Gearbox Whine

someguy · Post by **someguy** » Fri Mar 26, 2010 8:26 pm

Hi All.

I have had my L just over 3 years now and ever since I got it I have always been concerned about the loud whine the gearbox makes in first and reverse. (because of this I have been too scared to ever go over 1700RPM due to the whine which makes taking off from a stand still quite slow because I stay in first for less than a second or so before I shift into second)

The gearbox runs great and has been absolutely flawless its just the whine I am concerned about.

To put it this way I have a 2.5" exhaust with no cat (very loud) and I can hear the whine in first over the noise of the exhaust.

Is this normal for the D/R 5 Speeds or should I get it check out by trans specialist? as the L is my only car at the moment and would hate for something to go wrong with the gearbox as I can't really afford a new one at the moment

also if it is a normal noise what causes it as the AWD 5 speed in my brothers doesn't do it so it seems to just be the EA boxes?

Thanks

someguy · Post by **someguy** » Fri Mar 26, 2010 8:38 pm

The whine sound exactly identical to this blokes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-O3FTQsl9qY
The vid doesn't allow embedded viewing so you will have to click "watch on youtube"

someguy · Post by **someguy** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 11:50 am

Nobody has an EA 5 speed? :P

SubieMad · Post by **SubieMad** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 1:36 pm

Been driving L's for about ten years now and always had a whine in reverse but not in first

.
I have no idea about gear boxes so i can't help i'm afraid.

Anybody else????

someguy · Post by **someguy** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 4:31 pm

SubieMad wrote:Been driving L's for about ten years now and always had a whine in reverse but not in first .
I have no idea about gear boxes so i can't help i'm afraid.

Anybody else????

Thanks mate, now I know its not a normal noise.

Now to find out what it is so I can get it fixed....any ideas?

I have been driving on it like that for 3 years and was like that when I got it so it doesn't seem to be an urgent thing to fix but if I know what it is and I ever have the trans out then I know what I need to fix.

I am more of an engine bloke, don't have a clue when it comes to transmissions

AlpineRaven · Post by **AlpineRaven** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 5:41 pm

Have you done gearbox oil change yet?
Cheers
AP

maxxair · Post by **maxxair** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 5:49 pm

My L Touring wagon 5sp D/R made a bit of a whine in first, nothing like that. reverse usually isnt as Helical cut, so always makes a decent whine. 'sheelberite'

someguy · Post by **someguy** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 9:36 pm

AlpineRaven wrote:Have you done gearbox oil change yet?
Cheers
AP

When I first got it I got my mechanic to do a full service including diff and gearbox as I was doing a 3000km trip and wanted everything fresh. (now I do my own servicing)

As far as I can remember thats it. (its always topped up though)

Maybe time for another change.

It just uses standard SAE80/90 right?

Never done a transmission oil change before so hopefully I don't bugger anything up

Post by **TOONGA** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 9:58 pm

that noise as I understand it is caused by the bearings on the main shaft being worn and causing float / chatter in the gearbox if the bearings are overhauled/ replaced the noise is lessened but not stopped as the gears are worn due to age / mileage on the box

TOONGA

someguy · Post by **someguy** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 10:04 pm

TOONGA wrote:that noise as I understand it is caused by the bearings on the main shaft being worn and causing float / chatter in the gearbox if the bearings are overhauled/ replaced the noise is lessened but not stopped as the gears are worn due to age / mileage on the box

TOONGA

Thanks toonga

The engine has only done 120k but as far as I know the trans wasn't rebuilt so it has done 360k so I suppose the noise is just due to old age.

If worst comes to worst and the transmission goes in the future I will probably just get an AWD 5 speed and an adapter plate to run it on the ea but at the moment I can't really afford to replace such things so I was just checking to make sure it wasn't anything causing serious damage but if its just normal wear and tear then thats ok I suppose.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sun Mar 28, 2010 12:18 am

Hmmm... Sounds like your box may have been starved of oil at some stage or a bearing is on the way out as already mentioned... My EA box had done 400+K km before I swapped it for another box I'd built into and EJ casing for the EJ conversion. There was really no whining as such, the one time I had some whining I topped up the oil and there was not a problem again.

Don't worry if you overfill the gearbox - it will push any excess oil out the dipstick tube if you've over filled it. Most who love their low range will overfill their gearbox to keep the oil up to the low range gears on hill climbs. My current box will whine a little bit on a decent hill climb even though I've got a bit more oil in there than what's needed.

A second hand gearbox shouldn't cost too much depending on where you get it. In vic I can get one for about $150 from Pick a Part...

The AWD box is more than just an adaptor plate. There's gearbox mounts, tail/prop shaft length to consider (lengthing for the L series I think from memory, I could be wrong as its been a while), same for the gearshift shafts... It would be quite a task I'd reckon.

Cheers

Bennie