FOURTH gear noisy ... am I alone?

Greetings .... I think I must be like a prodigal son, only ever show my face if there's a problem. Having spent the entire summer rebuilding my S3 from the ground up, and emptied my wallet into the open hands of Messrs. Paddock & Craddock, I at last have a running machine complete with the rather rare rear agricultural PTO which I can't wait to use. However, I've taken the machine (S3 SWB truck cab 1976 with original 2.25 diesel and 4-speed transmission) for a spin down the lane to clear it's throat (it's gained a few cobwebs in it's 11 years asleep!) and find that the replacement grearbox I've just fitted is noisy in 4th gear ... and 4th gear ONLY. All oils are fresh and at correct levels. I wasn't able to check the 'box before I fitted the PTO to it, but I wouldn't have thought it's that (open to suggestions though!). Every Manual and FAQ help area I can find mentions what to do if your 'box is noisy in 1/2/3rd gears ... but not in 4th! It really is a noise in 4th only too, so I don't suspect the transfer box. Has anyone got any bright ideas? Would be extremely grateful.

Hi TheSmiths88 and thanks for enlightening me on the propshaft removal tool. You mention that its a replacement box, is it a recon ?. All I know is that 4th gear is on final drive cos thats the only gear I can muster concluding in my case that me layshaft is cream crackered. thats the only bit of info I can offer old bean. Maybe its possible that it may calm down with use or am I being a little optimistic ?.

Good luck

Regards WP

Recon ... I wish! No, it's a 'good used' one that came with the vehicle. The chap I got the whole ensemble off (a very good mate) drove the donor landy up & down his rutted lane in each gear and concluded it was OK ... however at speed (well, I managed 35MPH!) and in 4th only it does grumble. Not awfully bad, but disconcertingly enough given that with new springs, shocks, bushes, bearings, mountings & new seals between all the body parts the old girl is actually quite quiet in all other respects. I can cope with some gearbox surgery if required ... but I'd really rather know what I was looking for rather than going for an exploratory laporectomy on it! I do like your optimism, but would be surprised if the grumble went away with use. Not being a 'box expert, I do understand why each of the gears 1/2/3 might have their own characteristics, but surely 4th is "straight through", so why would it have any characteristics that weren't shared by the other gears?! Desparately hoping there's a genius out there who can help - good luck with yours ... it sounds like you've got more problems than me so I shouldn't complain!

Dunno, but my III's box has a lowish kind of whine in 4th. The gearbox "note" definitely has an extra slightly whiney overtone when I reach 4th. I've read all I can & can't find anything telling me I should worry. It doesn't jump out of any gears, gearchanges are generally graunch free, unless I hurry it especially changing down. You could do an awful lot of work only to find it's no better. Do you know anyone else with a III that you can compare your "cacophony of a Landy in motion" to? Unless it's deafening I wouldn't overly worry about it overly.........unless you notice it getting worse! I've kind of got used to all the noises mine makes, but find it fairly easy to recognise new ones that weren't there before. Hope that's of some use.

Best,
Marcus.

Cheers for the response. Perhaps I'm just being a little too much of a perfectionist on the 'box, I won't know how bad it really is on the road until I start using it properly ... and for that I guess it really needs an MOT (!). I'll just have to wait & see. Mine's definitely more of a grumble than a whine. I've been in a fair few Landies, and I've got a Series 2 as well that doesn't make extra noise in 4th to be reasonably confident the noises didn't oughter be there ...

Hmm, see your point espesh if you've a fair bit of Landy noise experience. I used to be too much of the perfectionist with my bikes. I'd actually wear nuts and bolts out tinkering! Now I try to just maintain & when something goes bang, mend it............Sorry, you were asking for practical suggestions, not Zen & the art of motorcycle maintenence! Flip a coin? Heads, run it for a while/'till it goes bang, tails, take it out & rebuild it!

Best I can do!
Marcus.