Whining leaking gearbox

[Gilb666]

Hey folks

Feels like my car's falling apart this week!

Went out for a drive today, when i was nearly home, i felt a very slight shudder, which i at the time put down to a leaky vacuum hose i'm currently having issues with

Anywayu, pulled up outside the house, noticed a spot of oil on the road where i had been. Checked engine oil, and as i only changed this last week, sump plug / filter - all seems fine. Very dificult to tell with all the rain, but it looks like the oild is coming from between the engine and gearbox. Took it up to see if my dad had any ideas, and it then develpoed a bit of a whine in 2nd gear, then on the way home, the whine also happened a bit in 3rd. The whine does seem to stop when not on the power at all.

I've never done any gearbox stuff at all, but would like to have an idea of the problem before starting the presumably epic task of removing the box!

I've now abandoned the car at my parents house to avoid doing any further damage to it, and i'm stuck driving around in my mothers Celica - drove it the 2 miles home and already loath it, please help!

[mark1gls]

Have you checked the oil level in the gearbox? You need to find flat ground and not of driven the car for a few hours to check it by taking out the oil plug out on the side of the gearbox.
Oil in between the gearbox and engine could be leaking oil seal on the driveshafts, it usally also sprays around that area so oil leaks out gets on the CV joint then is sprayed around the engine when driving. Mine leaked for a couple of years (just keep and eye on the oil) till I got around to changing the seals, you can do it with the gearbox still in the car. But I would 1st check were the oil is coming from as it also could be leaking from in side the gearbox.

The gearbox oil has a differnet smell to engine oil so it is easy to check what sort of oil it is.. (yes I'm saying put your finger in it and sniff the oil, it has a very distinctive smell)

[Gilb666]

Thanks, i'll check the level. Is it an actual level you can see, or is it a 'fill up to here' kind of thing? just wondering if i'd be able to easily tell if im just slightly down below the top, or if i've lost loads?
Could the driveshaft seal account for my 2nd gear while? (you know the whine when the Delorean starts driving in BTTF? it sounds like that)

I did notice there was a definite oiley smell, will be able to get back to the car tomorrow to take a look so will test that too!

[mark1gls]

You take a plug out and if you have a torch you can see in. To check the level you fill it up till it pores out, that it why it need to be on level ground. The plug is just behind the green cap on the end of the gearbox, if you turn the wheels full to the left you can better access. You will need a 17mm allen key or some thing like that to remove the plug.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DRAPER-38323- ... 2a1b1087e5

The 2nd gear whine could be a worn gearbox? I'm not great on gearboxes, Im just good at filling them with oil as I had to do it every 3 months or so..

[Gilb666]

I've finaly decided it's been sat in my garage long enough, and have taken the gearbox off today - problem is kinda obvious now!



Guess the diff kinda exploded a bit!

I've got a new box ready to go on, but its not quite the same (old box is the origianl early 88 GTX, new one is early GTI i believe)
The reversing light connection is completely different on the GTI box, and has a lot of extra pins. Can i just conect the 2 wires from the GTX loom to the correct pins (and does anyone know which they are?) or do i need to get the GTI type plug for it?

Also it seems that the GTX had 100mm drive shafts rather than the 90mm on the GTI, i cant see any obvious way to remove these, presuming i have to open the gearbox and remove them from the inside?

The other option is that i replace the smashed diff and casting with the one from the GTI box, and leave the electriacal conection as it was before, but slightly concerned about other damage im not aware of yet

[james butler]

Drive shaft flanges are easy. Look inside the cup bit and prise out the washer rubber cover.
Under Neath is a circlip u need to remove and the flange will come out with a spring so becarefull
There is also a brass washer thing behind it you need to be carefully it doesn't fall out.
It is a very easy job but quite messy

[mark1gls]

Very helpful website, shows how to change flange and making the tool to remove the flanges safely.
http://www.brokevw.com/

[Gilb666]

And all the reverse switch info i could need too, Thanks dude!

[Gilb666]

All was progressing well but have run into a slight hitch.

The new box i'm using has a different case shape on the passenger side, so the 100mm flange won't fit

I've seen a few bits of info saying the case can just be ground away to allow for the extra space, but before i do it i'd have liked a few pics to show how much.
Anyone had any experience with this? I'm a bit nervous about grinding too much and making the metal too thin.

[Gilb666]

Decided to just go for it with the grinding, and all went fine.

Refitting the circlip was a pig of a job, but got there in the end. Just the other side to do, and hopefully should have the box back on this weekend!

[mark1gls]

Are you using the home made tool on the flange to refit the circlip? I found I had to wound the threaded bar out a little from the gearbox to get the flange to sit further in so it was eaiser to get the circlip on.

[Gilb666]

Nope, i'm using the method of one person puts all their weight on the flange to hold it down, and someone else prods it with 2 screwdrivers till it goes in!
Passenger side went on fine, but drivers side is proving more dificult to hold down due the angle the box has to sit at to ballence. think i'll make it, but as usual, other problems have occured.

Took the end off to check everything looked ok as there was a bit of water in the box. it's all fine but found at some point a thread has been stripped off, so need to get a helicoil fitted before i go any further as i'm in no rush to take a gearbox off again!

[mark1gls]

Picture of my home made tool, 3 threaded bars and nuts on each side of the metal cross bar. Crude but worked a treat as I had the gearbox on the car when changing the seals.