Pot joint problems
Turbo Mini Forums

So I'm finally getting a chance to sort out the drive shaft oil seal. I figured a while ago that the bush in the end plate was worn causing the oil leak. I ordered a new endplate, chucked that on and the pot joint didn't slide in too easy. It needed a bit of encouragement but I think the pot joint I'm using was one of those non-gen ones that are a bit tight. Now that it's on, it's seized solid and won't turn. There's no way that a hard spicer end plate would stil fit a pot joint but be really tight? I'm pretty sure I ordered a pot joint one. Of course it won't come back out now so the car is kinda stuck! I can't get the end plate off either as the pot joint is in the way...

There was a batch of poor quality pot joints around a few years ago, with the slot for the retaining clip in wrong place. I have just ruined an end plate removing on on my car.

On your new end plate, did you check the clearance on the bush? I think the new end plates are supplied with the bush reamed to correct size.

HOSS

The pot joint always has been a bit tight getting it on and off, but it just won't turn in the endplate this time. I'm thinking there's a clearance issue with the bush as you say. It's really stuffed up my plans! I'm going to try and prize it off, worst case I'll put the old leaky one on.

Yep! The bush is way too tight, so that's for the bin. The old one isn't actually that bad, so that's back on and the minis back in the garage. I'll huff for a few weeks than try work on it again...

Silly question, but can you leak oil past the diff splines into the pot joint itself and leak out past the rubber boot? There is liquidy grease on the subframe around the pot joint, so I'm thinking this is what's happening.

Edited by Jay#2 on 1st Apr, 2018.

The bush just needs machining / reaming to size. Few good YouTube videos on this.

Some of the rubbish pot joints are not properly sealed between the splines and the pot and do leak oil into the pot causing a frightful mess.

HOSS

You're right it does cause a mess! There's a ton of oily guff around the subframe, I think the plug has moved a bit so I now know what needs done to fix it... in another few weeks when I muster up the motivation to take it all apart again...