I am not sure the name of this part but it is the trianglular shape part in the middle of the picture below. It located between the cv inner joint and the transaxle on the driver's side. When removed, I hope to get the transaxle bearings which is what I want to inspect. Some questions are as follows. Q1) Can the part be pryed off with a crowbar or screwdriver? I tried prying, but the part didn't seem to budge. Do I need to apply more force? Q2) There are six bolts located behind this part. They seem to be bolted into the transaxle. Do these bolts need to be removed? If so, would anyone have advice on how to do this? Some of the screws are difficult to reach. Special tool? Thank you
It's called a Tulip (According to Haynes) and only found on the FE axles Ge axles don't have the 6 bolts You need to drain the oil and pull the whole thing out, it's clipped into the box The "transaxle bearings" are part of the diff and cannot be inspected or changed this way You need to split the gearbox in half to get at those bearings Check my gearbox thread for pics why http://www.st162.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=3828&start=80
Thanks. Points/Questions: P1) Would you mind confirming that thread link? It directs me to a thread titled "TEMS suspension, Celica Warning stickers, Celica parking sig". Thanks. Q1) The tulip is loose. In other words, I can move it in/out and up/down about 3 to 4mm. I think it's suppose to be more solid, right? It also leaks trans fluid between the tulip and the trans. Also, the tulip has a medal inner lip located on the inside of the tulip which is bent in one area. This inner lip, I believe, inserts into the trans but is not now. At a minimum there's seems to be an issue between the tulip and trans. I would think your advice to pull the trans is still the suggestion, but nonetheless, I thought I'd give you more background and ask again. Q2) Is pulling it out the trans difficult? Q3) Once pulled, do you think repairing my issue is difficult? Thanks, again.
ya your differential bearings are toast... i had this problem and it gives a big banging noise when driving...
Until such time as someone figures how to link articles - Try turning the little wheel on your mouse or otherwise try the arrows on the right of the screen I repeat:
if you are taking out or replacing your axles, i highly recommend upgrading them to the GTS axles. i just did that to my car like 2 weeks ago. with the help of stig, st165-2765, mafix, and everyone else who knows these cars like the back of their hands they assisted me. the reason i upgraded them was because of that piece right there, your photo of where the axle connects to the transmission snapped. all the studs broke off and i figured that it would be too expensive to get a replacement and new axles. it would have ran to about the same price as the GTS axles anyways. well, just letting you know in case you are interested. i also have a thread of what i did too. its in the diagnosis thread too. i think its call "fe to ge axle conversion"..... or "dang it.." under the off topic area.
Thanks Stig, and to everyone else, for your responses. Since I presently lack the confidence to pull and split the gearbox myself, I will mostly likely need to take the car to the shop. But before I do, I want to relay two bits of information that I and my semi-mechanic neighbor discovered. 1) We removed the side gear shaft (picture below). The Haynes manuals says that knocking at low speeds could be a "Worn side gear shaft counterbore". Please let me know if you think it looks worn and that you recommend I get a new one. From what I know, it doesn't seem worn, but it does have a slight taperness towards the top. 2) As I put my finger into the differential shaft hole, about 2 to 3 inches in, there is a threaded gear that moves some, not much but some. The bearings visible from the outside seemed tight and ok (picture below). Question. If you recommend replacing that gear, do I still need to pull the trans to get to that gear? I anticipate having to take it to the shop, though this is my last ditch effort. If I do take it to the shop, about what cost estimate should I expect? Thanks again.
That hub looks OK, with a cleanup & the dust cover straightened it can go back in, the taper is so it goes in easier. The loose gear is the white plastic speedo drive, they normally have play in them. Before giving your hard earned cash away, try to find a good box & shafts from a ST202 or Camry V6, Solara etc These boxes are expensive to overhaul, the other boxes are way better and will work out cheaper in the long run
Ok. I'm somewhat embarrassed. After everything to this point, I'm beginning to wonder if I should re-evaluate whether I have transmission issue or if it could possibly be something else. This, mainly because of some new symptoms. If I may, I would like to list these symptoms for you review and feedback. Before doing so, below is a brief review of what we have covered to this point... Review Symptom: A knocking at low level speeds in sync with front wheel turning. Inspection: 1) Left drixeaxle, wheel bearings, caliper, and rotor seem ok. 2) Left side shaft has a little play, but conclusion is normal, due to normal looseness of inner trans white plastic speedo drive. Conclusion: Trans could benefit from upgrade. ST202, Solara, etc. Update Symptom: When knocking at low speeds, if the steering wheel were let go, it can be seen vibrating to the right (about an inch each vibration). Vibration is in sync with knocking. Car also steers to the right. Note: I am not sure whether the knocking/vibration causes the steering to the right or whether I have a general alignment issue, or is caused by a combination of both issues. Another bit of information is that the knocking does not seem to get louder when I make a right or left turn. Inspection: 1) Right wheel bearings, caliper, rotors seem ok. Cv boots look fine. Inspection concern: I removed the right driveaxle and inspected cv joints. The inner joint seems fine but the outer is fairly stiff. It takes some muscle to bend/flex it. It is not nearly as flexible as the inner joint though I understand this as to be expected. On another issue, I tried to get the outer cv joint off the axle by using a hammer/brassbar on the inner race (instructed by Haynes manual). The inner race would not budge. Q1) I could hammer harder, but is this resistance normal? Q2) Is the inner cv joint suppose to be this stiff? Could this be an/the issue? Thanks sincerely.
Please excuse the belated update, but the car issue has been resolved. Before I explain how, I want to say that I may have mislead you by misdiagnosing a symptom. I had said that turning had no effect on the knocking sound. After closer listening though, I detected that turning to the right DID stop the knocking sound. It was difficult hear, but I apologize for any wild goose chasing I may have caused. About two months ago I bought a used tire. When I left the shop, the car drove perfectly. I now know why used tires have a short 30 day guarantee: They can go bad. Before I made a transmission appointment, I'd revisited the tire shop. On my way there, by the way, I detected the turning to the right symptom. Well, sure enough, a bulge was detected on the front right tire. This embarrasses me to say. I did checked for bulges, but I now know that the best way to check for bulges is to jack the tire off the ground, spin it, and check for warpage movement. I will not forget this. The shop nice enough to replace the tire without charge and I drove away without a knocking sound. Thank you to those who suggested I check for tire bulges. I initially put this analysis to the side, but didn't forget it, and this suggestion eventually lead me back to the tire shop. Thanks again. However, an equal thanks to everyone who offered advice even when the symptoms did not indicate a diagnosis to a particular side of the car. Again, sincere thanks. Going through this whole ordeal to find out that it was a mere tire bulge, has been humbling. However, it's been a great learning experience with no regrets. Through this experience I have learned how to: - Listen, feel, and identify symptoms better - Check for tire bulges - Remove and replace a driveshaft - Overhaul and grease CV and wheel joints - A better understanding of brake, drive, and suspension systems It's a great to have a working car again. Thanks everyone.
