Gearbox is mush

[ChilliS]

Hi chaps. Still very much new to the S (I'm the VX guy (Lotus wanna be) ...................

Lots of noise from the front and intermittent levels of drive has been diagnosed by my local garage as gearbox bearings. Given I'm a one Haynes spanner mechanic kinda guy, that means souring someone to do the work.Would welcome your thoughts, recommendations, prayers.

Option 1 - Garage said they can source replacement recon box, plus new clutch circa £1k ish fitted (approx as they don't know how long it'll take)
Option 2 - Garage will repair old one - they're not transmissions specialists but have done a 'few gearboxes over the years'. Old school mechanic v old school gearbox, they seem confident they can do it (circa £1k again)
Option 3 - Find a specialist for the refurb (but not all, if any, do the drop/refit).

I'm not in a rush for the car to be fixed (so long as I have it for S Tour Scotland trip). Has anyone had this issue before and what are the pitfalls. As I see it;
Option 1 - I've read that a T9 box was slightly modified in some way on the S, so sourcing a T9 doesn't mean it'll defo be a straight swap
Option 2 - The garage are old school and trusted but don't know TVR's at all.
Option 3 - Ideally I want someone who'll take the box out, refurb and refit.

All suggestions gratefully received. Live in Peterborough, Cambs but happy to travel to the right 'gearbox angel' if the car will make it ....Simon :-)

[ChilliS]

Hi Phillpott thanks for the heads up. After 12,000 + posts I'll take heed... the intermittent drive is more a 10-20% loss for a few seconds then back, then off again..... I hear the noise regardless of whether I press the clutch in or out.. They did rule out clutch ... Si.

[ChilliS]

Thanks yknot, I'll take the car out tomorrow afternoon and post a more useful summary of symptoms... thanks to everyone who's replied so far - if it is the gearbox then as you said Greenv8s I'm certainly leaning towards a repair rather than replace... I'll add more to this post tomorrow mid afternoon. Thanks guys...

[ChilliS]

Hi guys, I've taken it for a short run up the motorway playing around with speed and revs... the intermittent drive is a red herring (think I eased off the accelerator before with the noise).....
Soooo...
1. At up to 3.5k revs and motorway speed no issue, IT cruises ok and I can't hear any noise (but saying that the engine, exhaust etc may drown the gearbox) - but as soon as I drop a gear and exceed 4K revs there is a hell of a lot of rattles and vibration in the car and a loud rattle noise from the centre of the car/bulkhead area.
2. At standstill there is a very different continual groan noise with the clutch pedal is out and disappears when in...
3. On start up no other noises, but as you pull away there is a rattle from around the transmission tunnel but only once the engine is warm and regardless of whether in gear, out of gear or stationary/moving... the rattle reminds me of a loose heat shield I had in another car - that thin metal rattle.

I've been through the wad of receipts and castle Tvr fitted a recon gearbox @ 9912 miles in 2004 and I've only got 39k on the clock now.

Hope this helps... assuming it is gearbox as the garage said then recommendations welcome. Obviously the clutch will be replaced at the same time and I'll look at the prop too.

Thanks guys. Simon.