I broke something at the track a few weeks back. I has taken me awhile (first time trying to do it) but I have finally extracted my drivetrain from the car. I removed the tube from the trans and removed the end bolts.

How do I get the shaft out of the tube and check my couplers?

Is there any issue with separating the trans from rear diff?

How do I test the trans to see if that is the issue?

How do I test the diff?

Where do I get torque settings for all these bolts?

Cajun

 

Kind of hard to help when you don't offer any details. What does "broke something" mean? What are the symptoms? What is the car doing/not doing? Does it move...etc?

The answers half your questions lie with the service manual...disassmbly of the torque tube, torque specs.....

Do you have a service manual?

 

I also see a pair of long nosed (VERY long nosed) snap-ring pliers in your future. Need'em to get the snap-rings out of your torque tube to remove the driveshaft.

 

You are correct, I was trying to go too fast. Here are the details of the case.

1- went to the track for the first time with my DRs

2- did my first burnout and my traction control kept coming back on so I was having trouble doing the burnout using the heel/toe method on brake/gas

3- launched at 3500 RPM and spun pretty badly through both 1st and 2nd, probably due to tires not getting a good burnout

4- onlookers saw some smoke come from the car a little past the 1/8 mile

5- i hot lapped and no one informed me of the smoke on the first run

6- i did my second burnout and again the damned TC kept kicking on so I didnt get a good burnout again

7- launched the car at around 3200 and it felt weak coming out of the hole like it only had 30% power and the clutch did not engage hard

8- i immediately let out and tried to shift to 2nd to limp it down the track but the power went away more and by the time I shifted to 3rd there was no power at all.

9- the car would not move at all, i had to be towed off the track

10- let it cool down and tried all gears, no lunging, no movement, no noise when in gear with clutch released

11- i put it in the air and rotated the rear wheels. they both spun but not at the same RPM and they both spun with the clutch disengaged while car was in gear

I do not have a service manual but have access to online info on army knowledge online.

Thanks guys

 

Sounds a lot like a left output shaft. What type of differential do you have?

 

Stock, 103,000 miles

 

Well, I'd inspect back to front. Seperate the differential from the tranny, this will expose the mainshaft for immediate inspection. Inspect the differential case for crack/split. Pop the cover and look at the output shaft. Work your way forward.....

 

Cool deal, will do that. I took loose the bolts from the trans/diff but cant get them apart. Do I need to pry or is there a trick? How long is that shaft that connects them? I am sorry for all the questions, this is the first time I have even been close to this so dont want to jack something up. You know they say there is no dumb question, but I may challenge that idea sometimes

I found this for the rear differential. I guess I will try to go do that part now http://www.c5frc.com/DIY/Hardened_Ou...haft/index.htm

I dont see any torque settings on this DIY? Is there a ft. lb. for the side and interior bolts? Thanks

Cajun

 

sounds like my same story . almost to the tee . i got towed off the track and home , only to find out i broke the pass. side output shaft . on my diff. very common ,but usually you break the drivers side 85% of the time . let us know what broke .

 

http://getseattime.com/files/C5_torque.pdf

I have found this resource invaluable through the rebuild of my entire car. It has had every torque spec I've needed.

Best of luck!

 

Dude that is awesome. Thanks

 

There is a nut on a stud bottom centre of the trans/diff interface. It's a little hidden up in a recess. Make sure you get it off too. After these parts have been together for a while they don't just fall apart so you'll have to use some force.

The transmission would likely show as a broken output shaft (or maybe input shaft??) and this usually also breaks the diff case and sometimes the trans case making a real mess.

From your description it also sounds like the clutch might have burned up. An output shaft would be a very sudden failure not a slow loss of power.

Peter

 

The clutch looks good, normal operation. I just thought that if it was the clutch it would have at least lunged or something after it cooled down. Also I NEVER drug the clutch at all. I did my burnouts and then shifted normally down the track.

Cajun

 

The TT is easy to check, just seperate it from the transmission and give it a spin, the other end should spin at the same rate.

There is a huge "snap ring" clip at the back end that you remove and then using a rubber mallet just tap out the whole shaft. That snap ring is a beotch to get out and back in.

CHeck your tranny's mainshaft too.

 

Though it won't tell you why your not moving, you should check the rubber couplers while it's out. Just spinning it won't show if they are about to give it up. Mine looked terrible after 50K and I saved myself another trip into the drivetrain by exploring and replacing these parts.

 

Okay all pieces are apart here is the synopsis

TT- Shaft has no visible damage, it spins freely and smoothly with no noise or issue

Trans- Drained the fluid and it was bright red (looked new really) and there were very small metal flecks like sand in the fluid, no more than I would expect for a 104k trans. I stood the trans up and tilted it to get every drop out. The shaft spins freely and smoothly with no noise or issue. Front and rear shaft spin at same rate

Diff- Drained it, absolutely no metal flecks, nothing on the magnet either. It did have some silver in the fluid which looked like limited slip compound to me. All shafts spin freely and with no noise. I took it apart, put in an ECS drivers side hardened shaft then put it back together.

The clutch- Textralia OZ700 Xgrip moves normally when pedal is depressed, no bolts backed off (that I can see). No blackness or clutch material in the area.


Bottom line here is that I am in no way shape or form an expert or even knowledgeable about this stuff..................but I am stumped???? Any ideas guys?

 

I don't see how you can test the clutch pedal with the TT (torque tube) out ??

So if you spin one end of the TT , the other end spins at the same rate ??

Next the trasmission, it does not spin at the same rate of the rear shaft except when in 4th gear.

Pull off the rear differential cover and inspect the ring and pinion.

Post some pictures.

 

I tested the clutch first thing before dissasembling anything. I removed the bellhousing bottom and had someone work the clutch pedal to see movement.

The TT shaft seems to spin at the same rate but maybe I am just taking it for granted.

I have had the entire rear apart today and replaced the drivers side output shaft. No issues in there at all.

 

Have someone hold one end while you try to spin, if it spins, that's what's wrong.

Maybe you broke the other axle side, did you check it ?

 

It spins freely when i spin the assembly under the rear inspection cover. There is no visible damage in there and no metal whatsoever.

Cajun