Series 3 Petrol bell housing clanking -

Good evening

I have an intermittent clanking coming from the bell housing. I bought the S3 with it having had a heavy duty Borg/Beck clutch fitted in 2018. The clanking sounds like sauce pan lids, or a spanner tapping on the bell housing. It emits this noise mainly when coasting, yet tonight it was more prevalent. Changing gear up and down the box is ok, although 3rd back to 2nd is a little notchy once the clanking starts. Also, I can feel a minor vibration through the drivers seat and also it pitches a little in first as tho clutch is sticking. I thought this might be the clutch fork, or a release bearing, yet a search of this forum does describe different symptoms and noises. The clanking starts after several miles or when coasting/changing gear or under light load. I am still thinking clutch fork - would any of you have any further ideas? I have a gearbox crane on order as of 6.30pm tonight. Many thanks

Could be any of the parts of the clutch assembly but thankfully there are only a few to check.
Might be worth bleeding before you start, just to make sure.

Thanks Bobsticle. I was looking over the workshop manual last night and would agree. Only a few parts to inspect and replace. Thanks for the advice on bleeding the clutch hydraulics.

It's a silly suggestion but give the exhaust middle joint a wiggle (just under the gearbox).

Long story, but I'd have describe the sound in a very similar way.

No, a great thought Boguing. I was o fed up last night I stripped the floors and tunnel off - so I will take it out for a spin tonight. Whilst I think about it, my exhaust does bend intowards the bell housing. Will let you know what I find in the morning - but thanks for the suggestion.

It wasn't touching anything on mine, but that joint can make a surprising amount of noise if it's not tight. It also gets worse as it gets hot.

Many years ago my Father had a very expensive sounding knocking noise from the bellhousing area of his Series IIA. Armed with tools etc I went ready to pull the gearbox and dive into the clutch only to find that the noise was due to the speedo cable coming adrift from a simple clamp and being hit by the front propshaft joint at the Tcase. Check for stupid stuff before diving in!!

On my diesel the middle exhaust clamp is a bit too big and this clanks when turning the engine off , not had a look to see where it’s banging but had me worried until I realised what is was
I have also had the prop catch a loose speedo cable what a mess that made. Cut through an oil pressure gauge pipe , fuel tank wiring , almost chopped the front to back brake pipe.

At work we often the clutch cover damper springs broken with bits floating around in the housing, this is not on landroevrs though.

There was an old ten pence piece and a timing plug in my bell housing when I took it off the other week.
Not sure I would have noticed it clanking over all the other noise.

boguing said:

It wasn't touching anything on mine, but that joint can make a surprising amount of noise if it's not tight. It also gets worse as it gets hot.

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It can, if the engine/gearbox mounts are bad enough too

Just an update to the thread - gearbox is now being sent to Simmonites for a re-build. I, well, kinda got it all out on the bench and after a rather large whisky and ginger I thought, I know, I'll get the gearbox appart and have a look. Lots of minior wear, but generally, time for a full rebuild. I have been very imprerssed with Simmonites on price and turnaround.

ORJIP said:

Just an update to the thread - gearbox is now being sent to Simmonites for a re-build. I, well, kinda got it all out on the bench and after a rather large whisky and ginger I thought, I know, I'll get the gearbox appart and have a look. Lots of minior wear, but generally, time for a full rebuild. I have been very imprerssed with Simmonites on price and turnaround.

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I know the company they use to do most of their work. Or at least I do now after having the nod from a local ex farmer/ mechanic who lives up int t’hills round there.
He has a smashing farm in Hebden Bridge but went on a motorcycle ride for seven years. Wrote a book about it. Ian Coates

Bobsticle said:

I know the company they use to do most of their work. Or at least I do now after having the nod from a local ex farmer/ mechanic who lives up int t’hills round there.
He has a smashing farm in Hebden Bridge but went on a motorcycle ride for seven years. Wrote a book about it. Ian Coates

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Cool. I will look that up. I have been advised the engineering is semi retired, but is there go-to chap for all things series gearbox related. As I say, impressed by Simmonites. From now on, I shall be buying parts etc through them. Just cant wait to have it back in again and bombing around the lanes.

Simmonites.. any relation to the rally drivers?

Just a brief update, gearbox refurb completed and back in. Clanking still there but no where near as bad. Suspect clutch or preasure plate. Dunno. Will live with it. Now have shudder in 1st and reverse after 40 minutes or so. Quick search suggests contamination, but possibly timing out. Will now make a separate and new post. Love and hate this Landy!

ORJIP said:

Just a brief update, gearbox refurb completed and back in. Clanking still there but no where near as bad. Suspect clutch or preasure plate. Dunno. Will live with it. Now have shudder in 1st and reverse after 40 minutes or so. Quick search suggests contamination, but possibly timing out. Will now make a separate and new post. Love and hate this Landy!

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Did you put the old clutch back in?

ps. I should have expanded my comment on exhausts. The middle joint is one of those flared/conical articulating things with a U clamp. System fitted new when I rebuilt the car three years ago. From rebuild I had an infuriating scratching noise from the other side of the bulkhead, low down, central. Couldn't find it. Front corner got demolished in an accident, and on collecting from that rebuild I had a clanking that had me convinced that somehow the gear/transfer/box (which I'd also rebuilt) had been shock loaded and was dying.

It turned out that when the impact had broken the leaf spring and shoved it back, the shackle had hit the exhaust on the bend as it comes down from the manifold, and slightly strained the middle joint. And as it got hot it opened up more, and with every jiggle it squeaked. How that turned into gearbox dying noises I don't understand, because lying under the car and wiggling it just sounded like two bits of tube rubbing together slightly... One of those compressed wire wool exhaust gaskets tightened it all up - and also solved the bulkhead scratching noise.

Thanks for the note it was a new borg beck clutch. I might have got hydraulic fluid on it, although I tried to keep it all cleaned down.

I have also now replaced the exhaust. Manifold studs were, well fun!

Decided to live with the clattering until something breaks!

The juddering after 40 minutes is odd tho. Think this is either timing or clutch contamination. Will investigate if the wife will let me. Spent allot of hours on the landy!

Thanks again for the explanation, I will check in the morning the springs.

Certainly could be contamination causing the judder. My eurobox does it when it's really hot, but it comes and goes so it's ignored. It got a new master and slave (for other reasons) so can only be something betwixt fork and flywheel.