I was working on 79 mini that I got this past September. I bought the kit to install disc brakes on the front. I was taking out the driveshafts and one inner cv boot was full of oil. From what I see I believe the pot joint is leaking. The inside of the pot joint looks to have orange sealer in it. Since this is my first mini and have never seen a pot joint before does this make any sense? Is it hard to change a pot joint and what else should you change at the same time (seals, etc). Thanks

 

Hi.. the pot joints are usally filled with a dark grey graffite grease and this usally turns to a oilly state after many years of non maintainance...this is due to the grease being squished through the ballbearing cage thousands of times......http://minispares.com/Product.aspx?t...d=35049&title= to change the pot joint you would need to remove this from the Gearbox to do this use http://minispares.com/Product.aspx?ty=pb&pid=36467 or two large blade screwdrivers and put 1 each side of pot back and diff cover and push drivers hard to center to force out pot joint (make sure you've drained old oil from box ) first. then undo the side cover bolts and remove covers remove old seal and pop in new seal complete with new gasket smeared with Hylomar Blue sealent as this stays soft and do Not use silcone based ...repeat with other side

 

Thanks for the info, I will get the tool to remove them. If you have to pry them out, are they hard to install. Do you have to knock them in with a block of wood, etc?

 

they are only difficult as there is a c-clip on the end of diff shaft see pic

 

I wish my engine was out like that so it would be easier to change the pot joints. Lucky me I will try & change them with the engine in.

 

Just have paitence and watch out for those knuckles...........good luck..

 

It may not be the outer seal...

My wife and I restore minis as well as other cars and our classic mini developed a oil leak from the inner CV boot on the RH side. I initially though it was the outer seal, but we just had the trans completely rebuilt so I thought that was odd.

After closer inspection on our lift, I discovered it was coming out of the CV boot itself and not from the outer seal... VERY strange.

I removed the axle and disassembled the inner CV joint (pot joint) and voila...



There is a small plug (Like a tiny freeze plug) that SHOULD be wedged in the center hole to seal the joint and prevent engine oil from entering the CV joint. Our plug had been damaged at some point in it's past by a numbskull attempting to remove it with a pointed object which distorted its shape allowing it to eventully work it's way free.



I carefully flattened/reshaped the plug as best I could. I cleaned the plug and joint thoroughly, applied a SMALL bead of RTV and reseated the plug using a proper installation tool. A deep well socket will work too.



Make sure the joint/*****/cage are free from any old grease, oil or other contaminents. Reassemble using high quality CV grease. Check the outer boot while you've got everything apart. Don't use a cheap boot or clamp when you reassemble unless you want to do this job over again and again.

Hope this helps!

Jeffrey

 

Must have been what happened. There was a lot of oil in the pot joint boot when I took it off. And the pot joint itself was smeared with an orange silicon product on the inside. The guy who had the car before must have tried to patch the leak with silicon. I only drove the car a little bit but was noticing that it was missing oil every time I drove it. The oil must have been leaking thru the plug. Thanks for the info.