First Problem......

[grif500]

...I think anyway.

It may just me being used to newer cars, but I've picked up on a noise coming from my Grif. It occurs in all gears, but only under load and initial acceleration in whatever gear. The noise seems like a droneing, now I know very little about engines, etc, but to me it seems like it could be the diff or gearbox.

Can somebody please put me out of my misery, or tell me to stop worrying and press the loud pedal more!

Thanks

[Wildfire]

That'll be the extaust!!

Where exactly, from the back? or Front? Is it louder at any particular rpm?

[grif500]

Lol, that's what my mate said, but that makes a far more pleasing sound!

Not entirely sure where it's coming from, to me it seems to be from the engine. When you pull away, or change gear, it get gradually louder until around 2500rpm, when it either goes away or the engine drowns it out! This happens in all gears.

I'm hoping it's just me being ultra paranoid......

[crankedup]

Consider booking a session on a rolling road perhaps, put your mind at ease and then fully enjoy your Griff'.

[RAW-SEWedge]

Diff and transmission is noisy compared to a modern cars. Maybe try and get along to a meet and sit in some others to compare.

Hope it's nothing serious.

[steve-v8s]

May be worth checking that the Diff is not “wet” ie leaking. I say that because mine was when I bought it, but the oil level was OK. It made as you describe a droning slightly whiney noise which on mine peaked at about 35 mph. Dealer told me quite normal, but afterwards I learnt, gave the previous owner less because the Diff was shot. Over a year it got a lot louder until I replaced it two weeks ago. My guess is that the previous owner let it leak until empty and the dealer just stuck some oil in. Having said that neither the Gearbox or Diff are completely silent. I would get someone independent to take a ride with you and pass comment.

[grif500]

cheers for the advice all, hopefully going along to the Mid-Essex meet this weekend so will have a chat and listen to some other Grif's.

Probably all in my imagination, but better to be safe than sorry!

[Ballistic Banana]

Does it have a roll bar on?? you can get a wiring noise come through the cab on this, resonating through the chassis it is attached too

BB

[grif500]

Nope, no roll bar.

Just took it out for a quick blat (do you ever tire of these things? ) and couldn't notice the noise at all, so it seems to only happen when it's warm. I've also noticed that it's harder get it out of gear when it's warm, particularly third, so could it be the gearbox that's got problems, possibly low on oil?

Cheers

[No 1]

I used to notice a similar sounding noise on my car, but only if I was in a high gear for the speed - eg 30mph in 5th. As soon as I changed down the noise went away. Never did work out what it was, possibly just the cars way of telling me to change down.

[rick.e]

A couple of things to try:

Does the tone of the noise vary with road speed or with engine speed. ie:

1) If the tone increases steadily with roadspeed irrespective of which gear you are in, it is more likely to be the diff.
2) If the tone increases with engine speed, but then drops down again with the engine revs after you change up a gear, repeating with each gear change then it is more likely to be the engine.

My Griff very occasionally exhibits (2), but only when started from hot, and the fault is cleared by switching off and restarting. On startup the engine will hesitate slightly, and for some reason the LED for the heated mirrors comes on (why the LED comes on is a mystery, but it does indicate something other than a normal start). When I drive off a very faint whine starts at about 1500RPM and increases in pitch until it disappears a thousand RPM later. If on change-up the revs drop back into the 1500-2500RPM range, the whine starts again. If I stop and restart the engine, the problem goes away. I must repeat that this is a very faint whine, which I suspect many drivers wouldn’t notice. I have put this down, perhaps incorrectly, to the starter motor not fully disengaging, hence the reason it clears if I restart. The whine, and its frequency of occurrence have got no worse in 25000 miles so I’m not unduly worried.

[RAW-SEWedge]

grif500 said:

Nope, no roll bar. Just took it out for a quick blat (do you ever tire of these things? ) and couldn't notice the noise at all, so it seems to only happen when it's warm. I've also noticed that it's harder get it out of gear when it's warm, particularly third, so could it be the gearbox that's got problems, possibly low on oil? Cheers

It's worth changing the oil in the box completely. Even if it's had a FSH it may never have been changed, only top'd up.

With the exhaust in such close proximity to the box, the heat will degrade the oil faster. Not very expensive or difficult to do either. This would then rule that out.

[grif500]

Thanks Rick, going out for a long drive this weekend, so will try and determine exactly where it's coming.

RAW-SEWedge said:

It's worth changing the oil in the box completely. Even if it's had a FSH it may never have been changed, only top'd up. With the exhaust in such close proximity to the box, the heat will degrade the oil faster. Not very expensive or difficult to do either. This would then rule that out.

When you say not very difficuly to do, would that still count for a complete novice....

[griffter]

If you do it yourself, make sure you undo the FILLER plug FIRST. If it strips/shears or is unbudgable you can then drive to somewhere for help. If you've already dropped the oil on the other hand...