2001 focus zx3 manual trans clunking barely engages

[whynotthinkwhynot]

Yes, if you feel like you were in gear, and engaged, but not turning the wheel. When we've had this happen to someone, the car didn't move at all. There was no sound either, if I recall correctly. It's worth checking, if the clip didn't seat completely then you'll see more than an 1/8" of clearance between the inner CV and the transmission on the driver's side. It should be very tight in there.

** Looking back at your description, that is what was described about a year ago when someone else had a problem with the CV clip on the driver's side. IIRC, it wasn't seated completely. We had one with a damaged clip, but that is so rare. It's the only time I've heard of it happening in my 20 years of fixing stuff and 7 years of being on this site. My guess would be that the axle is not seated completely, so check that clearance.**

[FoMoCus]

I'll definitely give that a look. That's the most recent work the car has had. I'm towing the car over today, I'll check the CV, and I'm also going to drain the transmission to check for metal shards. I'm hoping to get an idea of what I'm dealing with before removing the trans. The CV work might still even be under warranty.

[whynotthinkwhynot]

Sometimes the inner CV can be broken when installing, but I've never had one not turn unless it wasn't seated.

[tmittelstaedt]

I doubt your CV clip was broken. The truth of why I replaced the clip if you really want to know is when I was struggling to figure out the trick of getting the axle to seat back into the transmission, at one point I thought it would be a good idea to remove the clip and do a test fit without the clip, just to see if there was something else that was preventing the axle from going all the way in - so I started prying it off and "spring" the damn thing went shooting off into the neighbors barkdust & clover filled garden. I never did find it. Pissed me off mightily I can tell you since it happened at 4pm - if I had immediately run to the dealer for a replacement I would have had it back together that night, but I wasted too much time looking for it and calling around to auto parts stores asking if they sold one, so the dealer was closed by the time I quit wasting time.

One you figure out the trick with the axle it snaps in and out easily but until then it's like trying to start a lawnmower that's been sitting with gas in the carb for a year, you will be cussin! I can easily see a repair shop not getting the axle in if they aren't familiar with these cars. (and burning a lot of time getting it out)

if the clip is missing when the axle comes out, it could be broken or the shop could have removed it in desperation, thinking that it wouldn't matter if it was there or not. It matters! If it did break off in the transmission, I suspect the trans would sound like an old threashing machine.

[FoMoCus]

I think the clip is the culprit. I towed the car to my place earlier and for giggles I had someone put it in reverse and try to engage it while i was looking underneath from the front. I can see the drivers side cv shaking and moving like the teeth aren't quite grabbing. So I think either the clip popped off into the diff, the splines on the cv are stripped, or the splines inside the diff and stripped. So I could be lucky, or screwed. I'm going to start breaking the driver's side apart tonight and tomorrow and see what happens.

[FoMoCus]

Also thanks for the replies you guys, it's really helping me diagnose and troubleshoot this thing. If anything else, it's giving me ideas and hope!

[whynotthinkwhynot]

What is your estimate of the clearance between the inner CV and the transmission? It should be very tight in there.

[FoMoCus]

I didn't spend too much time under there, the car is lowered and I didn't have it jacked up so I didn't measure clearance. I'm going to get it up in the air and take a closer look. So you're saying the inner cv's boot should be almost right up against the transmission? Also does anybody have a picture of this circlip? I tried googling to no avail.

On a side note, if the drivers cv is pulled away from the transmission, shouldn't the passenger side shaft still be enough to pull the car?

[tmittelstaedt]

drivers side axle circlip, part # W700859-S403 (Ford dealer price should be about $13)

It's just a simple round spring clip.

You must pull the drivers axle out to see if it's there. If the axle comes out easily and there is no clip ion the groove at the end of the axle then if it were mine, I would buy another clip, install the axle, and see if it runs. If it does I would assume the last shop that did the CV work wasn't able to get the axle installed with the clip on it and pulled the clip off, assuming it wasn't needed.

If it does not run then I'd pull the transmission and look at the clutch but I probably would assume the clutch is good and replace the trans. A clutch has to be really, really screwed up to not transmit any power at all. You can get a used, warrantied MTX transmission off Ebay for $300 with shipping - check out listing 330868133071, so as the man says, quit screwing around with it, and fix the damn thing.

With a standard differential if one wheel has no traction then all the power will go to it and no power will go to the wheel that has traction.

[gonefishn1212]

so i gave up.. ended up ordereing a clutch that didnt fit, the splines didnt match up, that noise i was hearing was the * up front passenger wheel bearing. i went to napa and bought another clutch and the thing was too small. so im letting the shop fix it, i just hope they know what they are doing cause all they have to do is put it back together after they order a new clutch, cause i cant seem or order a correct on.
when i opened the transmission up it didnt look bad at all. i think all i probabaly needed was a bleed cause i could drive the car fine even with no clutch pedal pressure. i also messed up 2 of 3 helicoils that hold on the throwout bearing. oh and all the transmission/gear fluid came out the axle shaft hole. i just gave up on it and am letting the shop deal with it now. $45 an hour +parts... hope i dont go over a grand!!!


in closing bring it to the shop and let them do it!