"The Gearbox Explodes" - one of our gears is missing.......
Discussion
Oh dear.
Out for a "spirited blast" on Sunday morning before the world got out of bed, 90 mins of general hooning and good fun.
On the way back home, hard on the gas in 3rd gear for an overtake, there was an almighty "ccrrrrsssssskkkkkk!!!!" noise like a learner crunching the gears, then the revs flared. Oh sh
t...... hooked 4th, completed overtake, then tried for third again.......... .....nothing. 
Limped the 5 miles home very gently, with 1st 2nd and 4th....... with a death rattle from the gearbox.
Looks like it's rebuild time
I knew 5th was a weak point on these gearboxes, but not 3rd??
In some ways I'm glad it went on Sunday not Tuesday - as did the TVRCC track day at Oulton Park (great day - thanks Roly for letting me share the Chimaera).
Anyone else have any problems with 3rd gear?
Out for a "spirited blast" on Sunday morning before the world got out of bed, 90 mins of general hooning and good fun.
On the way back home, hard on the gas in 3rd gear for an overtake, there was an almighty "ccrrrrsssssskkkkkk!!!!" noise like a learner crunching the gears, then the revs flared. Oh sht...... hooked 4th, completed overtake, then tried for third again.......... .....nothing. Limped the 5 miles home very gently, with 1st 2nd and 4th....... with a death rattle from the gearbox.
Looks like it's rebuild time
I knew 5th was a weak point on these gearboxes, but not 3rd??
In some ways I'm glad it went on Sunday not Tuesday - as did the TVRCC track day at Oulton Park (great day - thanks Roly for letting me share the Chimaera).
Anyone else have any problems with 3rd gear?
how many miles?The Cerb's done about 29K miles. I bought it at just over 20K in Jan 09. The engine is quite strong for a 4.2; had some Joo (ex TCS)head work and remap, runs cats with sports back box and twice dyno'd at 392bhp and 393bhp on Joo's TCS dyno; then on same dyno at RaceProved approx 9 months later.
Gutted about the gearbox, as I'd just spent a small fortune on the car thinking that "all was well" mechanically....... I'd had the chassis inspected and Waxoiled; the engine seemed strong; and I'd replaced the shocks with ProTechs last year along with a new clutch and RaceProved flywheel.
In the last month or so just had new carpets and mats from D&C trim; new ICE installed; 4x Goodyear F1s fitted last week; some minor service work...... all in just splashed about £2.5K on the car and hadn't anticipated another big bill.....
It's just been collected by RaceProved to drop the gearbox out later today. Excluding the labour to drop the gearbox and reinstall, been quoted £650 + VAT plus £70 carridge to rebuild the gearbox. So I think I'll be looking at the thick end of a grand all in.
Gutted about the gearbox, as I'd just spent a small fortune on the car thinking that "all was well" mechanically....... I'd had the chassis inspected and Waxoiled; the engine seemed strong; and I'd replaced the shocks with ProTechs last year along with a new clutch and RaceProved flywheel.
In the last month or so just had new carpets and mats from D&C trim; new ICE installed; 4x Goodyear F1s fitted last week; some minor service work...... all in just splashed about £2.5K on the car and hadn't anticipated another big bill.....
It's just been collected by RaceProved to drop the gearbox out later today. Excluding the labour to drop the gearbox and reinstall, been quoted £650 + VAT plus £70 carridge to rebuild the gearbox. So I think I'll be looking at the thick end of a grand all in.
Edited by mikeinsheffield on Wednesday 4th August 15:39
Unlucky Mike. Just had mine rebuilt by John Reid at Grantura Engineering (or check Readman Racing). The guy is ex-factory and specialises on 'box rebuilds. You'd probably be looking at about £330 for the rebuild which includes layshaft, 1st, 2nd & 3rd gear.
Let me know if you can't find his number (if alternative work is still an option) and I'll dig his card out.
Let me know if you can't find his number (if alternative work is still an option) and I'll dig his card out.
Edited by nadirv8 on Wednesday 4th August 16:10
grahamn said:
Exactly what happened to mine, except I was on a trackday at the time. Had mine rebuilt as a close ratio box, cost about £1500. You do get a bit of a whine in 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 5th (sort of race carish if you know what I mean) but it definately feels more responsive now.
Yep, straight cut gears right? Stronger, but get a similar noise from reverse which is straight cut.grahamn said:
Exactly what happened to mine, except I was on a trackday at the time. Had mine rebuilt as a close ratio box, cost about £1500. You do get a bit of a whine in 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 5th (sort of race carish if you know what I mean) but it definately feels more responsive now.
I could live with that sound all day long
Doubt they are straight cut, would be v noisy, but maybe less slanted than usual. The straighter the more efficient (less friction loss) afaik.
Mike, take heart in the fact that the work you've had done is orthogonal to the gearbox. You only need to get upset when you spend 2.5k on a full respray and then a week later you have a fire, for example.
Mike, take heart in the fact that the work you've had done is orthogonal to the gearbox. You only need to get upset when you spend 2.5k on a full respray and then a week later you have a fire, for example.
Latest news:
RaceProved have droppped the gearbox and looked inside - not a pretty sight. The gearbox is pretty much FUBAR, there are teeth everywhere, The layshaft with all the gears on has gone, and the main shaft has lost 2 out of the 4 gears on it. Off for a rebuild it will go.
In the spirit of "one job always leads to another" - the two diff bushes in the side plates also need replacing (maybe some movement in the diff was a contributing factor to the gearbox problems?) The one attaching it to the chassis is OK (I seem to remember that Joo may have replaced this when I first got the car).
Brummie - thanks for the heads up on Olton - spoke to a chap there, his issue is that he can't get hold of parts.
Whilst I'd like to think about upgrading the gearbox - the truth is that this rebuild is completely unbudgeted and it wil just have to be a standard rebuild.....
RaceProved have droppped the gearbox and looked inside - not a pretty sight.
The gearbox is pretty much FUBAR, there are teeth everywhere, The layshaft with all the gears on has gone, and the main shaft has lost 2 out of the 4 gears on it. Off for a rebuild it will go.In the spirit of "one job always leads to another" - the two diff bushes in the side plates also need replacing (maybe some movement in the diff was a contributing factor to the gearbox problems?) The one attaching it to the chassis is OK (I seem to remember that Joo may have replaced this when I first got the car).
Brummie - thanks for the heads up on Olton - spoke to a chap there, his issue is that he can't get hold of parts.
Whilst I'd like to think about upgrading the gearbox - the truth is that this rebuild is completely unbudgeted and it wil just have to be a standard rebuild.....
It might be a false economy to go for standard rebuild....I had 3rd gear and layshaft go last year. Went for standard rebuild....lasted 13 months until 3rd went again, without any trackdays in between!
£1600 does sound a lot for the tougher CTS gears from gearboxman but I'm hoping that it'll last a bit longer.
You can choose standard ratios or close ratio.
At least I'm making the most of my AA parts & labour cover
£1600 does sound a lot for the tougher CTS gears from gearboxman but I'm hoping that it'll last a bit longer.
You can choose standard ratios or close ratio.
At least I'm making the most of my AA parts & labour cover
Cerb999 said:
It might be a false economy to go for standard rebuild....I had 3rd gear and layshaft go last year. Went for standard rebuild....lasted 13 months until 3rd went again, without any trackdays in between!
£1600 does sound a lot for the tougher CTS gears from gearboxman but I'm hoping that it'll last a bit longer.
You can choose standard ratios or close ratio.
At least I'm making the most of my AA parts & labour cover
I'd be asking for my money back if that had happened to me.£1600 does sound a lot for the tougher CTS gears from gearboxman but I'm hoping that it'll last a bit longer.
You can choose standard ratios or close ratio.
At least I'm making the most of my AA parts & labour cover
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