Ok, so I broke down on the M180 today. Basically going along at about 70 when the car tried to veer to the left, at first I thought I'd had a puncture but then realised I had no drive, and the speedo was reading erratically. Luckily the M180 is not the busiest of motorways and I was able to get over to the hard shoulder with relative ease.
Anyway, when I tried to select any gear there was no drive and you could hear a rattle. I called the RAC cos I was obviously going nowhere and it was bloody freezing! He had a quick look and the N/S drive shaft was rotating, the O/S didn't do anything, so he diagnosed an outer CV joint fail, which makes total sense. He got the vehicle home so I set about stripping down the near side to have a look and right enough you could pretty much spin the drive shaft in the joint!!
My only confusion is while I was sat waiting it was a bit chilly so I started the car with no gears selected and you could still hear a grinding and the speedo was reading about 10mph!! If my issue was the outer cv joint why would this happen? Before I stripped the car I started it and with no gear selected the N/S shaft was rotating! I'm thinking the diff may be an issue, but then when the drive shaft was rotating at the roadside why was the car not going anywhere?
Anybody any further insight? I'm going to change the cv joint anyway, I've started so I'll finish!! I'm just a bit concerned I'll get it changed and won't have actually mended the car!!
Anyway, when I tried to select any gear there was no drive and you could hear a rattle. I called the RAC cos I was obviously going nowhere and it was bloody freezing! He had a quick look and the N/S drive shaft was rotating, the O/S didn't do anything, so he diagnosed an outer CV joint fail, which makes total sense. He got the vehicle home so I set about stripping down the near side to have a look and right enough you could pretty much spin the drive shaft in the joint!!
My only confusion is while I was sat waiting it was a bit chilly so I started the car with no gears selected and you could still hear a grinding and the speedo was reading about 10mph!! If my issue was the outer cv joint why would this happen? Before I stripped the car I started it and with no gear selected the N/S shaft was rotating! I'm thinking the diff may be an issue, but then when the drive shaft was rotating at the roadside why was the car not going anywhere?
Anybody any further insight? I'm going to change the cv joint anyway, I've started so I'll finish!! I'm just a bit concerned I'll get it changed and won't have actually mended the car!!