Still getting it wrong, after 25 years

[Zak33]

6 weeks ago the gearbox in my old Polo started making funny noises in reverse. A grinding ....not loud but horrible.

I looked on ebay for a box, and kept a few in my Watch list.

After a week it made the same noise in first while turning left, and so I decided to let it run it's life and get one when it failed. Back in the 90's I sold VW new and the Golf 1.4/1.6 had a horrible gearbox that failed under warranty regularly so I kinda thought I knew what it was.

6 weeks later, reverse involved going very gently to not induce the screech/grinding, but Ebay had none for sensible price. It's an old car, it needed a cheap box.

Great on motorways, and only on tight left handers or in reverse was it noisy. I'd obviously checked the drive shafts, and CV joints etc. They were safe.

===

It died 3 miles from my mates garage last Friday (on way for MOT and potentially scrap yard box swap)... when I say died... it made a nice bang to inform me it has let go, and while i still had drive, it was PROPER LOUD and was only quiet.....under mild acceleration. It didn't fail to pull away... odd

that's when my mind went "bing bong " and 30 seconds later, bonnet up, I reaslised what was wrong.


Guesses anyone?

[kalniel]

Out of oil?

[Zak33]

nope, but v good guess

[virtuo]

Left your handbrake on?

[Ttaskmaster]

Clutch cable?
Grinding is usually brakes, or a loose arch trim.

I'm guessing you checked the power steering fluid?

[stevie lee]

mates focus had horrible grinding at speed, took it to garage they couldn't work it out.
then he checked tyre pressures and found the hub cap wasn't fastened on properly, something to do with the metal ring (?)


I would also guess a pipe had come off or got a hole in it, one of the exhaust thingies.

[DanceswithUnix]

Engine mountings gone?

I'm thinking for the reverse/tight left thing it has to be either something loose against the engine or the entire engine loose, and the entire engine loose can be harder to spot

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Break/Clutch fluid was low?

[ik9000]

Cat napping behind the engine block?

[Macman]

Having that crunch issue atm too.

Gear linkage perhaps? Re-oiled/greased mines, working fine now.

[Biscuit]

Forgot to feed the hamsters?

[Butcher]

I'm going for engine mounts too. Not good for the gearbox if so though!

[Xlucine]

Surely engine mounts would go clonk on acceleration/engine braking? If they don't resist torque anymore, the clonk should be more noticeable than any grinding from spinny things touching other things unless it's really bad

[filbert]

Diff

[peterb]

So there was a visual clue when you opened the bonnet? Photo please!

Otherwise I'll go radical and suggest something like a bi metal flywheel separating or the clutch disintegrating and bits exiting through the clutch housing. (Although that wouldn't explain the reverse and left hand turn symptoms, so maybe steering rack/steering link components.

[Ttaskmaster]

You'd left some tools under the hood?