Rattle noise in neutral and clutch engaged (not pressed in)

[Waldi]

Our gearboxes run sometimes 300k km on original oil without significant damage.
You do not change the "ingeneering" to significant longer lifetime by changing oil. As you dont extand lifetime to a significant longer time by changing/cleaning oil.
And you dont get more security not to get broke down on the street.

If a r+p runs for lets say 500k (proofen) ,very possible much more, without oil changing out of the 3 rebuilding intervals, and it would hold longer for 100k with oil changes, with the same rebuilding intervalls (because if not it will never reach the 500k), but oil changing every 10k or filtering system (which needs intervall work too) , this 100k more would cost you how much more ?

And changing oil on a 100k miles gearbox, possibly because of change to a stronger engine, means money for the pigs.

[MarkWard]

Unless the CVs were recently cleaned and repacked, now would be a good time to do so.

[AZ_CreamPuff]

Well, life comes at you hard bro (since 2017) and needless to say the problem is still there. She has gone on a few more long trips since then with only issue is it gets stuck in third now and again (sudden death syndrome I hope not). While hunting down a pesky coolant leak I narrowed down that the noise is coming from the nose of the transmission and not where it attaches to the the engine. I put my ear up to it and that is 100% where it's coming from.

Give it to me straight. Is time running out on the transaxle or could it still be something minor. Might be time to start saving the pennies for a bosting/rebuilt tranny. My confidence when driving her long distances is starting to fade and it makes for terrible vacations worrying all the time

[Vanagon Nut]

Hi folks.

This is for a WBX transaxle with Jetta 2.0 gas engine.

At idle, clutch engaged, I hear a medium light rattling sound from my transaxle. Pedal down (disengaged clutch), noise stops. I think noise is at tranny main shaft bearings. At lower speeds (less wind noise) on level road, I hear the noise under load but noise quiets or stops coasting in gear.

If I keep driving it like this will I render the case and-or main shaft i.e. "core" useless? Will noise suddenly increase before rendering the tranny in-op or will noise increase over time? (miles).

This is an AA rebuild installed by a shop. Clutch replaced at that time so I assume pilot bearing was replaced. Those parts do not have high miles. Certainly less than 100K. I have changed gear oil at least once.

I'm trying to gauge when, if, I should get another rebuilt in. I'll be losing my shop space soon and have work to do on two vans, downsizing etc., before I lose that space. I'd prefer not to open up "cans of worms" restoration projects. i.e. leave things as is for as long as possible.

Thanks,

Neil.
_________________
1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA
(VW Gas I4)

1988 Westy DIY 50º ABA

VE7TBN

[Sodo]

Look at your drain magnet.
It it's hairy, it's likely bearings and its days are numbered.
Long strings are bearings.
There's no healing for that.

To drive it to death, getting the most miles out of it - you need to dump out the steel bits often.
Much more often than once in 100k, especially considering oil is only $20.
And you 'can go under the van', right? That's a plus. Lots of owners can't.

$20 in oil will pay back in "more miles"- if that's what you need from this trans from your current situation. But there's no oil that will 'fix' it of course.
Oil without the steel in it will extend the remaining life (a little).

Assuming you have a "water cooled" 094 trans83.5 or newer........
If you can take a peek inside with a camera (or a mirror?) thru the filler hole
You wanna see if 4th gear is grinding a shiny circle on the forward magnesium case (called the gear carrier). If it's touching, the mainshaft bearing is real worn out.
If not touching the case, then you have a sensitive ear and you have caught it 'earlier' and may have more miles.
_________________


'90 Westy EJ25, NEW oil rings (!) 2Peloquins, 3knobs, SyncroShop pressure-oiled pinion-bearing & GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox.
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered original gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[Vanagon Nut]

Thanks Sodo.

Tranny is WBX type and has less than 100K miles possibly even [edit: has about] 60K miles. Gear oil changed at least once, possibly twice in that time. I'll inspect drain plug soon.

I'll see if I can inspect the carrier for 4th gear wear. I understand what you mean.

Any future living rental space I get won't allow any vehicle work so those privileges will be gone soon.

I was a trombonist by trade so would like to believe I have a sensitive ear but years of sitting beside the drummer.... who knows.

Neil.
_________________
1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA
(VW Gas I4)

1988 Westy DIY 50º ABA

VE7TBN