Help!! Rear Driver Side clacking sound!

[hawaiiw116]

Aloha everyone,

I just brought a 1979 450 sel.  The last owner when he delever the car to me hit a bump and there is an awful noise coming from the rear driver side of car.  It sounds like a clacking metal-on-metal sound. 

Also there droplets (spray) coming from the exhuast.  it does not smell like gas it is clear with brown stuff any ideas

Any ideas?

[oscar]

hiya hawaii

It's worth putting the park brake/emergency brake on, jacking up that tyre, removing it and grabbing hold of the any linkages by hand and checking for freeplay in the axle halfshaft and bushes. 

This may or may not be the right answer since it may not make the same "clacking" sound you describe (it's more of a grinding sound) but have a look at the rear sway bar linkage on that side too.  It may have worn and disconnected itself. Pics below.






The originals are like the ones above and the first pic below.  There's two other replacement types further down including plastic ones at the bottom.

[oscar]

Oh, and the water from the exhaust - I'd say it's just condensate with rusty particles from the exhaust.  It's normal for these cars to spit a bit of water out the exhaust when warming up.  Once the car and the exhaust warms up, no droplets should come out the exhaust, but if you hold your hand in the fumes you'll still feel some moisture after a little while as if your were breathing out on your hand.  (beware your hand will stink of exhaust afterwards)

Worst case scenario would be if you had a headgasket leak or cracked block.  Look for white creamy oil on the dipstick or through the oil cap hole and just keep and eye on the radiator expansion tank and see if it's level is dropping at all.  Look for external leaks first if it is dropping.

[hawaiiw116]

Thanks guys, I will take a look.  Does anyone know where I can find a rear driver side axle?

[WGB]

What do you mean by rear axle - do you mean the axle shaft?

450 had a different shaft to 6.9 and Diesel which shared a larger one.

Wrecker would be your best bet but www.autohausaz.com and the like sell new ones at reasonable cost.

126 shaft is different and bolts to a flange but you can buy a flange and shaft from a 126 if a 116 shaft is hard to find.

The workshop manual here gives clear direction on the different shafts for different models.

Bill

[John Hubertz]

Why do you need an axle?  Rare item to replace...

[hawaiiw116]

I really hope it is the rear sway bar linkage and not the axle.  I looks like it is touching the rear sway bar linkage is resting on the brake calpier cover/protector. 

Also, I just discovered the odometer does not work.  If i buy a new one from eBay and take it to a shop can they set it? The last owner said it must have just happened and he never noticed it.  BTW, I brought the all black w116 from 500eguy.

[oscar]

In the following pic, the alloy cog top right is supposed to turn with the axle that goes through it.  After many years it slips and the odo doesn't work anymore.  I've only fixed one (the one below) and used a bit of superglue to do it however it's very difficult to get glue in between the cog and axle and not on anything else.  I put a dab of glue on the axle when partly disassembled then slid the axle all the way to where it's supposed to go then kept turning it for a few minutes so no glue set between the axle and other counter wheels, the alloy cog and the counters, the alloy cog and the outer bracket holding the axle or the axle to the bracket.   The glue should only be allowed to set between the axle and alloy cog.

Very fiddly but can be done.  I'd baulk at buying an ebay special until you had a go at trying to fix this one first.

I assume your speedo works??  If it does and the odo doesn't then the speedo cable is ok.  Check the speedo against a GPS, navman or similar to see if it's calibrated as well.

[TJ 450]

What's the story with these "balljoint" swaybar links? Neither of my cars have them, so I would assume that they go with the non "Watts Linkage" design and are as such specific to 280's and 350's and maybe 300SD's.

Tim

[hawaiiw116]

Big mahalos guys.  I call a MB service guy and he said it is more than likely the sway bar linkage was jarred.  He stated if the rear axle was broken can would not be able to move.  Is this true?  Thanks guys!

[oscar]

  He stated if the rear axle was broken can would not be able to move.  Is this true? 

I suppose so.  Depends how bad and where the fault was.  eg If the axle had snapped in half on one side or a CV join failed, the car would barely move as it wouldn't have a limited slip diff and the unloaded half axle would take all the power.  But it would also be wallowing about and cause all sorts of damage and noise.  I think you're axles are fine.  The main problem they suffer from is decaying  rubber boots over the CV joints as they get old.  They dry out, perish, crack and then leak oil.  The CV join then might fail but I can't remember ever reading about someone experiencing total failure.  They've just replaced those boots.  Have a look at WGB's thread about them http://forum.w116.org/mechanicals/right-axle-side-shaft-removal-pictorial/

TJ, I thought even the anti squat type rear ends had them too.  Either way, there's gotta be some kind of link between the hubs and the sway bar so that the rear levelling valve of the hydro and SLS types can function.  I looked at WGB's photos in that link above and noticed the first pic looks completely different to what I posted.  Larger dust shield aside there's bolts in the sway bar that none of mine have.  So it's different but how is it linked?

[TJ 450]

I haven't quite worked it out, but I'll investigate tonight.

Tim

[Big_Richard]

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[hawaiiw116]

Yep! It is worse than expected.  both rear axle are broken.  does anyone have any idea where I can buy re-built or new ones?

Thanks,
Jessie

[koan]

TJ, I thought even the anti squat type rear ends had them too.

So it's different but how is it linked?

Have a look at job 35-350 in the library, the last drawing. The sway bar bolts directly to the top of 91 with no link.

koan