Gearbox - bite the bullet?

Mouse_GTI · Post by **Mouse_GTI** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:49 pm

Hey guys. In a month today I will finish Uni for good with 4 months off in summer before I start a full time job. I've got about 1 week of using the car every day followed by 3 weeks of using it occasionally due to revising for exams. Now I'm getting worried about my gearbox as it is sounding nastier than before. I'm hoping it will last the next month, but if it does, is it worth just taking it to a gearbox specialist straight away? A place has been recommended but it is 40 miles away, so it would be much easier driving the car there than waiting for the gearbox to brake and having to pay a huge recovery charge. It may another 400 miles or another 4000 miles, it's hard to tell.

Any opinions/advice would be appreciated

edit: the car has done just over 46.5k miles

jason11 · Post by **jason11** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:00 pm

id personally take it before it goes, you mite be able to get it re.cond, my old one went in my mk4 and the chap that did it said to me its best to get it sorted as soon as so you wont cause anymore problems! Best be safe than sorry in my eyes chap :), hope ya get it sorted

tomo87 · Post by **tomo87** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:03 pm

ye when mine went the 1st time i messed it up by leaving it so long!

but the second time it broke 2 weeks after the noises started

Mouse_GTI · Post by **Mouse_GTI** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:58 pm

Cool, I think I will pay "Black Charlie" a visit on my first week off

Tim_GTi · Post by **Tim_GTi** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 10:10 pm

If you've got the money, get it sorted now mate. No point waiting, if it's making noises now it's going to go at some point and will only cause more hassle if it blows up.

Mouse_GTI · Post by **Mouse_GTI** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 10:16 pm

I sort of don't have the money but I'm sure my parents will give me another interest free loan

Tim_GTi · Post by **Tim_GTi** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 10:25 pm

Mouse_GTI wrote:I sort of don't have the money but I'm sure my parents will give me another interest free loan

aye gotta love em for that!

Luke'sGti · Post by **Luke'sGti** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 10:01 am

Personally I would get it sorted asap - when the gearbox goes (in my case anyway) it blows a hole in the side of the bell housing and leaks gearbox oil everywhere - because of its location this tends to go onto the clutch and means that you'll need a new clutch, so getting it done sooner rather than later will save you the cost of a new clutch (at a guess Â£90 ish)

Hope that helps

tegwin · Post by **tegwin** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 10:17 am

IMHO...I would budget for a new clutch and release bearing anyway! If the gearbox is comming out you might as well make the most of the time involved and do the clutch as well!!!

Tim_GTi · Post by **Tim_GTi** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:10 pm

tegwin wrote:IMHO...I would budget for a new clutch and release bearing anyway! If the gearbox is comming out you might as well make the most of the time involved and do the clutch as well!!!

That's true, but you've recently had your clutch replaced though haven't you Mouse?

Mouse_GTI · Post by **Mouse_GTI** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:34 pm

Yeah my clutch was only replaced a month ago and it's brilliant. It's such a weird noise the gearbox makes. A combination of high pitched grinding, nails on a blackboard or rubbing bits of broken glass together

Tim_GTi · Post by **Tim_GTi** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 11:18 pm

Mouse_GTI wrote:It's such a weird noise the gearbox makes. A combination of high pitched grinding, nails on a blackboard or rubbing bits of broken glass together

That sounds lovely!

Dee-vub · Post by **Dee-vub** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 9:49 am

haha i cant even begin to imagine that noise lol!

when my gearbox went, it went within a couple days

Firstly started as a really faint whyne, didnt think nothing of it to be honest! Didnt know at the time of the symptoms to loook out for....but then one night when i was out cruising, the whyne got REALLY loud and i just thought....em oh oh, so decided to nurse the car home and i lost 4th gear

The car didnt move for a couple days until it was getting take n to the garage.....like 30 miles away

where on the way to that i lost 2nd gear haha! Typical!

The dreaded whyne is whgat to listen out for, when i am back onshore on the 7th mouse, take me out in your motor and i'll try and listen out to see if it was similar to my box

If it is going, let it go.....ideal chace for a conversion

Spare VR6 lying around if you fancy it

Mouse_GTI · Post by **Mouse_GTI** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 6:02 pm

How long you onshore Phil? I won't be next out until Monday 19th. My last exam is May 16th then I'm straight off to Dublin for the weekend after it

MaxZ · Post by **MaxZ** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 6:48 pm

Any chance you could record the noise, for reference on what it should sound like? I'd find that quite helpful, and I'm sure a lot of members will too.
Thanks Mouse