I'm borrowing a friends POS 73 super while I'm working on my beetle. I can't seem to identify the groaning noise it's making.
Sometimes, not either hot or cold, but mostly found while in second gear with the clutch depressed, a horrible groaning noise happens, sometimes.
If I take it out of gear the noise goes away, so I don't think it's the throw-out bearing. Guess I'm swapping for new gear oil tomorrow...
Anyone have any ideas on what could cause a horrible groaning noise?
I do not know what is causing that noise but, I got a really good 1973 Beetle rebuilt transaxle from One Stop Machining in Downey, CA in August, 1996. I also had a new Saachs clutch kit and main seal installed while I was at it. No problems except, for when I first got it had a little trouble shifting. It was a little tight. I got a shift rod coupler with rubber pads for the shift rod and it shifted a lot smoother. It eventually broke in and all is well except on a very rare occasion, once a month or so,I can not put it into first, so I put it in 2nd and move a few inches forward and then I can put it into 1st. For gear oil, I just got 3 quarts GL-4 synthetic gear oil from John C. at aircooled.net. I think it is called AMSoil 2000 75W-90. Actually it is a GL2 thru GL-5 gear oil but it is gauranteed to be safe for all metals. It has a green color. I was using Sta Lube 85W-90 GL-4 gear oil. Now it shifts a lot easier and the AMSoil gear oil is supposed to give better mpg too.
That's cause it is MT-1 rated.
It just doesn't like second gear... If this was my bug, I'd swap trannies.. Let's see what some new sauce does..
/me leaves for the driveway.
Sounds like the pilot bearing in the gland nut to me. When the car is in gear, clutch depressed, the clutch disk is still spinning, being driven by the transaxle. The pilot bearing is spinning as well, but the speed it runs at depends on how fast the car is going and how fast the engine is turning. As soon as you take it out of gear, the input shaft is free to spin however it likes, and if your pilot bearing is going south it will probably drag enough to bring the input shaft up to the same speed as the engine, and the noise goes away.
Gear oil is cheap so it's not a big outlay to try that route first, but I have doubts as to whether it will address your problem.
Chris
I removed about 1/3 of a quart of really hot (car had been sitting for 45 minutes) nearly black tranny fluid. Put in the 3 quarts it needed ;)
I took it for a spin and wow, it shifts easy. Anyhoo, noise is still there. I agree with your theory. I'll note this to the owner I'm borrowing the car from. Thanks.
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.