KuHL 951

I saw a post awhile back on how to determine if the rubber center has failed. I can't find the thread now. It was something to do with turning the shaft in the torque tube and measuring play. Does this ring a bell with anyone? I'm 90% sure this is the problem and clunk I'm getting.

Luis de Prat

I recall something to the effect of parking backwards on an incline and trying to start the car in reverse. If you had trouble doing so, the rubber centered clutch was on its way out. HTH.

zehnd

I also heard to try to start off in third gear. If it stalls you're okay.

aeronautica86

I can start off in third gear.....just takes alot of gas

aeronautica86

and my clutch is about 1 yr old w/ 8K miles...

944Ecology

The easiest way to check the rubber center is to jack up the rear end of the car (both wheels off the ground) and remove the trapezoidal cover in the rear of the torque tube. This will allow you to reach in and grab the coupler between the torque tube driveshaft and the input shaft to the transaxle.

If you can rotate the coupler more than about 1 degree, the rubber hub is toast.

gb

aeronautica86

Another way to know if its gone, is when you start your car and put it in gear, thousands of rubber bits fly out of the inspection hole

KuHL 951

That's exactly the reference I was looking for. Is this done with the car in gear? Thanks- I think I'm already in limp home mode and would rather not do the destructive testing methods mentioned above!

PaulStewart

I'd put the tranny in neutral since you are checking for play in the clutch hub which is attached to the other end of the input shaft.

Legoland951

Put it in neutral and do it the way 944ecology stated.

adrian_jaye

2Tight, I posted that yonks ago, when a mechanic tested mine (albeit) after mine had already gone,

car in neutral, you will hear a clunk clunk noise