Help...advice needed

[ninja.turtle007]

Thanks Neil. So just because it has failed doesn't mean it will leak?

Just need to be 100% before I buy a new one. Baby due Sept and wife won't be working so I'm having to be very carefully on what I spend money on.

[axeman]

yep they can fail open, fail closed or and leak.


neil

[jed the spread]

For what its worth changing a VC isnt a hard job to do, http://campervanculture.com/2011/01/how ... -yourself/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

jed

[zillertalsyncro]

I dropped the oil from the diff last night. It was a little dirty but no unusual smells. The drain plug had a few bits of metal stuck to it.

If the VC at fault wouldn't I expect to oil to be really smelly? Or is this not alway the case?

only if it has leaked its fluids.

neil

You can only smell oil of the gearbox IN the VC if it sucked oil into it (hard VC with little of gearbox oil or soft VC with a mix of gearbox and VC oil), but can't smell VC oil in the gearbox. VC oil doesn't smell, it's the oil of the gearbox.

[Aidan]

you definately CAN smell it in the gear oil when the two have mixed it is a disgusting smell much worse than gear oil, once it's been through some heat cylces it also leaves a black gelatinous goo on everything like the aqueous humour in the eye if you remember your o level biology disection classes
Tom you ned to do a mix of tests with the vc properly at temperature, full lock turn, lift a wheel and rotate, turn prop with spanner, and 4x2 or rolling brake tester test, then make a judgement based on those results
if you have the vc out then a visual inspection of the oilways to the oil seals will often tell you if it's blown the seals as they will be worming out of the oil holes

[ninja.turtle007]

you definately CAN smell it in the gear oil when the two have mixed it is a disgusting smell much worse than gear oil, once it's been through some heat cylces it also leaves a black gelatinous goo on everything like the aqueous humour in the eye if you remember your o level biology disection classes
Tom you ned to do a mix of tests with the vc properly at temperature, full lock turn, lift a wheel and rotate, turn prop with spanner, and 4x2 or rolling brake tester test, then make a judgement based on those results
if you have the vc out then a visual inspection of the oilways to the oil seals will often tell you if it's blown the seals as they will be worming out of the oil holes

I know it will fail the turn test. I struggled to turn the van around in 1st without revving it quite hard and slipping the clutch.

Wheel rotation- i thought it was a seized caliper and replaced!

4x2 not done this but will do. I have a look at the vie on YouTube on how to do this.

Prop, spanner- not sure what to do here. Could you please explain?

Thanks

[Aidan]

prop spanner - can you turn the prop with a 13mm spanner on one of the bolts holding it to the diff, on the floor, brakes on, all wheels on the ground, when cold, when hot
jack up one wheel (I prefer front) support vehicle and how much force required to turn wheel (or not) again cold and hot

[lloydy]

You could also swap VC's with the caravelle, at least it will give you a definite answer

[ninja.turtle007]

I put the prop back on and went for 15 mile drive to get things warmed up.

Lifted a front wheel and I could not turn it. Would only bounce back and forth slighty and prop was moving.

Jacked the back end, chocked the front. I could not get the back wheels to turn without the fronts trying to climb.

So I take it that it is defo has failed tight?

Will be ordering from Mr Baxter in the next few days.

Thanks to everyone for their input.

[ninja.turtle007]

Have new VC waiting to go in. Just in the process of taking out diff. As usual I have another question. I took the front of the prop off and the part it is bolted to spins freely. Should this happen if the VC has failed tight? Or is it only tight once warmed up?

Still trying to get my head round this whole 4 wheel drive thing!!


Thanks

[ninja.turtle007]

Oops, I had already detached the drive shafts!!

[ninja.turtle007]

New VC in and everything seems to be doing what it should.

I now really hate the smell of gearbox oil!!!

Thanks again.

Now all I need to do is sort the lurching. https://club8090.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=87529" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;