B****cks... Gearbox !!!!

Loud bang.... back end locks up... shudders to a halt !!!! Flippin eck ( or words to that effect !!! ). Starts up and drives but sounds like a bucket full of spanners ! When I power wash the mud off the floor I'll take the box out... any clues what I'm looking for ???? Apart from a lot of broken metal !!!! lol.... ahhhh the pleasures of classic cars !!!!! lol

Hi,

Don't have a TDi engine do you?

Remove rear prop. try driving in 4WD. Still got the noise? Gearbox, broken lay-shaft?

Gone quiet? Well at least you can drive it until you fix it. Probably best to pull rear half shafts as well.

My back axle caught fire in Wiltshire, on way to France. Managed to get to France, towing loaded Sankey, by keeping throttle on while braking. Removed prop and halfshafts in France, towed caravan back to Wales using front axle only.

602

its a standard series 3 petrol... not to fussed about needing to drive it... just use one of the others in the houshold fleet.... would the layshaft still allow it to drive... albeit slowly ?
Cheers

no it wouldnt no drive at all,

sounds like halfshafts or rear prop

If it's making a serious amount of clatter it could also be the rear diff has popped. There's some pics on here of MHM's rear diff from the Dibnah when that exploded. Diagnosis would be similar, take the rear halfshafts out and drive it - if the noise is still there and you don't find a broken shaft it's either the diff, or tranmission. Take the rear prop off and drive it in 4WD, if it moves with no noise it's the diff, if the noise is still there it's going to be transmission related.

I guess its out with the half shafts then ! Easier than the whole bloody gear box !!!
I'll keep you posted !
Thanks !

It makes sense to try to work out where the breakage is before pulling anything to bits. Put the transfer box in neutral select a gear on the main gearbox and let the clutch out. Try all 5 gears of the main gearbox like this. If the nasty noise is still there then it sounds like something has broken in the main gearbox. If the noise has gone, check both propshafts particularly the universal joints. If they look good chock the wheels, let off the handbrake, jack one of the rear wheels up and spin the wheel. If there are bad noises try to work out if they are coming from the axle or the transfer box. If you still can't work out where the problem is, try draing the oil out of the rear axle first. Look for bits of metal in the oil. If that's good do the same on the main box, then the transfer box.

Hi,

My 1960 S2 with TD engine. Rattly gearbox, particularly foot off in 3rd. One day it started to whine, very loud. Within a mile, it suddenly lost all drive. Engage gear, lift clutch, howl of protest from gearbox.

I managed to drive home using top gear only, starting off in LO, double-declutching into HI after building up sufficient speed. Various noises suggested that it woulkd not be a good idea to go fast.

I changed the gearbox, but so far have not stripped the broken box. Favourite diagnosis is a broken layshaft. Driving in top gear does not involve the layshaft. I understand that the early S2 gearboxes are weaker than later S2/S3 boxes, and the TD (TDi?) engine produces a gearbox destroying vibration. Or maybe they are just older.

Note, if you only remove the half shafts, the rear diff will still turn, as the propshaft connects it to the gearbox. It might be OK, it might not. Best remove rear prop as well. Steering may kick if you are driving thru front axle. Do not give it lots of wellie if moving off whith steering locked over.

602

Well, had the half shafts out, they're fine, trying box in neutral, sounds like its the main box 2nd/3rd somewhere, anyway next thoughts... have it repaired or find a second hand box ? Couple of questions.... are the series 2a and 3 boxes the same ? Is the petrol and diesel box the same ?
If they're different how do you identify a series 3 petrol gearbox ?

Thanks fella's

right to the best that i know there is no diffrence between petrol and diesel boxes
as yours is a s3 then it will have a s3 box (normally).
the main diffrance between s2 and s3 is the syncromesh an s2 box only has them on 3-4 gears but the s3 has it on all gears
the quickest way of telling what box is what look at the type of cluch release bearing it has, if slave cylinder is on the off side and pointing vertical with large release bearing unit then thats a s2,
the s3 is a much smaller release bearing unit with the slave on the nearside of the bell housing
there are a few oddball boxes around but that is the basics

all the parts are avalible online from lrseries.com they seem to have the best selection and the best price

im doing my s2 all syncro box (1 of the oddball boxes) now and it sounds like it has the same problom as yours looking at around £250 for everything i need and that includes the 2 shafts with gears and bearings
best price i seen a relacememnt for was over £400 on ebay, retail your looking at twice that

Have you tried 4th gear? straight through drive? you can always get home in 4th gear low box and high box if need be IF its the Layshaft

isnt going from low to hi while moving gonna cause even more damage and end up needing a transferbox as well ?

i realise this could get you home at a push but i dontthink i would want to do it to much
when my 3rd gear shatterd i was going 1st 2nd rev the nuts out of it then straight into 4th luckaly it was moterway all the way home

Come on lads... they are all great suggestions for getting home... but thats what 35 quid AA membership is for.... you sit about a while and the nice guy turns up... eventually admitted.... drags it on the truck and drops it off on your driveway..... !!!!!
ITS WELL WORTH THE FEW QUID !!!! If you aint got breakdown cover get some !!! Its cheap as chips... come on... thats less that 8 gallon of petrol !!!!
By the way... AA lads... if your reading this... cheers...

I admit I'm lucky... it don't matter if it aint fixed in 3 months.... but dont leave yourself stuck for getting home for a few quids worth of cover !!!!

Anyway.... I'm up to stripping the floor, seat box, etc, to get the box out.... I'll keep you updated.... only needed the angle grinder twice so far !!! lol

LUV IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!! ( Ba****d ! )

lol your dead right about the breakdown cover
i used to be in the aa and they got me out the **** a few times
i start a new job on tuesday to guess what



recovery driver lol

My box has gone bang in my series 1, Daihatsu power has killed another...

This time I have lost 1st and rev will an horendous sound coming out.

Anyone got a S2 box they can spare...

Lee

Different series boxes are not directly interchangeable - put a 3 into my 2a - was a load of hassle due to clutch release being on different side clashing with crossmemder.

There is a firm near Halifax that sells refurbished series boxes for under £300 on an exchange basis. Pretty good value.