sounds suspiciously like a bad vc to me... is it binding?  test is to drop
the center shaft so the vc does not engage... make the tight turns... if no
noise then it's vc or front diff probably.

Mick Kalber
89 Syncro Westy "Daddeo"
Tropical Visions Video, Inc.
62 Halaulani Place
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
808-935-5557
808-935-0066 (fax)
hotlava@interpac.net
www.volcanoscapes.com

----- Original Message -----
From: Randy Charrette <rcharrette@HOTMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2001 4:28 PM
Subject: Bad transaxel ????

> A while back I started to get a gringing noise in tight turning
situations.
> My first thought was wheel bearings (wrong). I took it to my VW mechanic
who
> I trust and has always been honest and he believes it is the spider gears
in
> the transaxel. After I started breathing again and began to call for
> estimates on transmissions, I called A/A (from the list). He said this is
> VERY rare for the spider gears to go bad on these. Now I'm worried. I
don't
> want to buy a trans for nothing! So specifically I have a BAD gringing
noise
> in parking lot situations. I can drive all day in a staight line and
normal
> turns onto streets without a problem. Has anyone come across this. Oh yea
> this is a 87' Syncro with 187,000 on trans and 50k 0n engine. Any guidance
> or previouse experience with this would be appreciated. Thanks again...
>
> Randy
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