the clutch to get it into gear and the clutch pressure feels normal. Also when in gear and i raise the clutch asif i were driving the speedo goes up asif the car was moving....Anyone know if this is CV joint or something worse? Had a new clutch kit fitted a year ago so i shall be most displeases if it was the clutch gone

Splitpin

It's a CV joint or something worse, yes, although hopefully just a CV. There's no way for us to tell via the interwebs exactly what the cause of the problem is, although there are a couple of pointers.

First of all the fact that you say you can put the car into gear, lift the clutch and the speedo shows you to be moving even when you're not. This means that the gearbox output shaft is rotating - so we know at least that your clutch is still functional and that it sounds like the box, generally, is good.

What you've described does have all the hallmarks of a bust driveshaft (or CV). If this is the case what will be happening is that the transmission is rotating as normal, but all the power will be spinning away through the broken shaft. You should be able to see this, if it's happening. Have someone sit in the driver's seat and put the car in gear while you look, under the back bumper at the rear diff, and then down at the gearbox under the bonnet. If there's a joint you should be able to see the inner part of one CV joint turning round quickly on its own without turning its wheel.

The only area of concern is where you say that:

This is a bit confusing/concerning. If it's just a broken shaft or drive joint, the car should sound pretty much normal when it's at a standstill in neutral - although this could be normal drag through the gearbox turning the shaft inside a broken joint.

First thing to do is, as above, physically check all four driveshafts for signs that one of them is spinning freely when you put the car in gear. Hopefully that's all it is and if so, spares are cheap in the usual places, while being pretty easy to change.

If you can't see evidence of a broken shaft or joint, the obvious questions to ask then would be about the gearbox or diffs, but let us know about the shafts first.

lee1184

If you cant see any obvious damage to the CV's or Shafts i think if you put it in gear and jack up each wheel one at a time then see if it spins freely, if it does its most likely to be that side one thats causing the problem because its no longer connected to the drivetrain.

vvec1987

thanks for the replies fellas im guna have a good look now, if it is the cv joint have you any ideas how much its guna cost? could i do it myself or is it definatly a garage job? thanks again

Splitpin

A new replacement CV joint is probably around £50 to £90 depending on where you bought it, however you could pick up a secondhand shaft on eBay for a fraction of that.

Replacement is pretty simple provided you have a few basic tools - so by no means is it definitely a garage job.

vvec1987

I have a large socket set, trolley jack, few screwdrivers and possibly a large hammer...would these fill the requirements lol? Are all cv joints the same ie. N/S and O/S are reversable as ive been looking on ebay and it doesnt state in the listing which side it fits? Thanks again.