Cadillac Owners Forum banner

What are the symptoms of CVJ’s failing?

2K views 13 replies 5 participants last post by  carnut 
#1 ·
My 90 Seville is handling kinda strange.
1. On acceleration it waddles a little
2. It wants to pull a little to the right.
3. At low RPM and at 25 to 30 MPH, man the thing rocks like crazy. (engine mounts appear OK, movement under the hood is minimal).
4. Slowing down to a stop I hear a growling sound.
5. Acceleration, deceleration, acceleration, results with a clunking similar to a bad u-joint. (no noise)
6. Parked you can rock the car a good foot or more with no effort.
7. When turning or even veering a little to the right I can hear a light squeak.
I replaced the front hub bearings and the tie rods, ball joints and brakes are good, as well as the CV boots.

Any advice is welcome
 
#7 ·
Thanks carnut I appreciate your input, although it does not answer my question.
Unless it is your expert opinion that much travel in the drive train is within normal factory tolerance. If not something must be out of whack wouldn’t you agree. My other cars don’t have that much travel.
Use the parking brake? Come on! Isn’t that like fixing a suspicious noise by simply turning up the radio? Although that technique works well with the squeaks and groans emanating from my vehicle. Still rides and steers like sh*!.
Thanks Sevillian273. Strut rod bushings? Sound like helpful advice. Probability more likely than tire issues. This car has over 300,000 miles on it. I just don’t want to rebuild the front suspension if the transmission is on its way. You know, money down the hole.
I’ll still swap the tires front to back.
 
#8 ·
Over 300,000 miles, I'd say you have squeezed a good share of the miles out of that car. If the trans has never been out or replaced, consider yourself fortunate. Not too many make it that far. Growling sound, look at your rotors. You might not have a rotor seated against the hub. I'd jack it up with the wheels off the ground and trans in neutral. Rotate your wheels to check for wobble. You might even be able to hear that growling sound you are hearing when you step on the brakes.
 
#11 ·
Thanks, I spend a lot of time at my local u-pull yard scouting for that car someone has thrown money at. I pull as much as I can afford and shelf the parts till I need them.
If I find the right interior color, man I’m on it. I found a mint, right color leather steering wheel for my 83 Eldo last time out.
The stance is thanks to a pair of fairly new/used air shocks I scored at; well you know.
Those spoke wheels; I pulled same place, $50 for all four with tires. They are TRU-SPOKE’s. I do have a couple spots where the clear coat has issues along with some fading on the top side of the bumpers. The black trim moldings around the door glass has shrunk some too. The drivers door won't close tight either.
I’ve heard that about the Transmissions, but what I heard was, there are two models, early and late, one of which is the better. I can’t remember which one through, except the one in my car is the better one. They use different pan/gasket shape.
 
#13 ·
Swapped the tires, man what a difference! Not pulling to the right and steers smoother. Thanks carnut. You are right, f%#*ed up tire. While the car was in the air I took a good look at everything, all looked tight and the brakes are at a good 90%.
I couldn’t feel any looseness in the bearings or CV’s. The bushings looked OK, as well as the ball joints and tie rod ends.
The front struts on the other hand are covered in oil, hmmm.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top