Gearbox failed.

[jhothersall]

This week my gearbox went, I notice a funny noise at the back left hand side and on Easter Monday the rear wheels are locked up on a busy roundabout in Clitheroe.

It had to be put on a low loader and the AA got it delivered to the garage.

They are a stuck what to do... I can get a reconditioned gearbox for £200 but it could be more than the gearbox at fault.

The car has 134k on it and a new sump last month and hand brake and calipers and o2 sensors since I got it.

I've been a member of this forum, since I got it in Nov 2012. Been to meets and even Nic Foxton helped me when I got it as one of the sensors has failed

I don't want to scrap/break it, but im really stuck what to do. It is CAT D, and the rear bumper was replaced by D1ck Sloan in June 2016. Can anyone offer me advice, I live in East Lancs.

Thanks in Advance

James

[K T M Rider]

Hard to say what to do from sitting behind a keyboard and only you can know what the car is worth to you.

If the gearbox is out then budgeting for a clutch replacement would probably make sense unless it has already had one during your ownership.

If it were mine, then I would start ripping it apart on my drive and then come back on here for help if/when I hit a snag, but then I have flat off road space for several cars, a garage full of tools and I'm always looking for an excuse to buy even more tools.

If that isn't a realistic option for you then obviously your chosen garage's labour rates / general competence (and even their general attitude) become a major factor.......

What's the subframe like ? Does it use any oil ? 

[1979scotte]

As above difficult to say don't know your personal circumstances.

Mine isn't my daily driver.
Just a fun weekend car on which I spend far more than is sensible.
I would put in a new clutch and box because I would only want another one anyway.
Definitely a good time to give it a thorough once over and see if there are any more problems on the horizon.

[ptennisnet]

I had a second hand box and clutch fitted mid last year and it's been OK since.  I think I drove around with binding rear brakes for a while, which put extra load on the box.  By all accounts, the gearboxes aren't strong on these cars.  I factored in the depreciation I'd suffer on a newer car and figured the cost and risk of a second hand box was worth taking (15K a year on country lanes means depreciation is a killer for me) as my sub-frame and engine are OK.

[Ardent]

Gearboxes not strong on these cars.

not seen much evidence on here to suggest that.

[K T M Rider]

As you are In East Lancs, then you are probably not that far from @spit  whose mechanical knowledge of these cars is the stuff of ROC legend

  :notworthy:

Might be worth sending him a PM

[1979scotte]

Gearboxes not strong on these cars.

not seen much evidence on here to suggest that.

Don't think we have a high failure rate.
Even the turbo ones hold up with a stronger clutch.

[Carolyn]

I'd even say very low failure rate. I wonder how many cars have EVER had the gearbox oil changed?  Easy to overlook.

[m1tch]

Mine is on 175k miles, still fine, my suggestion would be to get a recon box, swap out the clutch whilst its out and then enjoy the car over the summer

[jhothersall]

It does burn oil 1 litre every 1000 miles,but only just had a new sump on it as I noticed marks on the drive. But it has burnt it since I got it. Tried thinker oil ect. Just been to the car, its won't move even rocking it and tried all gears and reverse it is stuck. I can't take it apart really I have a drive but in my lease I cant do car maintenance .. Thanks MSV Housing ...

My plan is to get it to another garage so they look and see if it is the gearbox or drivetrain or whatever it is... It don't make much noise so might not be the gearbox.

Hard to say what to do from sitting behind a keyboard and only you can know what the car is worth to you.

If the gearbox is out then budgeting for a clutch replacement would probably make sense unless it has already had one during your ownership.

If it were mine, then I would start ripping it apart on my drive and then come back on here for help if/when I hit a snag, but then I have flat off road space for several cars, a garage full of tools and I'm always looking for an excuse to buy even more tools.

If that isn't a realistic option for you then obviously your chosen garage's labour rates / general competence (and even their general attitude) become a major factor.......

What's the subframe like ? Does it use any oil ?

[jhothersall]

It is my daily drivers and the does have a good "member" according to Dick ... 

[jonbill]

As long as the engine runs with the clutch out, it has to be the gearbox. The final drive & diff is integral with it, so they would be swapped out at the same time in the normal course of things.

[spit]

Seems I've been tagged  That's new!

As you are In East Lancs, then you are probably not that far from @spit  whose mechanical knowledge of these cars is the stuff of ROC legend

  :notworthy:

Might be worth sending him a PM

More of a leg-end than a legend methinks.

James - I've responded to your PM.

[jhothersall]

Thank you Ste, I have replied but send it off tapatalk, hopefully you got it ...

[spit]

Thank you Ste, I have replied but send it off tapatalk, hopefully you got it ...

Yep, got it.

Please please please don't take that ridiculous offer from our habitual breaker friend. Hell, the Club would have a whip-round and buy it from you for that just to prevent him from taking the p 

:protest: /end rant

[shnazzle]

I don't know what the offer was, but unless it was over 1.5k, walk away. What I mean to say is that if you fix it, and still want to sell it after that, it's worth about that much.

We spent 450 on a new yaw rate sensor for a previous car in order for us to be able to sell it. It was either 500 quid or so as a MOT-failing problem or 4k as a lovely driving car.

Sometimes you gotta spend money to make money

But the top recommendation is to fix and drive! Haha

I've seen at least 2 gearbox come by here and Facebook in the past 2 months. One of them went for free I believe

[StuC]

My plan is to get it to another garage so they look and see if it is the gearbox or drivetrain or whatever it is... It don't make much noise so might not be the gearbox.

Sounds like an enthusiastic "on the drive" fix isn't an option.

If you are at the point of another garage though... get it over to Steve@D1Customs (affiliate on here). He will diagnose it right first time. Then give you options where possible.

[m1tch]

Might be worth getting a lower mileage engine and gearbox from a breaker together then - remove the current setup and replace with the complete unit. Also worth knowing that the stock LSD in our gearboxes are sought after as not all C series boxes came with them - meaning you could recoup some cash plus have an engine to rebuild/sell parts off such as the head etc.

[jhothersall]

Thank you for all the advice, the only problem is this is my daily driver.

I will be getting the school on the school bus till its fixed :-(

Going to try and blag the AA to move the car to other garage today to see what is wrong as they parked it on yellow school lines.

Thanks

James

[jhothersall]

I do appreciate all your advice, I will keep you all up to date on what the grage says is up once I get it diagnosed.

Thanks

James

[jhothersall]

I do appreciate all your advice, I will keep you all up to date on what the grage says is up once I get it diagnosed.

Thanks

James

Finally after almost 2 hours of being on hold, I've got the AA to move the car to another garage free of charge. Going into a gearbox specialist ... I will feed back with there take on the problems.

Thanks again everyone :-) James


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[Ardent]

Please name the specialist. Had a member go to "specialist" before. Dont think that went well.

[jhothersall]

Finally got it to a gearbox garage they are going to diagnose the problem(s)



Won't be Monday / Tuesday till they have a look I'll report back.




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[Ardent]

It does burn oil 1 litre every 1000 miles

Well with in spec then.
Spec is 1L per 1000KM (621miles)

[Nunfa1]

Replacement gearbox and clutch and it will be fine. Happened to me a couple of months ago, certainly gets the blood pumping doesn't it.
Ask the garage how much for a clutch replacement, that is basically the job, then just give them a different gearbox to fit. A LUK or Exeddy clutch should be available for around £75.
Mine is running better than ever now, quieter and more economical, all told job cost around £500.