Well whilst changing my gearbox, long embarrassing story for another time, i noticed the left outer CV boot was split so i pulled it apart. The CV itself looks and feels fine for a car of its age, TE 3.0L with 160xxx on the clock, but there is some heat stressing on the inside and outside of the housing. What i mean is when the metal heats and changes colour to that purply sort of stuff. Also the heat stressing appears to originate at each of the ball bearings.

Can someone tell me if the joint is about to break and should be replaced or is this part of the manufacturing/assembling/aging of the joint?

Can someone tell me if the joint is about to break and should be replaced or is this part of the manufacturing/assembling/aging of the joint?


Thats what it is mate. All the cv joints i have seen look like this, even brand new ones.

Its from the induction hardening of the bearing surfaces IIRC.

phew!!!! cheers guys thats great news!!! thought i was up for a new cv joint for a minute there...:D