Hi all,

After a bunch of small issues, I finally have my newly built engine in the car. However, I am now having issues with the drivers side output shaft getting back in to the transfer case. Basically try as I might, I can't get it to seat. The passenger side seated fine, but not the drivers side. Upon inspection, it looks like the circlip has somehow enlarged and basically gets caught somehow. I'm thinking the mechanic I gave it to install the clutch last messed it up. Every time I've given my car out to do something, something gets messed up - which is why I really hate to ever give the car to anyone (I only ever gave it out for transmission work due to the time factor, though in future I'm just going to do it myself). The clown that did the clutch also put tons of RTV black between the TC and transmission (there is just supposed to be a rubber o-ring), and lost a transmission bellhousing bolt too.

Anyway, I know the TC is fine because I took the circlip off the shaft and it seated fine with no issues. However, of course you shouldn't run it without the clip, so my question is... is there any way to reinstall the circlip on here? I make the clip smaller (as it's supposed to be), but when it goes on the shaft if enlarges again as it passes the wider part of the shaft (it doesn't spring back down).

I've not checked yet, but I'm guessing Mitsubishi sells the output shafts with the clips pre-installed... I don't really want to have to buy an entire shaft just because of the clip though!

Any ideas anyone?

thanks!

S.

 

Okay, never mind... looks like the clips are sold separately. Is there a specific technique to install them without stretching them though..?

Thanks!

S.

 

On my car, the clip got messed up somehow, which then messed up the shaft. A new shaft, with clips installed, is only like $60. Buy a new shaft, and you have no worries of stretching the clips. Its prob not your mechanic's fault, the clips do stretch over time.

 

Buy even a boot kit for the axle and it comes with circle clips. So, yeah, they do get messed up.

 

Crisis over.. I lubricated it and tried again, and this time it went in! Looking at the design of the fitting, the circlip basically gets compressed on its way in, so even if it's larger than expected, it should still fit. It was 9am and I hadn't slept all night, so maybe it was just tiredness

thanks!

S.