[SergioMGTF]

Good morning,
so here it comes, I drove down to Italy from the UK two weeks ago and I have been in the company of a clunking noise coming from the engine bay, at first I hoped the 800 miles drive was going to sort it out but it didn't. The car with about 58K treated me really well in terms of consumption and performance an average of 46mpg.
Got here and done a nice service, oil and fuel filter, new oil, spark plugs, new rear brake and discs.
Unfortunately, what I was thinking was an engine noise turned out to be a driveshaft issue. I put the car on stands, put it in D and as I can see from the bottom of the car the RH drive shaft is spinning freely the LH is struggling badly, half the speed of the RH and producing a nice clunking noise. Also under acceleration I can see the left wheel vibrating badly, I've checked the bearing on both wheel and they are good
Now I need to change it, I do not feel confident in another 800 miles in one go knowing what the issue is.
The major problem is that the part number I need is Driveshaft and Joint Assembly - Inner - Auto - LH TDC000110 as per Rimmer's catalogue but in fortunately I've contacted them and they are out of stock so is their supplier, usual luck.
Do you know how I may source a new shaft? at this point even a used one will do.
And also do you think the manual one would fit? I doubt it as the length of the manual and auto gearboxes may be slight different.
As you can see I am a bit in a pickle
MG TF 1.8 Stepspeed 2002

 

[SergioMGTF]

Not sure if you can see the following video:
Driveshaft

 

[slatept]

That looks like the differential that's faulty to me.

 

[SergioMGTF]

Ok, so no issues with the driveshaft but the differential?
Sounds worst to fix I guess...

 

[slatept]

You need to remove the drive shaft come what may. I'd do that and check looseness in the universal joints. The joints should be free moving in all directions with no play. If that shows the drive shaft ok then yes u

 

[slatept]

Woops finger trouble. As I was saying if the drive shaft shows to be ok then your into a differential strip which I believe involves splitting the engine/ gearbox. Serious stuff. With the symptoms you describe and the video I'd be very reluctant to drive any distance

 

[SergioMGTF]

Thank you slatept, that is a good pointer.
I will get the tools here on Tuesday and get the driveshafts off the car and see what they look like and of course report back. Wish me luck!

 

[SergioMGTF]

So no much luck and not much progress. I've contacted a CVT specialist and he suggested the issue is more likely to be the differential and not the driveshaft.
The theory unfortunately seems correct, I've removed the gearbox sump, after draining the fluid overnight and what I found in it is not promising, quite a bit of metal debris on the magnet but also some broken teeth:

I started to dismantle the hub just to get stuck at the trailing rear suspension which ball joint does not want to come off.

 

[SergioMGTF]

so now to the challenge of removing the drivshaft, I've tried with an heavy long pry bar and a short one but both drishafts are stuck in solid no movement.I'm a loss, any advice?

 

[Julian Foulger]

I do not have a CVT (thank god!) but I assume that you have the workshop manual If not, this will give you access - MGF Electro Mechanical - CVT.

 

[SergioMGTF]

I do not have a CVT (thank god!) but I assume that you have the workshop manual If not, this will give you access - MGF Electro Mechanical - CVT.

Thank you Julian much appreciated. I do have a soft copy of the manual and the specific of the CVT gearbox, folliwing to the T and the only tool I'm missing is the drive shaft extractor, I'm using a crowbar 80 cm long and with a 3cm blade but no joy. I've seen in other threads people just wiggle it out or use a similar tool to get it to pop out. I'm at a loss I just need to remove the driweshaft to drop the gearbox. (the CVT is not such a bad beast )

 

[SergioMGTF]

Latest update, I had a mechanic coming over this afternoon, he was able to drop the RH side driweshaft but no luck with the LH one stuck in. He gave up in the end. Still progress I should be able to remove the gearbox now, even with one drive shaft in...