Tintop Gearbox/clutch Problems

[ZeroKnowledge]

my son has an almera 2001 1.5 petrol with manual gearbox/hydraulic clutch.

 

couple of weeks ago when car was moving at about 10mph and engaging 1st gear there was a noise as if the gbox teeth were "just" grinding together. All fine when stopped & engaging 1st, all other gears ok.

 

after doin a bit of googling I changed the gbox oil (used Halfords Gear Oil EP 75W/80 GL-4)

made no difference.

 

a week after changing oil, gear selection is now very difficult in all gears, both with engine off and when running.

 

also when in neutral with engine running there is a whirring/wineing noise that dissappears when dipping the clutch.

 

I have also bled the clutch & it made no difference

 

anyone got any ideas what it could be????

 

thanks in advance

 

Paul :(

[Guest MarkB]

Whirring at idle will be the release bearing/ concentric bearing, double check that oil spec, did you take the gearbox drain plug out, was there any metal filings attachés to it?

[Shaft]

Whirring at idle will be the release bearing/ concentric bearing, double check that oil spec, did you take the gearbox drain plug out, was there any metal filings attachés to it?

 

Mark, wouldn't a noisy release bearing only be evident on dipping the clutch? The op states the noise goes when dipping it? Sounds like a bearing within the box perhaps?

 

Or perhaps I'm confused?

[ZeroKnowledge]

yes took drain plug but it was clean

[Guest Ian & Carole]

Mark, wouldn't a noisy release bearing only be evident on dipping the clutch? The op states the noise goes when dipping it? Sounds like a bearing within the box perhaps?

 

Or perhaps I'm confused?

 

Clutch release bearings usually rattle / whine when not under stress, put pressure on them and 99.9% go silent.

[Guest scrabster]

chap at work had a similar prob when he changed the g/box oil and couldnt get a gear, turned out to be wrong spec oil, put original spec oil in and bobs your uncle.

hth,jess.

[ZeroKnowledge]

chap at work had a similar prob when he changed the g/box oil and couldnt get a gear, turned out to be wrong spec oil, put original spec oil in and bobs your uncle.

hth,jess.

 

the oil I used is same spec as nissan xz oil as per manual, any idea what grade I should try

 

cheers Paul

[Guest scrabster]

if you used correct oil then look else where.maybe the clutch cylinder seals have gone,are they leaking?

[ZeroKnowledge]

if you used correct oil then look else where.maybe the clutch cylinder seals have gone,are they leaking?

 

no leaks from any where on clutch & piston pushes lever arm

 

any check/tests i can do to diagnose the problem

keep the info coming

cheers Paul

[Les Welsher]

Bearing gone in gearbox. When clutch operated noise dissapears mean nothing is turning in the gearbox when stationary so no noise. I think it's a common problem.

My son had the same thing happen on his VW Lupo, common problem again,oil leak on selector shaft leads to bearing failure.

[knights_templar]

after a bit of googling found an almera owners club topic

 

http://www.almeraownersclub.com/threads/2002-1-5-gearbox.35584/

 

which doesn’t make good reading.

 

are you sure about the oil grade as in my experience transverse boxes run on lighter oil than 75w/80.

 

most I have come across use engine oil 20/50 or 10/40, early Mk3 escort ran on a very thin oil, a bit like ATF.

 

too thicker oil will make it harder for the synros rings to work and shifting will be difficult.

 

You mention a noise when idling in neutral, most boxes of this type do make a noise in those conditions, however the bearings are not under load just free-wheeling, the real test is whether they are noisy when loaded, eg driving, and in which gears.

[ZeroKnowledge]

after a bit of googling found an almera owners club topic

 

http://www.almeraown...-gearbox.35584/

 

which doesn’t make good reading.

 

are you sure about the oil grade as in my experience transverse boxes run on lighter oil than 75w/80.

 

most I have come across use engine oil 20/50 or 10/40, early Mk3 escort ran on a very thin oil, a bit like ATF.

 

too thicker oil will make it harder for the synros rings to work and shifting will be difficult.

 

You mention a noise when idling in neutral, most boxes of this type do make a noise in those conditions, however the bearings are not under load just free-wheeling, the real test is whether they are noisy when loaded, eg driving, and in which gears.

 

yes 75w 80 is the specified oil & there is a whining noise when driving (could only get into 1st & 2nd)

cheers

[ZeroKnowledge]

thanks for all info

been surfing allnight to try & find answers, looks like it might be a replacement box

[Guest Alan_builder]

I have a new Nissan (small thing) as a courtesy car. 8k miles, the gearbox sounds like a handful of nails in a tin bucket!

 

Are you sure the rubbers particularly the one in the master cylinder is not letting oil bypass it and thus not disengaging the clutch? This can happen prior to leaks showing on the outside!

[ZeroKnowledge]

just drained a small amount of week old gbox oil into glass and it looks very metallicy, put a small magnet in & oil makes patterns around magnet also can feel small bits in bottom of glass.

Iam guessing need another box ???