Just when you get the thing running great... bam! CV joint comes off! Completely seperated from the trans output flange. I rolled it all the way home to just around the corner from my house. Shar helped me push it from there to the street in front of the driveway. Danny's due over in a few and together with help from my youngest son and Shar, we can get it up the driveway and onto the side of the house.

I got lucky in that the shaft just fell down on top of the HE and didn't do any damage. Pics later...

Got yer back...

I 've got a spare set of axles with CV's on 'em if you need 'em

Did the joint actually fall off, or did the axle fall off? How? Did someone not torque the bolts?

Repeat after me: "New bolts, new washers, proper torque." As the crush on the gaskets has been questioned as a potential problem, you have my permission to clean the jount and flange up and use a bead of RTV instead. The Cap'n

who are you and what did you do with the Cap'n ???

At least you weren't under it.Click to view attachment

. . . somebody needs Dr. Evil's magic CV joint elixir and safety wire remedy. . . !

Back in 1971 I did a clutch job on my 67 911S. I forgot to torque the cv joint bolts properly. It was a long time until someone came along out in the open country of West Texas. The old cowboy reminded me I was driving on of those "furen" cars.

But I will be tomorrow...

I've got parts, thanks for the offers. I have a set of Dr. Evil's drilled CV bolts around here somewhere too. I wsa planning to save those for the /6 though.

Like I said, the joint separated form the trans output flange. It would appear that all of the bolts came loose. And I've never taken them off since I've owned the car. The holes don't appear to be stripped, but I haven't gotten a good look yet. I'll do that tomorrow. When I get under it...

Was there swearing involved

Seriously when is your luck gonna change? Let me know if you need anything. If they output flange is hosed, let me know, I'll go you know where and see if I can work my magic to get one cheap.

Ferg

Make sure you the RIGHT Jack!
You didn't get any purdier the last time.

DOH! You have developed the fecal touch. Everything you touch turns to shit

You can reuse my bolts dude, no need to wait on a /6 transplant.

If you need a flange I am sure I have one.

CV failure is a rite of passage for the 914 owner. It happened to me twice, and then I safety wired them on and it hasn't happened since.

I have NEVER had a CV bolt that I've installed EVER come loose or off. Only once have I safety wired a set of CV bolts, and only then because the fool was willing to part with an obscene amount of money. I buy a LOT of CV washers. Many of the cars we service at the shop don't even use washers, BTW, and they STILL don't come off. The Cap'n

I am in agreement with the Capt'n. If you put the CV bolts in with the proper backing plates, the proper schnorr washers and use the proper torque spec they will stay on.


I tried all sorts of fixes for this over the years, then I went to the book and followed the directions of the engineers. Thems some smart guys..

Just for reference, what is the torque spec?

Preliminary investigation by just reaching under the car with a bolt and trying the holes indicates that the output flange may have two bolt holes that are stripped. At least the bolt won't start in two holes.

I'm going to have to do the "move everything out of the garage" thing so I can use the lift. I'm still not ready to use jackstands just yet. I'll put the joint back on with the two good bolts and roll pins so that I can run the car enough to get it up my steep driveway.



Click to view attachment

According to the 914 Tech Spec booklet: 4.3 kgf*m

Working on a conversion now...

You do realize that two of your holes are for roll pins and not for bolts?

Note that I said the two good bolts, and for clarification, the two roll pins, and bypass the two bolts that have stripped holes. Just so I can roll the car under it's own power top get it up my rather steep driveway.

Cap'N do you pay any special attention to trying NOT to get grease on the threads? I always wondered if the grease contributed to loose CV bolts.

Need an output flange (without goobered threads) then?

Thanks for the offer John. I've got 2 or 3 transaxles laying around here.

And BTW: anyone have a good source for quality flange gaskets? The last two shitty sets I purchased cracked in the package before I even installed them.

I used RVT with the gaskets last time. I just installed my axles last night and used copper coat spray on both sides of the gasket. firstly, to glue the cracked gasket back together, then to glue it to the flange so it couldn't squeeze out the side.

We should have a How to article with the best sources for gaskets, options for bolts and washers, and tricks for greasing the joint. Also how to tell if you have a worn joint and how to install your balls in the cage.

It could be that the bolts won't start because the outer threads were damaged as the last bolt threads were hanging on for dear life. Perhaps you can fix the damaged threads. I'd only run a tap in for the first few turns to fix damaged threads. I find taps make threaded holes too loose; they clean up the threads too much sometimes.

I had one customer car where the CV & axle whacked the gearshift rod and bent it. This happened in the middle of an intersection in a big city.

About a bolt hole being extra loose after running a tap through it. I'd like to avoid that here. Actually, I thought about pulling the flange and then running an old bolt through it from the back side to possibly clean up those front threads.

That can't be right.

4.3 N*m => 3.17 lbf*ft

4.3 kgf*m => 31.10 lbf*ft (maybe this is what is in the spec book)

On Pelican board, it lists it at 31 lbf*ft. I think that is even too low.

Anyone, anyone?????

Happen to have my Haynes book next to me. Haynes says 31 lb f ft.

I haven't had a CV come off either. Let you guys in a on a little secret an old-timer mechanic I worked for showed me.

"bug guts" on the threads. I use it on every threaded fastener and I NEVER have them come loose. I did have a whole power steering bracket fall off my mom's car after I forgot to use it and replaced her head gaskets Bought new bolts, bug guts'd 'em and she put another 50K on it before selling it without an issue.

I also use RTV to seal the original CVs (I have enclosed 930 stuff now) and never had an issue - a thin film of it is plenty. Smear it smooth with spit on finger, wait until it tacks up just a little, and assemble and torque.

Bug guts = the brown liquid Permatex Aviation gasket sealer (#2 IIRC). Stays really tacky and doesn't seem to harden up at all so the threads just never vibrate loose.

I have used it on numerous vibrating race cars and all bolt stay in place (you still have to use proper torque of course). Only time we safety wired on the SW Tour car was where it was required after inspection.

Now watch, I will drop one tonight on the way to Sonic

Gint, just pull the flange. Its stoopid easy and will make things much easier, but you may need to drain your tranny a bit to keep the oil from leaking out depending on the level. 19mm socket, they are not torqued in too much.

same thing happened to my wife in the creamsicle monday night, coming up the hill about a mile from the house. weird, i think it damaged the exhaust, definitely noisier and if you turn on the heater it smells.

Did the gasket brake right through the middle? Take a close look at the CV joint gasket and see if where it broke looks like a small puzzle piece tab. The gasket industry has started to make round seals in pieces and then presses the pieces together. This saves a lot of material. I haven’t seen our CV gaskets being made this way but it wouldn't surprise me.

I know Mike, thanks. I've replaced drive flanges and seals before (powder coated the flanges ).

Torque spec has been corrected in my earlier post. Fact is, the 914 Technical Specifications booklet only gives the number. My mistake there. It is 31 lb/ft.

I wasn't so much looking for hep with this thread than I was just trying to point out to those that aren't aware how easily these things can come loose if they aren't installed properly. And you can never trust the PO. There have been 914 owners that have incurred serious damage when a CV joint lets go. I got lucky.

I just finished hanging the exterior shutters that I promised Shar I'd do months ago. *NOW* I can go work on the car.

The 914 is on the lift. Root cause analysis is complete. Whoever put these CV's on is a total fuchsnut. No roll pins, half of the 4 bolts don't have schnorr washers, the schnorr washers that are installed are very well used. The teeth are all flattened and they are not curved at all. Totally flat...

Probably going to have to order some parts. Expect a call Eric. I'm on a cerveza break.

Welcome to the club!! :-)

Safety wires should be standard!

Time to put Dr Evils kit to work...

You have time to order another before your six hits the road

Ferg

Safety wiring CV bolts is simply not required if they are installed correctly in the first place. I need gaskets anyway, so a parts order is in the works.

29 to 31 ft/lbs

we installed them "correctly" twice now and they're still coming apart on the drivers side, I'm thinkin the threads in the output hub are a little jacked, gonna have to run a tap down there and chase em I think, after that I'm givin the evil Dr a call once more money makes it's way to me

If you use a tap Ron, they will end up even more loose and troublesome then they are now.

I found 4 decent bolts and washers and at least got the joint back on so the car can move under it's own power. The threads all turned out to be OK. I'll have to wait for a parts order to get it fixed properly.

Sometimes they just work loose over time.

Had a Beetle with that failure at about 160K and the bolts were never removed from the factory. Two were missing, and two sheared over time as they worked loose.

Moral? Check the bastages even if you think they don't need it.

Ken

Schoor washers are single use washers, aren't they?

>scratching my head< I dunno.

BTW, red thread-lok comes in a gel now. =)

Roger

Yes they are. I don't understand about the head scratching. Did you have a point? Or just a tiny livestock issue?

Yep, Schnorr washers are one time use as they are only $.30 each from me and others (cheap insurance). Most 914s that I have been under had at least one bolt that I could lossen with my fingers, many had multiple. Every driving season one of these threads comes up and I try to make sure to mention that at the very least people need to check their bolts and remove and replace the washers should they find any loose. As for the safety wire bolts, I sell piece of mind at a cheap price I only make the bolts because I was getting worried about all of these threads with the CVs comming off. Easy fix for those that want to do it this way.
I am glad that nothing major happend to your ride, Gint.

For those interested, I just made up a new batch, and I have some output flanges should you find yours to be messed up