new CV axle gone bad?

[bkvail]

We replaced the CV axle (driver's front) on my 96 Talon just a couple months ago. Today I noticed a bit of a growling noise coming from the front and I was thinking maybe a wheel bearing was going out. Then, when I turned a hard right, it started clunking - and clunking like I've never heard one clunk before - REALLY loud. It quits clunking when you let off of the gas as if it was a bad CV axle - I'm a bit worried though - when I went to go look under it and both boots were intact on the axle - but it appears that I have transaxle fluid leaking out where the CV axle goes into it. Could a transaxle gone bad (from lack of fluid) make a similar loud clunking noise like a bad CV axle?

 

[90moneypit]

I would suggest jacking the car up and checking for up/down/left/right wheel play first, you may have a bad ball joint. To answer your question about the low fluid causing a clunk from the transmission, the only time I've heard that was from it dropping out of the car at about 60mph . I haven't heard of that before but you do need to replace that seal and get your fluid level up no matter what else is wrong.

It IS possible to get a bad rebuilt/'new' CV axle, especially from the lower end part stores like say... AUTOBONE. Go with Mitsubishi or Napa as your first choices, then Advanced Auto, then junkyard, then O'reilly's or Autobone as a last resort.

LIke I said, I'd check the ball joints as they commonly get damaged from home mechanics using a pickle fork to pop the spindle from the lower control arm.