Annoying noise from gear box/clutch after cam belt change

I would hazard a guess that a 'full service and MOT' involves a lot of waggling rattling and othgerwise stressing components such as the CV joints and may be enough to tip existing wear over the edge.

Also after any engine-taking-apart jobs I find I'm very sensitive to any change in the noise - probably even picking up things that were there before.

It *might* have been the mechanic, but why? If you suspect he did the damage then he's not going to get the work anyway, is he?

"It *might* have been the mechanic, but why? If you suspect he did the damage then he's not going to get the work anyway, is he? "

Well the problem definitely wasn't there when he took the car and was there when he returned it so I think something he did caused the problem or like you say "tipped existing wear over the edge". Either way I feel there must be some onus on him to fix the problem and to be fair he's taken it a few times without charge to try and identify the problem. He seems a decent guy and is quite friendly with my mate so I don't want to get bolshy over it, anyway I know there's no real way to prove the problem wasn't already there! He did also change the brake pads as they were quite worn, not sure if that would require a lot of waggling of the CV Joints?

I don't really want to spend that sort of money on a car which is only worth £1800 approx. However I was hoping to trade it in next year for something bigger as we've got a baby on the way but nobody will want to buy it with that noise. The only other suggestion he has is to put some type of fluid into the gearbox to try and reduce the noise. Anybody got any idea what this is or whether anything he might have done could have caused this? Where do I stand in terms of trying to get him to do the repair work as he can always claim the noise was there beforehand.

Take it somewhere else and get a second opinion as to the cause. Until the exact cause is known there is nothing you can do.

mrcheerful

I'm going by my experience of fixing PCs where you get exactly the same thing. I fix some problem where they can't download email and next thing I know I get a call to say the fan is making a funny noise and it must be 'my fault'.

identify

real

On a lot of cars it's necessary to remove the engine mounting(s) on the same side as the cam belt (in order to remove the cover and change it) and support the engine on a jack. I guess in doing this (badly) it might be possible that excessive strain could inadvertently be put on the driveshatf joints. Is there any indication/marks that it may have 'rested' on something.

Jim

There's no onus on him at all. Disturbing components usually brings up anyy pre-existing faults. I doubt he actually did anything to create a new fault.

I took the car to another garage and they said the problem was somewhere in the gear box, probably some bearing which was worn. They don't repair gear boxes either , simply replace them, =A3550 + labour =3D =A3700 which is a lot for a car worth =A31800 approx. They would fit a second hand gearbox , but obviously no guarantee with gearbox. The've said it's safe to drive but will get noisier so I'll probably try and get a secondhand gearbox in the new year and replace it. Where's the best place to get one of these and how much would I pay (approx)?

just get your one fixed. I believe you have the same box as a rover 416, I had one the other day, with a noise from the gearbox, noisiest in first, reducing as you go up the gears. It needed just one bearing, unfortunately it is a very long job, I charged 300 plus bits, so it came to about 500 including a new clutch . the job was straightforward, but is a long job, which is why most garages won't touch gearbox work.

find a gearbox repairer and get a quote.

there are places that will supply guaranteed second-hand boxes, but you would still have to pay the labour to change it.

mrcheerful

Still sounds far too coincidental to me.

Could be the crank has been end loaded and is now chewing it's thrust bearing up.

Could be an engine mount that didn't like being pushed around.

There are rubber bonded dampers on the shafts if they get lose they don't half rattle, grind it off and lose it.

Could be a cover or shield that's not properly attached.

Can you hear it if you rev it up in neutral, or in gear with clutch depressed or is it only on lift off when driving? If it not there in neutral it's in the gearbox output shaft, diff or drive shafts. If it's still there in neutral then it could be input shaft but will not make noise in gear with clutch depressed. If it's still there in gear with clutch depressed then it's in the engine/flywheel/clutch and not the gear box as all shafts in that will be stationary.

Heck it really sounds like the classic sound of failed big ends. Quiet under load and rattles like a load of ball bearings in a tin can on overrun. Run without or low on oil? Full of fuel/water laden black stuff that's not changed often enough? Thrashed to 4000rpm from cold every start? Not taken for a proper 30mile+ steady run (not stop start city/rush hour traffic) once a week (or at very least once a month but then needs 1 hour) to get fully warm and give it time to boil off the water and fuel from the oil?