[bajorn5]

I have my 88 A520 apart to replace the 5th synchronizer stop ring. I need to know if the synchronizers little tabs that go in to the stop ring have to go on a certain way? The synchronizer came apart and I don’t know how it was. 2 of the tabs have black dots and one dose not. The springs that hold them in can go any way along as the ends are not the same on both sides correct?

 

[bajorn5]

Well sense it got moved I put it back together and tried it out. It appears to not matter as it is working as far as I can tell. Is likely not going to sound good if I put it in gear with one wheel up in the air with the tire off? I did not fully release the clutch I just wanted to make sure it would shift with the engine on before I tested it at speed with all the force on it. I was thinking it was probably the diff as it is not suppose to be operated with one wheel turning and one not. It made a whining and slight clunking noise that I could not hear when driving.

 

[Jckrieger]

Yep, you're right about the diff making noise. The gears in the differential are very coarse cut, as they're not intended to operate at high speeds. Also, the clunk is probably due to the massive acceleration experienced by all the driveline components when you released the clutch in 5th. It would actually be spinning the free axle twice as fast as it would normally spin in that gear at the given rpm with both wheels on the ground.