Hope someone here can help me out, Im new to the forum.

My problem is as follows, this evening on the way from work I noticed a clicking sound from the drivers side wheel, as ive some experience with failed bearing on an old transit that I used to drive, I stopped the car at the earliest oppertunity, got underneath to have a look, and noticed that there is a hardened rubber ring halfway down the drive shaft. This had sheared of and I was able to slide this part up and down the shaft. I used duct tape to secure this back onto the shaft and the noise subsequently stopped.
My question is, what is this part and would this running up and down the shaft have caused the sound? Also the drivers side shaft islonger than the other and is this ring some kind of seal?
sorry to go on a bit but im no mechanic, hope my description is clear enough.

Its a 1996 accent.

Thanks in advance, Anthony

 

I think these cars came with a harmonic balencer installed on the drive axles, which would be a couple of eccentric rubber pieces one rotating inside the other and held together by a metal or heavy plastic ring. It sounds like it has come apart and one of the rubber rings may even be missing. Unless you feel a noticable vibration at speed, I'd let you duct tape solution stay and keep motoring. I would inspect the cv boots and make sure the ring hasn't been rubbing against one of those and worn a hole in it.

 

Thanks for the reply.
Ive inspected the boots this morning in daylight, no problem there. Will drive later today and see how it goes.
I was just worried that this part may have sealed a joint in the shaft but I reckon your spot on with your response. I rarely drive the car myself, as my wife uses it most of the time and its even rarer that it would be driven at high speed.
Thanks again.

While under there this morning I also spotted a small oil leak from around the oil filter, It seems to be coming from where the filter screws in and is running down the filter and onto the drip tray, Like the filter hadnt been screwed in tightly enough, I could turn the filter a small bit but didnt want to twist too hard in case I broke the thread that holds the filter in place.
Now its probably not a serious issue but I dont like to see oil leaking.
Any suggestions to rectify his?
Should I replace the filter and is there anything I could seal this thread with to stop the leak?
Thanks again, Anthony

 

You have confirmed the rattling part is outside the intact boots, so I assume it is the balencer.

Try tightening the filter by hand only. Use a rag to improve your grip. I doubt you can strip the threads by hand. It could also be that whoever replaced the filter last time did not wipe off the exposed sump before screwing the new filter on. It will be a bit messy, but you can always unscrew the filter, clean off the sump, inspect the seal on the filter and screw it back on. You might loose a cup of oil. You also have the option of installing a new filter, but remember to add enough oil to the engine to bring the level back up to the full mark on the dip stick after running the engine.

 

Bought a filter today, just in case, will fit in in the morning.
Again, thank you for the reply.
I have no manual for the car, how much oil would I need?

 

The owners manual is available at http://www.hmaservice.com/. It indicates ~0.6 U.S. quarts just for the filter (2.9 qt without a filter, 3.5 qt with a filter).