[jon859]

Just got back from a climbing trip in Scotland and started to notice the dreaded gearbox whine in a 03 swb 2.5tdi PP.

Its mainly only in 5th gear but a little in 4th and only happens when I go over 60mph and try to accelerate. This is only my initial diagnosis am I correct or is this something else?. I dont really want the expense of putting the van in a gearbox garage to find its something else.

I would appreciate anybody’s thoughts and any recommended gearbox specialist nr Newcastle.T:

 

[t4acvswb]

Best catch it early before it totals its self get it looked at T:

 

[Matt888]

I'll second that, get it looked at quick or it could cause some major damage!

Matt

 

[AndyDCAG]

Get it checked asap! At the very least check the oil level in the box. I put this off and ended up with a hole in the box and a mahoosive bill/shed loads of hassle/cowboy gearbox companies, etc. It's just not worth it.....

 

[jon859]

Well to add......

Whilst driving it to the garage today to get the gearbox looked at I lost 5th gear. I drove the final few miles in forth gear and it was only when I got there, I noticed the horrible sound of something rattling in the gearbox when on Idle.

On a slightly better note it means I can get my 5th gear upgrade done as the parts have been sat in the garage for the last 6months. Im just now awaiting the dreaded phone call to tell me how much damage I have done.

to be continued.......

 

[T4s&Oatcakes]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to buy a second hand box dude and rebuild the 5th gear while its off the road. lancashireVW (breaker) has loads of gearbox's and i think I saw him selling one for £200 + postage recently i think.
Gotta be cheaper than a rebuild by a garage T:

 

[phil.wadsworth]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to buy a second hand box dude and rebuild the 5th gear while its off the road. lancashireVW (breaker) has loads of gearbox's and i think I saw him selling one for £200 + postage recently i think.
Gotta be cheaper than a rebuild by a garage T:

ive googled lancashire vw breaker but not sure where there at , which town are they in ? thanks!

 

[jon859]

Im only getting the gearbox looked at so if its cheaper to install a reconditioned 2nd hand part then I will. Im hoping though its the gear selector or something not to do with the actual gear cogs, as you can tell Im no gearbox wizard so apologies if you dont understand that last statement.

My gearbox symptoms where whining noise 60mph and upwards in 5th gear only, when the 5th gear went it just popped out of 5th gear and wouldnt re-engage but i did have the gear crunch when trying to re-engage as though the gear was still there and Okish.

Having looked inside the box about 6 months ago to look wether I could change the 5th gear myself, I found the 5th gear totally seperate from all the other gears in its own compartment. I decided not to do the job myself although im capable, as the cost of tools to complete the job was more than paying someone to do it for me. And yes I did refill the gearbox with oil and rechecked after a week use so it wasnt me fiddling that caused the problem.

So to finish the guy is removing the gearbox to have a look although he will first remove the 5th gear inspection panel to see if thats the issue, and with that done he will give me a ring and Im going down to have a look at the gearbox just for my own education.

to be continued............

 

[jon859]

Ok the problem.

Having taken off the 5th gear inspection plate to have a look, the reason for the rattling was found, the 5th gear had un- attached itself from the gearbox shaft and fell off when the plate was removed. In addition the whining gearbox problem was the gear shaft bearing totally disitergrating at the 5th gear end.

The fix is a gearbox recondition and after quite an informative chat with the mechanic Im having some additional work done on the gearbox to make it bombproof I hope. The gearbox in an 88bhp 2.5tdi has an inherant design flaw, if it fails the problem causes a hole to be punctured in the gearbox casing due to a sheared weak rivet on the differential failing. The rivets attaching the final drive gear to the differential are weak and shear off, sometimes after only 30,000 miles on early gearboxes.

To cure this im having the rivets replaced with stainless steel bolts and a plate then seem welded, this should stop that problem. Whilst that work is being done Im having the 5th gear upgrade completed, and due to ease of acsess a new clutch and flywheel fitted as the old ones are on the way out after being put through their paces with PP and 135,000 miles.

I could have gone with a secondhand gearbox replacement for £300 but the same problem still exists and I dont want to go through this again. All this is not a cheap fix but one that should now last the life of the van.