Feeling really gutted, possible knackered gearbox :(

[Sam_M]

Hi, Just got my Pulsar today, Absolutely lovely car, 54k on the clock, had a recon gearbox about 10k ago, and organic clutch 3k ago. The car was runing standard power. Couldnt fault the car at all, felt tight, drove fantastic and I WAS over the moon until tonight.

Basically, driving it quite hard, went into 4th and it made a crunching type sound as if id slipped a gear, put down the clutch pedal and tried again and all it made was a crunching sound again and a whining sound. So put it into neutral and pressed on the clutch to let it roll to a stop.

Just to mention I havent launched the car at all, and didnt have any intention to either as I know that is a gearbox killer. Anyway, with the engine off, I could engage 1st 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th, but not reverse. waggling the gearstick a bit, I could then get it into all gears. ON starting the engine it will go into 1st and second, but in 3rd 4th and 5th it just makes a crunching sound. it will also engage in reverse.

It will drive in 1st and second but with a whining sound, but kept jumping out of gear unless I held it. Unfortuantely I had to limp it a couple of miles to a garage which is now safely put away.

I feel absolutely sick and really upset, and feel like ive bought a dud, I didnt drive like an idiot and I had no intention of launching either, but it was driven fairly hard at the time.

Just also to point out, when limping it to the garage I came to a hill which I let it free run in neutral, also pressing int he clutch, and I noticed a bit of hesitation and alarmed me enough to stop and then engage a gear to carry on.

From all that, would this defo be a knackered gearbox???

Any advise would be greatly appreciated
Thanks
Sam

 

[marcymarc]

Dont think the worst mate it could just be the clutch , 3 thousand miles is easy enough to shred it.

 

[Sam_M]

Dont think the worst mate it could just be the clutch , 3 thousand miles is easy enough to shred it.

I hope so mate, I really do, it just seems strange to happen on a car with Standard power aswell, altho I have to say, just before it happened, I noticed a whine at low revs but didnt think to much of it, but perhaps I should have. When letting it roll down the hill the strange hesitation and noise while in neutral with the clutch pressed down is kinda strange aswell, which would make me think how could it be the gearbox but I just dont know

 

[Fast Guy]

Other things to look at are the slave cylinder and clutch fork.

Where abouts are you, someone may be able to have a look for you.

 

[gtir bean]

my clutch fork went on the way home from buying mine so i had to get the engine out after 1 day.

 

[Sam_M]

I think they are coming to the conclusion its the gearbox thats gone, I had to hold it in 2nd gear to limp it to the garage, and it would fly out of gear quite violently if I let go. Now to source another gearbox. I guess on the positive of this, ill be getting a recon in there so at least Ill know for sure it`ll be sorted out.

 

[Sam_M]

Update on this, got my old gearbox off, the layshaft had completley snapped, and its very likely due to 8 bolts missing around the bay!!!, 2 of which need to be re-threaded. Just glad nothing else went badly wrong at the same time!!!, At least I know the job will be done properly this time and a good condition recon box will be going back on.

 

[jpward]

Sounds like it was a cheep recon before glad your geting it sorted now

Would hardly inspire a lot of confidence in you as a new owner :sad:

But thats R's for you i made it to 6 months before it was off the road

 

[Dooie Pop Pop]

always sad to hear of a new owner having problems :-(

 

[Sam_M]

always sad to hear of a new owner having problems :-(

And you know what, the second gearbox has gone now, 50miles of driving 3rd and 4th have suddenyl gone really really stiff like somethings jaming it, so its gotta come off again, and also my water pump is leaking, so thats it, im getting shot of this car ASAP. I cant be done with this, and I havent even been able to drive it properly yet!!! Can I really be that unlucky :doh:

 

[geoff pine]

sound like you got it from the same people i got mine from.

 

[JU5TY]

Ah mate im gutted for you! Assuming the rest of the car is mint I reckon you should stick with it, you really have had bad luck with the boxes, these are reliable cars!
Get the box rebuilt at Bexhill Gearboxes, they’re meant to be pretty good, least you then know you’ve got a decent box. Get Olly to swap them over, he’s a lot cheaper than a garage and can do it with his eyes closed, see what he reckons about Bexhill Gearboxes too. Depending on how the box is removed, access to the water pump should then be easy, a new one’s only about £30.

Whatever happens I assume it will have to be repaired even if you are to sell it?