Had my newest VL for a week now and it's got a bit of an issue with the gearbox. I've read most of the posts on the issue and it's pretty similar but has something extra. In neutral it's got the whirring/grinding sort of sound, which is also there when driving. Push clutch in any time and it goes away. I've also found on deceleration it's got a tinny, metallic sort of ping or ratlle, I guess that's the best way I can describe it, sounds like something is loose and knocking against something else every 2 seconds. Gear changes are pretty smooth, more so when warm, and the car drives very well. I have noticed a strong smell in the car recently which appears to be gear oil as I found the drain plug is a bit wet, so I'm looking at dumping the oil, see if there's any crap floating around, and I'll fit fresh stuff and see how it goes. I'm going the Penrite syn gear 75/90, which is recommended on thier site. Any ideas at all?
Does anyone have a quick guide to chaging the oil and all that goes with it? I'm yet to get a manual for it so don't know exactly what to do. I'm going to get it checked out this morning if I can get to the local gearbox place, expecting the worst from what I've read on here so far. Would be nice if it was something relatively simple like a spigot bush as some people have mentioned, or even a throwout bearing, although from the descriptions I've read it doesn't seem to be that. I wasn't expecting or planning to spend any more on the car, and I don't have the money to spare anyway, so could be up **** creek soon, I hope not.
Cheers.
Well when I first got my vl I had the same/similar noise from the gearbox. The noise when in neutral will most likely be the thrust bearing for the clutch - thats why it goes away when you put your foot on the clutch. However, later my front main bearing of the gearbox shat itself, and I lost 5th gear. I think that was just a coinicence, but not totally sure. Maybe someone else could clarify that. But my box was old and tired anyway, the guy who had it before me drove it realy hard, plus my 1st to 2nd syncro was in bad shape. Cost around 1k to fix, so most gearbox work is expensive.
Hopefully yours doesn't cost you much if work is needed to be done on it.
My box was making the same noise your describing. I changed the oil and that didn't fix it. As i was driving from Brisbane to Canberra it finaly let go. The Input Shaft Bearing died. I was told that the throw-out bearing will only make noise when the cluch is in (ie, no rotation in the box).
My box was so ****ed that I had to get a re-coed R31 Box, but now i get better economy and better power because of it. Just wish it didn't happen on the way to a snowboarding trip....
Thanks guys, I'll look into getting one and see if the mechanic at work can do it at a decent price, I won't have that sort of time for ages, and rather than risk it I'll pay someone to do it. Also I've noticed the clutch engages just as you release a small amount of pressure from the pedal, maybe it needs an adjustment also? Fingers crossed it's only that bearing, I have no cash for major repairs and can't go without a car at all. Also, the previous owner claims he changed the gearbox oil about 4 weeks ago and there was nothing in the oil at all, it was like it just came out of the bottle, he says the noise has been there for about 3 years, so hopefully, if he's truly genuine in his claims, there will be no other damage to the box and I'll be sitting pretty. I'm only changing the oil as the drain plug appears to be leaking, and I don't know how much is left in there.
I had the same problem, i changed the throwout bearing and noise was still there. Then the noise gradually got louder and louder and she started crunching 2nd. Pulled the box out again and it was the input shaft bearing that was totally rooted. With the box apart soon found the centre bearing and collapsed as well and 2nd and 3rd syncro were rooted. Reco'd gearbox and it still has a slight noise from the throwout bearing but nothing to worry bout really
Great, just what I need to hear. Funny thing is the box was supossedly rebuilt about 3 years ago, guess it wasn't such a good job. Had a mate with me tonight who drove the car for a bit, we found that even with motor off and letting the car roll in neutral still gives the pinging sound, and he also noticed each time it does it you can feel it in the gearstick, that doesn't sound good, and it's only there in 1st and 2nd as well as reverse. Sounds like something is loose and is getting tossed around in there, but it's quite loud, we both thought at first it sounded like something on the outside clanging against the box until we noticed you can feel it in the stick. Time to chase a reco box for a swap.
Morgz: Think your sig should read Wazimran Amadrooter
well mines got that noise and it was apparently only rebuilt 3 months ago( i got it from Beenliegh Auto Dismantlers. like their name is, its probably BAD). im thinking about taking it bak. just want to change the throw bearing and the clutch plate first. not looking forward to pullin the gearbox out again.
I've also been told by someone who used to run the local wreckers and knows these things very well that it sounds to them like the cluster gears. My second, tinging type noise is definitely coming from the bell housing area, not inside, where the gears are. I also changed the oil yestreday, no debris in it, so it looks like things might be ok in there still.
Spoke to gearbox people on Friday, too busy to test drive it but the guy reckons it sounds clutch related, something loose banging around at low speeds or something similar. I think it actually sounds like something catching the pressure plate fingers, and the noise is when the finger is bent enough to get unstuck and flings back to it's proper position. Hopefully at worst it'll be a clutch kit, or even less I'm really hoping. No change in the last week, noise isn't getting worse, gears still change pretty well. One thing I've noticed is the noise is only there whenever the car is under 40k/hr, no matter what gear or direction, over 40 it stops altogether, then it's only the bearing noise I hear, which seems to be more the input shaft bearing I'm thinking as it's always noisy, even in 4th, but seems to go away (or at least is nowhere near as noisy) in 5th.
Cross your fingers for me, I need to keep this thing on the road and don't really have any money to throw at it right now.
Yeah i can hear noise as well, I bought mine from Bogga's in Sunshine, don't trust them!!! I bought a conversion kit from them and alot of the parts were missing!! Judging by the name, they are sh|t!!
Sorted, I'm a lucky boy too!!! It's the bloody dust cover thing that protects the rear seal of the gearbox, it's worked loose and is rattling against the tailshaft. The guy at the gearbox place said either undo the tailshaft and remove it, as it doesn't really do a great deal, or knock it back into place if it's still in good shape, and probably best to tack weld it in place so it can't work out again. So taht's what I'll be trying to organise this afternoon, what a relief the car is ok. As for the other noise, the guy explained about a couple of gears related to 5th and reverse that are always in motion, no matter what gear the car is in as long as the clutch is out. Generally the cause is if you go to reverse before stopping and grind the gear, it chips a few teeth on the gears and taht's where the noise comes from. No need to do anything right away but he said there's no telling how long it'll last. The box was rebuilt 3 years ago and has made the noise for the alst 2-1/2, so I think it shold be right for now.
Just getting back to this, it does seem there is another noise there which to me is more bearing noise than chipped gears, so I'll probably be looking at a clutch kit some time soon. I'm finding lately going into 2nd and 3rd the shifts are a bit hard, and going back to 2nd as well. My clutch slave cylinder is leaking so I'll either rebuild it or replace it outright, $27 or $60, not sure what's in the kit so I'll find out and go from here. If that and a good bleed doesn't help (a few mebers with similar problems have traced it to that problem with the slave leaking etc) then I'll look at the thrust bearing. Any progress and I'll update this thread, seeing as it's about my gearbox, save starting a new one.
$70 for a clutch slave Cylinder?!?!?! I got a New one from Repco for $10 brand new (trade price, they are like $20 normally).......cripes......However I did ask for aNissan bluebird one.....and that bolted strait on and worked np....
I spoke to another member who said they got a kit from autopro for about $3, but I tried Pep's also and they quoted $27 as well for the rebuild kit, trying autopro today. So a Nissan Bluebird slave will work too, for $20 I'll go a new one. Pep's also quoted $56 for the VL slave brand new, and showed me one, so I know they didn't get thier items mixed up.
Well I finally got the slave apart, straight away the end boot was missing and there was a fair amount of crap in the cylinder. I pushed on the pin adn the cylinder sounded like it had some air in it, you know the squishy sound fluids make when compressed and there's air in it. Don't know about these $3 rebuild kits and $20 cylinders, couldn't find anything anywhere, settled on a kit for $19, 410 cheaper than everywhere else, should get it tomorrow, so it'll go in plus some fresh clutch fluid and a damn good bleed. Also going to change the gearbox oil again and add some Nulon stuff that's said to help with cold gear changes and makes things quieter. If none of these things help I'll look at the clutch master, then I'm pretty sure I'll be looking at synchros if all else fails. Hopefully it won't lead to that, I have no money for recos right now.
