While diagnosing some brake issues on my 89 245, I had both wheels off, front tires chalked, a jack under the rear differential and the transmission in neutral.

Out of curiosity, I rotated the left axle by just grabbing the rotor and turning it. I noticed the drive shaft would turn and I would hear and feel and cluk-cluk-cluk-cluck.

I went over to the right side of the vehicle to do the same. I turned the rotor, heard the cluking but the driveshaft did not turn.

I then started the car and put the transmission in drive. The left side would turn, the right would not. While the left axle was spinning in drive, I grabbed a hold of the right axle and was able to turn it freely both forward and backward. I heard the cluking, but it just spun freely. Put car in reverse. Same exact deal.

This DOES NOT seem normal? Does this have something to do with the LSD? Am I driving around with only one axle getting 50% of the engine's power? Please share thoughts!


NOTE: If its of any help, for over two years I've also been having very haunting clunks and pops (and yes, before we go down that road I've replaced EVERYthing in the rear, minus anything having to do with the axle such as wheel bearings, seals or differential gears) that are slowly getting louder and more frequent.