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kourt
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2013
Posts: 1937
Location: Austin, TX
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 Posted: Sun May 02, 2021 9:33 am Post subject: Re: Transmission broke while on the highway |
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I agree--there is a paucity of information from OP--not enough to really diagnose. We haven't ruled out the most basic/common problems.
kourt |
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OnTheVanagain
Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2017
Posts: 89
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| Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 2:15 pm Post subject: Re: Transmission broke while on the highway |
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| IdahoDoug wrote: |
Hmm. Differential fail. Then main bearing fail. And the OP never gave us any symptoms to help get a second opinion, nor where they are broken down.
Not a very good use of a talented bunch of forum folks. Good choice on the transaxle from Bend, though. |
I asked the mechanic again he said he can’t tell for sure because he hasn’t opened it but he suspects one of the teeth broke off from the rib and pinion and doesn’t know if I can get the core charge because of it. I broke down in Vegas right by my house. |
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OnTheVanagain
Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2017
Posts: 89
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| Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 2:29 pm Post subject: Re: Transmission broke while on the highway |
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| Wildthings wrote: |
| IdahoDoug wrote: |
Hmm. Differential fail. Then main bearing fail. And the OP never gave us any symptoms to help get a second opinion, nor where they are broken down.
Not a very good use of a talented bunch of forum folks. Good choice on the transaxle from Bend, though. |
I would be nice to get more information on the failure symptoms. Hard to know what a failed main bearing is in a system that has nothing called a main bearing in it TTBOMK. If it just stops going down the road without making a huge bang or making an ever increasing racket previously then that would point to a CV coming loose from its flange, and I would hate to see someone spring for a transaxle rebuild because of six loose or broken bolts. |
My van has been making a loud high pitched noise as I accelerated especially on the Highway at higher speeds. I don’t think it’s the CV joints since I changed them a couple years ago. When I broke down it made a loud metal clanking sound that wouldn’t stop until I fully broke down. The red oil light also started flashing that day and I thought the engine might of chucked a rod or something. I dont know enough to pin down the problem. Most I’ve down is swapped parts but the transmission and engine are still a mystery to me. |
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Ahwahnee
Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010
Posts: 9797
Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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| Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 2:56 pm Post subject: Re: Transmission broke while on the highway |
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| OnTheVanagain wrote: |
| ...The red oil light also started flashing that day and I thought the engine might of chucked a rod or something... |
Oooh, I didn't note that little detail earlier. Time to check everything. |
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22639
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 3:42 pm Post subject: Re: Transmission broke while on the highway |
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If you didn’t source these carefully
| Quote: |
| I don’t think it’s the CV joints since I changed them a couple years ago. |
.. you are one year past their expiration date
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50336
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| Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 7:48 pm Post subject: Re: Transmission broke while on the highway |
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| OnTheVanagain wrote: |
My van has been making a loud high pitched noise as I accelerated especially on the Highway at higher speeds. I don’t think it’s the CV joints since I changed them a couple years ago. When I broke down it made a loud metal clanking sound that wouldn’t stop until I fully broke down. The red oil light also started flashing that day and I thought the engine might of chucked a rod or something. I dont know enough to pin down the problem. Most I’ve down is swapped parts but the transmission and engine are still a mystery to me. |
I am going to guess that you have a pinion bearing that was failing in one way or another and eventually something more major happened. Possibly parts of the bearing got into the teeth of the ring and pinion or other gear set? Let us know what it looks like the failure was assuming you mechanic is interested enough to open it up and look. If he doesn't want to take a peak, maybe some Samba member in the Vegas area would be up to doing a show and tell inspection. |
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IdahoDoug
Samba Member
Joined: June 12, 2010
Posts: 10248
Location: N. Idaho
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| Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 8:41 pm Post subject: Re: Transmission broke while on the highway |
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Yeah, you guys have expressed exactly what I'm concerned about here with the OP. That it's not being properly diagnosed. The red oil light and the vehicle stopping are indications you potentially DID have a major engine issue that felt just like a tranny issue. But if you tell a shop you have a tranny issue and they say "OK, we'll swap it out for you sir at $4340 and we're not going to open anything to confirm any tranny issue. We're really happy you and your wallet came in today with a diagnosis and a request to replace your transmission.", you could be in for a whopper of a surprise.
What are you going to say when they call you in a month and tell you "Well we got your tranny in, but when we went to start it for a test drive it sounds like your engine is destroyed so we shut it down instantly." ?
Again, not getting any details here this is a guess. But that red oil light and a major clanking sound would not have led me to say "Huh, I guess I need a new transmission, here's a check for $4,000." I hope this works out.
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Steve M.
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2013
Posts: 6829
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
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| Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 2:14 am Post subject: Re: Transmission broke while on the highway |
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Wait a second.
After you heard the "clang", was the engine still running?
Were you able to restart the engine at any time after you shut it off after you heard the "clang"?
If you were able to start the engine, did it sound normal?
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OnTheVanagain
Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2017
Posts: 89
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| Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 3:26 am Post subject: Re: Transmission broke while on the highway |
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| IdahoDoug wrote: |
Yeah, you guys have expressed exactly what I'm concerned about here with the OP. That it's not being properly diagnosed. The red oil light and the vehicle stopping are indications you potentially DID have a major engine issue that felt just like a tranny issue. But if you tell a shop you have a tranny issue and they say "OK, we'll swap it out for you sir at $4340 and we're not going to open anything to confirm any tranny issue. We're really happy you and your wallet came in today with a diagnosis and a request to replace your transmission.", you could be in for a whopper of a surprise.
What are you going to say when they call you in a month and tell you "Well we got your tranny in, but when we went to start it for a test drive it sounds like your engine is destroyed so we shut it down instantly." ?
Again, not getting any details here this is a guess. But that red oil light and a major clanking sound would not have led me to say "Huh, I guess I need a new transmission, here's a check for $4,000." I hope this works out. |
First thing I thought is that it was major engine failure for driving the van with low oil pressure. I took the van to the same mechanic about a month ago because it was making a loud noise when accelerating. He said it was the tranny and I should get that fixed right away. I believe I’m having major engine and tranny issues. I asked him to pin point the problem but he said it’s for sure the tranny. |
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OnTheVanagain
Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2017
Posts: 89
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| Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 3:28 am Post subject: Re: Transmission broke while on the highway |
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| Steve M. wrote: |
Wait a second.
After you heard the "clang", was the engine still running?
Were you able to restart the engine at any time after you shut it off after you heard the "clang"?
If you were able to start the engine, did it sound normal? |
The engine still turns on and runs sounds normal on idle the mechanic told me. |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32574
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 3:39 am Post subject: Re: Transmission broke while on the highway |
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Yeah...... I git in troubke once by not doing as the customer asked.
I was working at Jay Allen BMW in Medford Or. late 70’s early 80’s ....... this beautiful 2002 tii from California (that should have put me on alert right there!) rolls in, the lady tosses her keys at me and says "it is running hot! Put in a new radiator” .
She disappears...... this is back in the age before cell phones.......
Anyway, we pull it in and the gauge sender is puke.
Put in a new sender, gauge now reads perfectly, there was never an overheat issue but rather an electrical issue.
She finally came back and I told her the good news.
Well you would have thought I was the devil himself!
She ranted and raved!
I should have put in a radiator, charged her big money and thrown in a temp sender for free!
Heavy sigh.........
Dave
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Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos
Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473
Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537
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https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert |
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kourt
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2013
Posts: 1937
Location: Austin, TX
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| Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 4:16 am Post subject: Re: Transmission broke while on the highway |
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We still have no good diagnostic information here.
It's all hearsay but so far we've heard the following from the mechanic:
"My local mechanic in Vegas suggest I just order a rebuilt transmission"
"The mechanic told me the deferential broke."
"Last time we spoke he said the main bearing was failed."
"I asked the mechanic again he said he can’t tell for sure because he hasn’t opened it but he suspects one of the teeth broke off from the rib and pinion and doesn’t know if I can get the core charge because of it."
"He said it was the tranny and I should get that fixed right away. I believe I’m having major engine and tranny issues. I asked him to pin point the problem but he said it’s for sure the tranny."
In reading this list of feedback from the mechanic, he has only made a suggestion to replace the transaxle, without opening it and evaluating it. That suggestion is as good as the diagnostics that went into it: worthless.
Differential failures are uncommon.
We still haven't ruled out the most common thing: CV joint failure.
Let's remember Occam's Razor: in problem solving, when evaluating competing theories, always test the simplest theory first.
kourt |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32574
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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danfromsyr
Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004
Posts: 15143
Location: Syracuse, NY
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| Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 8:02 am Post subject: Re: Transmission broke while on the highway |
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isn't there a bearing on the main pinion shaft that would allow the pinion to get out of adjustment and then chew itself up.
I've seen stripped pinions before from slop in the gears.
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Steve M.
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2013
Posts: 6829
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
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| Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 8:07 am Post subject: Re: Transmission broke while on the highway |
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| danfromsyr wrote: |
isn't there a bearing on the main pinion shaft that would allow the pinion to get out of adjustment and then chew itself up.
I've seen stripped pinions before from slop in the gears. |
Ya mean something like this?
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=752764&highlight=
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oceanair
Samba Member
Joined: June 09, 2013
Posts: 720
Location: Victoria, BC
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| Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 8:38 am Post subject: Re: Transmission broke while on the highway |
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Mechanic said change the tranny right away, but I kept driving it. So... could be multiple problems, but kept driving it is definitely one.
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kourt
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2013
Posts: 1937
Location: Austin, TX
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| Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 8:39 am Post subject: Re: Transmission broke while on the highway |
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In the Vanagon automatic differential, it's far more likely to have bad bearings on the differential, not the ring & pinion.
The differential bearings are held and adjusted by the locking rings at the output flanges.
The replacement of these bearings is fairly straightforward--it can be done with the transaxle in the van.
BTW I ran these bearings for a year in a heavy Westy with lots of western US mountain driving. Leaking? Yes. I had to refill the differential gear oil every 1000 miles. But still driveable.
A broken CV would be noisy and would easily forbid forward motion of the van. We still need to rule that out.
kourt
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OnTheVanagain
Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2017
Posts: 89
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| Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 3:32 pm Post subject: Re: Transmission broke while on the highway |
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Not really mush louder. When I push the van it makes a loud clank every couple of feet. |
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OnTheVanagain
Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2017
Posts: 89
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| Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 3:36 pm Post subject: Re: Transmission broke while on the highway |
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| kourt wrote: |
We still have no good diagnostic information here.
It's all hearsay but so far we've heard the following from the mechanic:
"My local mechanic in Vegas suggest I just order a rebuilt transmission"
"The mechanic told me the deferential broke."
"Last time we spoke he said the main bearing was failed."
"I asked the mechanic again he said he can’t tell for sure because he hasn’t opened it but he suspects one of the teeth broke off from the rib and pinion and doesn’t know if I can get the core charge because of it."
"He said it was the tranny and I should get that fixed right away. I believe I’m having major engine and tranny issues. I asked him to pin point the problem but he said it’s for sure the tranny."
In reading this list of feedback from the mechanic, he has only made a suggestion to replace the transaxle, without opening it and evaluating it. That suggestion is as good as the diagnostics that went into it: worthless.
Differential failures are uncommon.
We still haven't ruled out the most common thing: CV joint failure.
Let's remember Occam's Razor: in problem solving, when evaluating competing theories, always test the simplest theory first.
kourt |
I’m not sure what else I can do. There’s only two known vanagon mechanics in Vegas and the last one I took it to didn’t put on one of the new heads on right and a corner of it popped out on the Highway. I dont know enough about engines and transmission to pin point the problem so Im pretty much at the mercy of asking them to diagnose the van for me. |
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danfromsyr
Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004
Posts: 15143
Location: Syracuse, NY
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| Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 4:12 pm Post subject: Re: Transmission broke while on the highway |
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it's a major repair and alot of $$ so you are justified to ask for PICTURES of the broken bits..
if they can not (won't) provide you with carnage pics when every mechanic has a cell phone in their pocket/toolbox.
then walk away. any 'able' mechanic can R&R a transaxle in a vanagon, it's not specialty.. so any import shop can do that..
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