BX: Something went BANG, dumped gearbox oil!!

ed4ferrets · Post by **ed4ferrets** » 23 Sep 2005, 14:58

Was turning right when there was a loud noise, steering jerked so naturally I stopped asap. Gearbox oil pouring on the road from left of centre. Could driveshaft have popped out or what, quite dramatic?
This is a BX estate, any ideas about what I'm facing please, raining like #~@" at the minute so can't really do much?

MW · Post by MW » 23 Sep 2005, 16:03

Blimey, bad luck! I know you've got a lot of much more important things on your mind right now, but speaking as an ex-motorcyclist, try and do something about the spilled oil, will you? Sand from a garage forecourt?
Sorry, I'm not being very helpful am I?

Post by **martyhopkirk** » 23 Sep 2005, 16:28

Have a looksee on www.bxclub.co.uk - but if the gearbox has dumped its oil is it holed? Or has a seal gone - wouldnt have thought it would dump it all in one go if it was a seal though. Driveshaft would dump the oil, but a loss of drive on one side would be an indicator here. Does the car drive then? You mentioned it jerked the steering -which could be a driveshaft (any symptoms before hand, rumbling at speed, jerky acceleration??)
May be that you will be looking at a transplant as the cheapest option possible - not really too sure what your going to be facing untill you have looked and seen what the damage is.

Post by **Peter.N.** » 23 Sep 2005, 16:48

Look at the drivers side drive shaft, I had something similar with my XM and found that the centre bearing had broken up and allowed the shaft to slide out of the gearbox.

tonespeed1999 · Post by **tonespeed1999** » 23 Sep 2005, 17:14

check the bottom of the gearbox.sounds like the diff bearings have failed causing the planet gears in in diff to break up,they normally jam in the bottom,braking a good size hole in the gearbox.seen this before on a few bx,s and peugeot 405,s.if this has happened its a new box!

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 23 Sep 2005, 17:37

I have had this happen, but not on a BX- it was on an Allegro!! In that case it was because a bearing broke up on one of the gearbox shafts causing it to flail around and punch a hole in the alloy casing, but until you look, you won't know......
You are really going to have to get a lamp under and have a closer look- its very rare for a driveshaft to fail, but I suppose it could happen, give each of them a shake all along and at both ends and the centre bearing to check for movement.
If these seem o.k. then start looking for holes in the gearbox casing. If a bearing has gone a hole could be anywhere but I reckon it will be pretty obvious once you wipe the road crap off the box!!!

tomsheppard · Post by **tomsheppard** » 23 Sep 2005, 19:21

If either driveshaft has come adrift, car will not move. It is most unlikely to be a driveshaft, though. They cannot come out. You've almost certainly killed the 'box and will need another one.
Cheap and plentiful but a fair bit of work.

wrinklet1 · Post by **wrinklet1** » 23 Sep 2005, 22:19

Are you sure its gearbox oil? Could it be LHM fluid coming from a pipe and squirting onto the gearbox? The steering could jerk from a sudden loss of pressure.
PAul

j_roc · Post by **j_roc** » 23 Sep 2005, 23:26

Does the car still roll/move? As the diff could have seized/locked due to the bearings collapsing and/or the crown (pinion) wheel falling into the box and jamming it - then cracking the casing due to the force of it. The only answer will to be to get underneath the car and 'ave a poke around. Not nice at all in this crap weather we have at the mo - Alex.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 24 Sep 2005, 00:25

i had a gear box explode on my bx 1.9D,then i drove it to my workshop like it,when i droped the box it had got a lovly big hole in the clutch housing next to the diff and there was a big chunck of planet gear laying in clutch housing,so i just stuck another box in and away i go again
regards malcolm

ed4ferrets · Post by **ed4ferrets** » 24 Sep 2005, 01:09

Bit of backgound which may have relevance, steering has been sort of twitchy this week, almost like trying to centre itself when on a bend.. hard to describe really. Still need to get on my driveway as it's parked over a drain right now[xx(] so haven't traced the source of the fountain yet. I can move the car, it does have drive so I guess it's not the driveshaft. Definitely not lhm, also not diesel engine oil, just clean smelly gearbox oil gushed out. Thanks for all the response, will keep you informed as the mystery unfolds.

DLM · Post by **DLM** » 24 Sep 2005, 17:16

Sorry I wittered on to you about bumpers and parcel shelves last night before you brought me up to date, Ed. Good luck with the investigation.

ed4ferrets · Post by **ed4ferrets** » 24 Sep 2005, 22:18

From the rate at which the oil ran out I expected to find a gaping hole or something obviously amiss but I can't spot anything[:(!].Current situation is I tried to run Big Red onto ramps but lost drive..... no ominous noises or anything just suddenly had no drive[xx(]. This made it more difficult to inspect for damage, also a seriously stiff neck(damn --adware link removed-- backfired again)[;)]
Whatever the reason I suppose this calls for a transplant. Guess my trusty old '63 Renault Caravelle will have to stand in for a while since both GTi and TGD are also out of commission[:(]

tomsheppard · Post by **tomsheppard** » 25 Sep 2005, 00:36

Sounds as though the diff blew up and forced a driveshaft loose. Collapsed bearing would be my guess, causing the crown to go a bit sideways under pressure from the pinion and shoving the shaft out before losing a tooth or two.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 25 Sep 2005, 01:30

when mine went it dumped a lot of gear oil and shot some picess of planet gear through into the clutch housing,it did still drive all be it a bit strange round corners,even though it could loose drive without the drive shaft poping out
regards malcolm