Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Something very odd happened today.

Was driving along and I downshifted from 4th to third and this really crackling sound started coming from under the car. I stopped and looked in the engine bay and underneath the car and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Drove on and as I down shifted a while later it happened again. Then as I was stationary and about to take off I pressed the clutch in and moved the gear lever towards the left to engage first the noise started again. It also happened later on as i took off.

It's an odd metalic type crackling sound almost like I've just driven over a number plate on the road or something. It's coming from the gearbox but have no idea what it might be.

Anyone have any ideas?

I felt/heard a pop in fourth and then a constant cicking noise on the highway. Drove like this for two weeks. Found out that a synchro like gear in the transfer case had broke and gone through the main gears.

Probably not the same thing but someone on the WARFS list had the exact thing happen to them.

it is an occasional problem with teh Feroza gearboxes that 3rd gear s**ts itself. Mine did, along with the input cluster and a few other things. I had to go a new gearbox. We got a second hand box ($500 in think), and built one good one out of the two. All up about $1400 from memory.

You name it I have done it.... Had my Feroza for 5 years, its got 335,000 ks on it, and I have done 154,00 of that.

Paul, maybe look at draining your gearbox oil into a clean container and see if any extra bits come out with the oil. You could also, after draining, stick one of those magnetic tools for picking up dropped screws etc into the drain hole and see if it picks anything up.

My gearbox makes a lot of noise, but it's never done anything like that.

murcod wrote:Paul, maybe look at draining your gearbox oil into a clean container and see if any extra bits come out with the oil. You could also, after draining, stick one of those magnetic tools for picking up dropped screws etc into the drain hole and see if it picks anything up.

My gearbox makes a lot of noise, but it's never done anything like that.

do that first....... good idea

Thanks guys... will drain the fluid on Saturday and see how I go. Drove to work today and the noise didn't surface at all.

It is a bit odd though... I've done the odd gearbox here and there but never heard a noise quite like this one...

Been calling around for a gearbox and it seems they all set the price for today as $1,100.00 for reco or import box. The funny thing is they can't tell me if its a complete unit with the transfer case. And then they want $450.00 to fit it.

Anywho, all I can say is the timing is perfect... I guess Ferocious wanted a xmas present too.

Cheers

Well my mechanic is intrigued and told me to take it around to his joint on Saturday to have a look at it.

Should be fun but hopefully he'll be able to fix it for a lot less than $1,550!!!!

His motto CASH IS KING!!!!!!!

I had an unusual noise coming from mine a few years ago. When i turned sharply or braked hard i heard a rattling noise from the gearbox. $$$
And as usual when the mechanic drove it he could not reproduce the noise. Dropped the box out and found a small dowel from the clutch assembly sitting in the bottom of the bell housing. When i braked or turned it would roll up the side and get flicked aroud by the flywheel etc.

Might pay to check before you spend ya $$$.

Just had my box repaired and the noise that came from it sounded like searching for a long lost socket in the bottom of my toolbox. Lost 3de and 5th gear and to fix was loke buyng a garage worth of tools. Must add that I did pay more as I had gears made as I could not get a seccondhand unit. Now murphy has placed me in the pot where I can get a couple. I will ask for a Price on a good box just for interest and see what comes up.

Good luck mate know the feeling

Try ringing Daihatsu for a price on a brand new box Paul. I rang them before buying my Feroza (due to the noises it had) and from memory it was around $2800 for a brand new gearbox and transfer case (not including fitting). If they want $1500 odd for a secondhand gearbox it could be worth looking into.

Clint wrote:I had an unusual noise coming from mine a few years ago. When i turned sharply or braked hard i heard a rattling noise from the gearbox. $$$
And as usual when the mechanic drove it he could not reproduce the noise. Dropped the box out and found a small dowel from the clutch assembly sitting in the bottom of the bell housing. When i braked or turned it would roll up the side and get flicked aroud by the flywheel etc.

Might pay to check before you spend ya $$$.

Now that you mention it it only seems to make the noise when I brake or turn sharply except for that one time when it did it when I was taking off really slowly.

But also when I was trying to engage first whilst stationary and it made the crackling sound I could feel a vibration through the gear lever like something was bouncing around underneath it.

Might get the mechanic to open the bugger up as he put my clutch in about 3 months ago. And just add the... "do you think it might be a dowel from the clutch??" comment and get him to investigate for free.

Thanks guys... I really need to get this sorted this week so I can do some thrashing at Jenolan.

You know what if the damn thing had gone weird while I was offroading having fun I wouldn't mind so much... but it started going stupid on a trip to the shops for milk for christ's sake!!!!

Oh yeah and I'm collecting my extended shacles from Mike Hennesy tomorrow too!!!

Can never have enough lift!!!!!!!

I had some weird noises from my Feroza's gearbox as well which developed after a few bush trips. I ignored it for a couple of years, then when the clutch was due for replacing, I had the box overhalued as well. It turned out to be a bearing carrier that was on its last leg.
That was nearly 2 years ago and that cost me $1100 the lot! All new bearings, spigot, pressure and friction plate, machined fly and labour etc.

My point is I was lucky the dud bearing didnt fall apart completely. Or it could have been more $$$.

Rod

Well took the car to my mechanic on Saturday and as usual no noises while there. He took it for a drive and checked everything under the car and nothing wrong. He suggested I drain the fluid and see if anything comes out of the box and then buy a magnetic plug and see if it makes its way there and come out next time I change the fluid. Best option yet but the damn thing hasn't mad any noises for 3 days now.... typical.