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auto gearbox noise - piliger
Hi all from a newbie
[Mitsubish Galant 2.0/auto/1992]

This is a problem that has dogged me or 18 months or more. My garage has repeatedly misdiagnosed it until this week - though I am on extremely good terms with them and they have always been totally honest with me.

Starrting about 18 months ago I started to get a rumbling noise from under the car that got slightly worse. I had it check by my garage and they said it was the exhaust. That made sense and I ended up getting a half exhaust fitted. The noise continued.
Each time I left it in for servicing I asked them to check it. They couldn't find a cause one time. The next they told me it was the universal joint between the two sections of the exhaust. But when I left it in to have a new one fitted the guy told me that it wasn't the joint after all - he just needed to tighten a few bolts. The noise continued and continued to get worse.

The rumbling vibration comes mainly when the engine is pulling in a slightly lower gear than the car speed - if that makes sense. So starting from stop and driving off doesn't always produce the noise, unless it's uphill.

So this week they told me they would spend whatever time it took to nail it. When I came back two days later . . . to collect it they told me they had thought it might be the gearbox mounting, but had ruled that out and had tracked it down to being inside the gearbox. I am now left with the quandery of whether to try to get a second hand one or a recondishioned one - I really can't afford either :(

The gear changes seem normal, silent and quick. Though I have had a slight problem since I got the car where from time to time it doesn't change up as I accelerate and appears to 'stick' in 2nd until the revs get VERY high or I take my foot off the accelerator and it 'jogs' unto gear.

Can anyone comment on this problem ? Does it fit with a gearbox problem ? is it serious and could the box crash on me while I'm driving ?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Piliger

auto gearbox noise - terryb
Hi Piliger and welcome.

Sounds like you now need to visit a local auto box specialist to get a second opinion. You don't say what part of the country you're in, I'm sure regulars here will have recommendations for wherever. If you're in or near Surrey there's one in Leatherhead that's got a good reputation (although I've never had to use them so far touch wood).

Terry
auto gearbox noise - piliger
Thanks Terry // and also to Dizzy !

Actually I'm in Dublin, Ireland. There are only two gearbox specialists and I expect to drive over to one later this week. The trouble is the usual one we non-experts have; it is so easy for them to 'diagnose' something that I am in no position to argue with. However I am assured by my garage that they are as close to trustworthy as I am ever likely to get :) so finger's crossed :) They have said they will drive it around and give me some kind of assessment before I commit.

The sticking in 2nd is common, though it changes up to 3rd eventually quite smoothly. The noise has got worse steadily, if not suddenly; it wounds as if I'm driving a diesel :)
I always associate a gearbox about to go with screaming or scraping noise...

I have been told that a reconditioned gearbox for this model will be ca ST£1,000 ! I could get a used one from a breakers yard for less, butmy garage tell me that anything I get will have 100,000 miles on it so I should forget it.

Thanks all !

Piliger
auto gearbox noise - terryb
PS

See also FAQ 22


Terry
auto gearbox noise - Dizzy {P}
I can't think what might be causing the noise problem - very difficult without actually being in the car when it happens. However, if it hasn't got worse for some time, I wouldn't expect it to suddenly let you down.

Regarding the 'slipping' (as it's often called), this may or may not be related to the noise. Slipping is not unknown in auto boxes and, so far as I am aware from 30-odd years of dabbling, it doesn't usually lead to sudden failure. I know of one car that went many tens of thousands of miles like this without getting any worse, though it was annoying because it would suddenly 'grip' with a bang and was quite uncomfortable for the passengers.

If the slipping has been going on for a long time, some brake band material might have contaminated the transmission fluid slightly so it might be an idea to check this if the garage hasn't done so already. If the fluid is a translucent pinkish-red, not brown, there is probably little or no contamination.

As has been said, you could ask the opinion of an auto box specialist but you have to be VERY careful not to get a diagnosis that is directly related to how much work they are looking for! One of the few that I have found to be absolutely trustworthy and honest is Cavendish Transmissions in Peterborough.