Bugger just blown up :(

My SIIa decide to blow up after just a couple of miles.

Heard a clattering under the seat box and immediately killed the engine. The front propshaft has snapped clean off at the gearbox end.

I got under and removed the shaft so I could try to at least drive home, but when I started I couldn't select a gear at all. Killed the engine, made sure everything was in neutral incase something was just sticking, but at the second attempt the engine won't start - it does turn and the oil pressure is going up but it won't catrch (it's a 3.3 ltr Perkins).

Something seriously amiss then - won't know exactly what till I get a tow home later tonight. The gearbox is clearly fecked in some way - could that have mangled itself, causing the prop to stop suddenly at the gearbox end hence it snapping off at that end?

Still, any ideas chaps what it could be or where to start looking?

I have a SIII with a decent gear/transfer box, not sure if that can be a straight drop in replacement - i think I read on here that it depends on the age of the SIIa box?

Well got the landy towed home and had a quick look.

The propshaft has sheared off at the transfer box end, and whilst spinning freely it has snapped the fuel pipe and also wound the front offside brake pipe round itself.

There's a cast bracket that the clutch rod goes through, and that has been hit and knackered too. It looks like the box is still going into gear. Presumably that means it's the transfer box that has had some sort of fit.

I hear that replacing a transfer box is a right pain and it's easier to replace both the transfer & gearbox in one go?

What mods would be needed to fit the gearbox/transfer box from my series 3 in?

Is's not just that the bolts holding the propshaft to the front output flange on the gearbox, that have worked loose and fallen out is it? Has the universal joint broken up or has the front output shaft on the gearbox become datatched from the gearbox. I just can't imagine the propshaft itself shearing. I reckon you should repair the transfer box selection linkage, make sure 4 weheel drive engages and disengages and then try driving it with the front prop removed - I bet the gearbox is O.K.

It's sheared through the UJ - it's like one end of the propshaft came to a sudden halt and the other didnt. The transfer box lever seems to be in the wrong place now too - middle position is now putting it into low.

I am going to proceed like you've suggested - I'll temp join the fuel line so I can see if it will drive at all with the prop removed.

I've had a UJ break up and the front prop disconnecting from the front axle when I bashed it on a tree stump. It's possible that yours broke because the box got stuck in 4WD and driven around on the road, or the berings may have broken up and the UJ spider gradually worn through the lugs.

It takes a hell of a lot to break a uj, fenners sounds right, maybe the needles have worn and knacked making the joint fail, if it drives without the shaft then you might have got away with it, try turning the front output shaft on the 'box by hand whilst all in neutral, and then when in 4wd in first gear, if it turns and then doesnt turn respectively, you might get away with just another front prop.
Also jack up just one of the front wheels and try and turn the input shaft on the front diff whils the prop is still disconnected, if the wheel off the ground turns then it further makes the prop suspect, if not the diff could be fecked (which would be unusual for the wheels to turn and the input seized).

fenby1976 said:

I've had a UJ break up and the front prop disconnecting from the front axle when I bashed it on a tree stump. It's possible that yours broke because the box got stuck in 4WD and driven around on the road, or the berings may have broken up and the UJ spider gradually worn through the lugs.

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My thoughts are the same - that the transfer box has gone into 4WD and stopped, causing the prop to shear.

I've got a hold of another transfer box which seems ok.

Will I be creating extra work taking the whole gearbox/transfer box out, cause it seems that whilst that will take a bit of effort to remove, it would make replacing the transfer box (+ overdrive) a bit easier?

This is more of a physical challenge than a technical one?

don't know where you live but this is worth a punt for £30

sefies 2a or 3 gearbox on eBay (end time 30-Jan-10 14:23:08 GMT)

That would be a bargain Sean but I'm east of Edinburgh here so pretty far away. My father-in-law has a complete SII gearbox squirreled away if I need to get one, but the gearbox in my landy was a properly reconditioned one fitted and pretty sweet, so if it's OK and its only the transfer box that has had a fit, I'd prefer not to replace it.

Removal is by lifting the floor/seatbox and then oot the passenger door? I can borrow a mate's engine crane which will probably fit if I take the door off, dunno if that's a good idea tho as I've not done this before!!

moonie said:

Removal is by lifting the floor/seatbox and then oot the passenger door? I can borrow a mate's engine crane which will probably fit if I take the door off, dunno if that's a good idea tho as I've not done this before!!

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that's right, if you haven't got a crane some strops and rope around the roof along with some ingenuity will suffice

or if you have a removable gearbox cross member (usually only on military vehicles) you can drop it to the floor

I used a pair of slings round roof and a pair of ratchet straps to raise/lower mine when I replaced the clutch.