Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 14:58:45 -0900
Reply-To: Will Taygan <lists@ALASKABIODIESEL.ORG>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Will Taygan <lists@ALASKABIODIESEL.ORG>
Subject: Drove my tranny dry - how much transmission life left?
In-Reply-To: <1257359218.10026.15.camel@mirror>
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Didn't get any response a few days ago, so this is an updated/extended
repost. I've been searching the archives and poring over wikipedia, but
am still looking for opinions. :)
1982 1.6NA diesel Westy 4-speed with MT-90 in the tranny.
Key points:
1. swishing sounds from the tranny in neutral when clutch is let up. No
sounds when pressed in. I notice a little drag on engine when the
sounds occur. Assume throwout bearing good. Assume input shaft bearing
going out? - maybe just 3/4 bearings?
2. coasting in 3rd and 4th also has a similar significant swishing
sound. Noticeable but not overpowering. Sound goes away (or at least
lessens below engine noise) when accelerating/driving. Assume more bad
bearings on 3rd/4th???
3. coasting in 1st and 2nd, no sounds loud enough to hear over the
diesel. This is why I'm guessing it's 3/4 bearings.
4. shifts up okay, shifting down requires double clutching. BUT it
shifts up AND down when warmed up - still shifts slow, but hey! Assume
synchronizers bad, but 3/4 slider is still good??
5. No high-pitched whine, so R&P (that's part of the differential,
right?) is maybe okay?
6. I'm still trying to figure out how all that stuff inside the tranny
works :)
7. Body is pretty beat up. I'd rather drive it till it dies, then fix
but don't want to be totally stranded. If the problem is 3/4, could I
still get home in 2nd?
Thanks!
Will in Alaska.
> 1982 Diesel Westfalia, stock everything (except for the CD player).
>
> Bought an old rustbucket and rebuilt the engine (my first try at that)
> last spring, didn't put in the pilot bearing, ugh.
>
> Tranny ran out of fluid on the highway mid-summmer. I noticed this by
> the sharp grinding noises (like gears were stripping noises?). Down
> shifted to 3rd, noises again. Exited and drove a mile or so in 2nd to
> the store. Bought gear oil, filled it up. Tranny was stuck for a couple
> seconds, and then a loud snap - like something breaking (or breaking
> loose) and it started driving. and drove home 45 minutes.
>
> Funny, the input shaft(?) seal was still good. Of course the oil slinger
> was rattling around.
>
> Had the local machine shop secure the oil slinger with a sleeve, tapped
> in a pilot bearing and put it all back together.
>
> It shifts up great, but I have to double clutch down. It WILL shift
> down after driving 30 minutes or so - MT-90 in the gearbox.
>
> *** I'm worried about the swishing sounds I get when coasting in 3rd and
> 4th. I'm assuming bearings? I can live with the double clutching, I
> just don't want to get stuck stuck. I this something where I can pull
> some bearings and put it back together for another 50k? ***
>
> Thanks,
>
> Will in Alaska.
>