[guitarjerry]

I was working on my car, 89 Chrysler New Yorker and noticed that the right axle doesn't snap in, it doesn't have a circlip, it doesn't have a groove for the circlip. The left one does but not the right. Is there a circlip inside the extension housing or diff?

Looking at parts online, in the pictures, I see none of them have a circlip or groove either.

Can anyone tell me what is going on here? Do I have a problem or is that just how the axle sits? If I pull it out a little it does go back in , so....

 

[ImperialCrown]

They discontinued using the circlip sometime in the 1980's. The inner joint should have a spring preloading, keeping the axle splines positively pushed into the transaxle side gears when assembled.

 

[guitarjerry]

After seeing your answer I thought things were ok, but now it has become apparent.

speedometer is jumping all over the place. Sometimes it works fine. This will be from the output speed sensor, and I replaced it a couple months ago, I have noticed the right axle is worn to the point it has up and down play when I pull on it and also play within the joint when I twist it . I believe this movement is causing the speed sensor to register extra movement or causing the axle to slide a little in and out causing the speed sensor jump. I have a new axle on the way

 

[ImperialCrown]

I have replaced worn plastic speedometer gears and extension housings (Mopar #4549219) for speedometer dropout issues.
There is a bronze bushing in the ext. hsng. that can wear & cause slop.

 

[guitarjerry]

Ok, so when I said up and down play, I was talking in the cv joint itself. New axle, no visible up and down play doesn't mean the bushing isn't bad I guess.

So as it stands, every 4th or 5th drive, the speedo goes wacky sometimes jumping up to 110 mph on the freeway, this is accompanied by the transmission bucking and or loss of power I can't tell exactly it just feels really wrong, so I'm trying to figure what's causing this.

Possibilities:
the square engine mount in front, I can never get a good one that has no movement, thinking of getting the one that costs more and says it's solid rubber

the electrical connector that goes to the speed sensor has a broken tab so doesn't snap in, but it's been that way awhile

the plastic gear looks ok to me, but maybe it's worn or the new speed sensor just isn't good

Are you saying it could be caused by wear in the extension housing itself?

 

[ImperialCrown]

I would suspect any wear the might make the plastic speedometer gear teeth lose mesh with the CV axle worm.
It can be difficult to see wear. A gear may have a concave or 'dished' appearance on a side view when held against a straight-edge. It doesn't take much to make these gear teeth lose contact.

 

[chuzz]

Did you try replacing the speed sensor? Maybe that's the problem?

 

[Gerry G]

Not certain if it applies here, but a failing alternator can produce an ac (alternating current) ripple that can affect the output speed sensor. The ripple causes the speed sensor to believe the vehicle is going faster than it is so the TCM attempts to adjust the clutches appropriately. Had an '04 sebring that had the speedo at 25mph while stopped. May also be some clutch material stuck to the end of the speed sensor (clutch material has iron in it and speed sensor end is magnetic).

 

[guitarjerry]

Are you saying my 33 year old alternator might be dying..? Actually that might make sense, the charging gauge does appear lower than usual sometimes

This is one of the things I like about these older chryslers. I think the starter is original too.

 

[guitarjerry]

Out of curiosity, could said ac signal cause something to.happen with the asd circuit or fusible links? I was getting occasional low reading on charging gauge under dash accompanied by an ozoney smell like electronics do when there's a problem after a freeway trip and this was happening right as i started the car from a gas station I stopped at and it stalled and didn't start again, there is no power at the fuel pump. I have already checked fuses and relays. ugh.....

 

[KOG]

You can check AC output from alternator as well as DC. A failed diode will increase AC considerably. Check a known good alternator for reference to know what you should be seeing.

 

[ImperialCrown]

Many auto parts stores will do a free battery/charging/starting system test in the parking lot if the counter isn't too busy.
The AC component of the alternator output is called 'ripple'. It should be below a certain percentage or it can baffle sensitive electronics.

 

[guitarjerry]

I haven't had a chance to get the system tested, however it must be alternator related. I have noticed for awhile that the charging gauge shows low at idle, I have seen more than one old car do this and so didn't think anything of it, but now I'm seeing that the problem with the speed sensor happens when I turn on the ac in city driving, but if I wait until I get on the freeway to turn it on or push the gas a little at stoplights to get the idle up it doesn't do it.

Edit: ok pretty sure it must be the alternator, on the drive home it was holding a steady 108 mph on the freeway the whole way. Bright side is at 108 it still shifts ok, when it was jumping around, it didn't