Grinding noise when accelerating in low gears?
Discussion
Hi all, I've noticed a definite "grinding" or heavy scraping noise when accelerating in low gears, 1st/2nd. It goes away, a bit, after the car has warmed up. I haven't used the car for a few weeks, and last weekend the grinding was really bad, it gets worse the less I use the car. It went away, but took ages to do so. I'm wondering if it's the clutch on the way out, or a gearbox problem? My Griff is a 95 500.
Many thanks all...
,
Many thanks all...
,
phazed said:
These are quite strong boxes and don't usually give trouble, (famous last words).
How many miles has your car done?
Hi, it's done 81,500, whatever the problem is doesn't seem to affect performance, but it's so variable, the best way I can describe the noise is it's like a mudguard fouling on a bike!!! but a bit more "metallic" The clutch seems OK, no slipping, normally, but when I drove the car after it had been standing for about three weeks I was a bit freaked out when I pulled away for the first time, it was like a spring winding up or like an automatic getting up to speed, full drive wasnt there, and then it just kicked in, and that symptom hasn't occurred since.How many miles has your car done?
When the car was delivered back in July, they had to change the crucifix seals in the box, and oil. I don't seem to remember the car having these symptoms when it was delivered, I would have definitely noticed, and I've only done about 300 miles since then.
Sardonicus said:
Check the oil level if they removed the g/box to carry out those seals renewal they may have lost some trans oil and didn't replenish , if you find it low on oil sadly its already too late ........
Embarrasing moment! I'm not at home right now, so can't check, is there a dipstick for the oil level?phazed said:
Nope. You'll find a drain and a fill/level plug on the offside of the box.
Use a 3/8 socket wrench to undo the fill/level plug and then squirt in from a 500mm Dexron 2/3 bottle until oil flows out the hole.
OK, thanks, I'll have a check and top up if necessary, but, as you say, damage may have already been done, probably.Use a 3/8 socket wrench to undo the fill/level plug and then squirt in from a 500mm Dexron 2/3 bottle until oil flows out the hole.
Which brings me to my next question....what oil to use?
Edited by griff59 on Thursday 8th November 17:08
All I can do is run it by my local TVR guy, hopefully he'll come up with a solution.
As I said, it doesn't affect performance, but it is very disconcerting.
I've read that 70/80,000 is a crucial time for these cars, engines, gearboxes, so who knows?
As I said, it doesn't affect performance, but it is very disconcerting.
I've read that 70/80,000 is a crucial time for these cars, engines, gearboxes, so who knows?
Edited by griff59 on Thursday 8th November 21:27
phazed said:
Had a chance to check yet?
Yes, and all is fine.But....took took the car out this week, and I have to say, it drove the best ever, I don't know why, but it felt amazing, also no gearbox or other noises at all, gone completely. I'm using it more lately, it doesn't like to be in the garage for too long. I did notice a bit of dampness, behind the dash gauges, and the engine faltered a bit to start with, but after that all was fine. TVR's really are like human beings, good and bad moods.
phazed said:
That doesn’t make sense at all!
No, it doesn't, strange but true! I took it out yesterday, a very small bit of general gearbox/diff noise, but not unlike any other Griff of my vintage/mileage. If it's intermittent, it can't be that serious right now, I'm still going to get it checked out, be on the safe side.
QBee said:
Cannot get away from the earlier comment that it didn't make a noise in 4th gear.
As stated, 4th is straight through the box.
I remember a Cerbera (same box) losing all drive on a track day at Snetterton a few years back. I imagine Phazed remembers it too.
The owner, Martin, eventually worked out that he did still have drive, but only had drive in 4th gear.
When he had the box fixed I seem to the diagnosis was faulty lay shaft, which I understand to be the shaft that pulls in the gears that alter the ratios - 4th is 1:1.
To my mind (not that i know much about gearboxes and their oil levels, Phazed is your expert there), this sounds like a similar fault developing, so it may only be a matter of time before it breaks completely.
Presumably in checking the oil level, you squirted some oil in? If you did, you may have temporarily masked the problem, or if lucky, solved it for now. Depends on how short of oil it was. Did you squirt any in, or was it full?
I did put some oil in, about half a pint I think? As stated, 4th is straight through the box.
I remember a Cerbera (same box) losing all drive on a track day at Snetterton a few years back. I imagine Phazed remembers it too.
The owner, Martin, eventually worked out that he did still have drive, but only had drive in 4th gear.
When he had the box fixed I seem to the diagnosis was faulty lay shaft, which I understand to be the shaft that pulls in the gears that alter the ratios - 4th is 1:1.
To my mind (not that i know much about gearboxes and their oil levels, Phazed is your expert there), this sounds like a similar fault developing, so it may only be a matter of time before it breaks completely.
Presumably in checking the oil level, you squirted some oil in? If you did, you may have temporarily masked the problem, or if lucky, solved it for now. Depends on how short of oil it was. Did you squirt any in, or was it full?
The car is due a service around about February, there are a few things to get checked out, I'm going to mention the engine mount issue, I'll get Dan Taylor to drive the car and see what he thinks, also the suspension is "really low" he commented on it, and reccomend that it be raised a bit, does anyone think it could be fouling something on acceleration due to this?
BIG DUNC said:
Don't think being really low would cause anything to foul. It is only the position of the wishbones that would be different.
Possibly the drive shaft joints could be at an odd angle if it was super low, but when you think how much the suspension moves under normal driving conditions, I would be really surprised if being a bit too low was upsetting the drive shafts.
I would live with it until the service and see what they say.
It hasn't done it for the last couple of drives, who knows? Possibly the drive shaft joints could be at an odd angle if it was super low, but when you think how much the suspension moves under normal driving conditions, I would be really surprised if being a bit too low was upsetting the drive shafts.
I would live with it until the service and see what they say.
I'll leave it to the service, as you say.
QBee said:
Now wishing that Phazed would check back in on this - I don't know how much oil missing would make a difference, but he would. I suspect that you have pinpointed the source of the noise, and have stopped it with the extra oil, but I don't know enough about the layout of the gearbox internals to be sure. I suggest you mention this to Dan Taylor when you book the car in.
In my experience of running a Chimaera at all sort of levels, running height wouldn't affect the gearbox, but having the car too low would mess up the handling somewhat. TVR designed these cars' handling surprisingly well, and my TVR expert, who races them, insisted that mine be run higher than many you see. I can confirm that it handles much better. It also clangs fewer bumps on country roads with the exhaust tray and rear anti-roll bar.
I took the car to Dan Taylor a while back, he comented on the fact that it did seem a bit lower than most, and that raising it a bit could improve the ride and handling.In my experience of running a Chimaera at all sort of levels, running height wouldn't affect the gearbox, but having the car too low would mess up the handling somewhat. TVR designed these cars' handling surprisingly well, and my TVR expert, who races them, insisted that mine be run higher than many you see. I can confirm that it handles much better. It also clangs fewer bumps on country roads with the exhaust tray and rear anti-roll bar.
I'm definitely going to get him to do this at the next service.
Still no gearbox noises, fingers crossed!
ecs0set said:
Bumped this thread as I had exactly the same issue. Grinding noise, only under load and seemingly different depending on which gear it was in.
Having resigned myself to a gearbox rebuild, Jon at Purbeck Sports Cars correctly diagnosed...
<dramatic pause>
the hydraulic pipe to the clutch slave cylinder was resting against the gearbox. A quick push on the copper pipe and it is fixed!
Thought it was worth adding in case anyone else has similar.
Hi, the car is in for head work, and in the process they discovered that one of the belts was rubbing on a jubilee clip making a rubbing/grinding noise, this may or may not be related to my initial grinding noise, I'll know when all is done.Having resigned myself to a gearbox rebuild, Jon at Purbeck Sports Cars correctly diagnosed...
<dramatic pause>
the hydraulic pipe to the clutch slave cylinder was resting against the gearbox. A quick push on the copper pipe and it is fixed!
Thought it was worth adding in case anyone else has similar.
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