Gearbox screech

[madvanmusings]

Hi

Have searched the forum but can't find the answer so let me know if I've been blind! My 02 Dispatch 1.9d has developed a horrendous screech/grinding noise at idle and in every gear except 3rd. Question 1.... how do I find out what gearbox I have and then the big question 2........ Is it just something along the lines of clutch replacement or more serious? The noise is definitely coming from the gearbox side of the engine.

Help please

[madvanmusings]

Ahh well it seems gearboxes with oil in them don't screech! Seems the last owner had changed the clutch after a seal gave way, replaced the seal but didn't replace the oil! On the hunt for a new gearbox now, at least I know which one it is now!

[CitroJim]

Ahh well, the source of the noise is found then..

It's remarkable how long a gearbox will soldier on with no oil in it. Normally they seem to be OK until called upon to do some hard work and then they complain...

I knew of a BE3 that went months and months dry and then died when called upon to do some towing. No screeching but the only working gear left at the end was third!

Still can't work out why that was and was the only non-screeching gear on yours...

[myglaren]

I once had to drive my father in law's Lada from Whitby to Washington, 70 miles. It was awful to start with and got harder and harder to change gear.
Checked the gearbox oil the following day and there was none. The car had been serviced two weeks prior to this and I presume that they had drained the box and neglected to refill it.

Went on for several years after that until he traded it in for a new one. Some folks never learn.
Although he did follow that one with a 206

[madvanmusings]

Think it might have been towing that killed mine 1400 mile round trip to collect a trailer, but then it never made a noise until after I got back! Going to be paranoid about checking gearbox oil from now on

[Peter.N.]

Done it myself, fitted a Perkins diesel in a Morris Oxford many years ago, drove into Maidstone to get some bits, about 20 mile round trip, gearbox started whining on the way back - didn't do it any apparent damage though.

Peter

[CitroJim]

Going to be paranoid about checking gearbox oil from now on

Was it OK after you refilled it?

Peter, it's amazing how much abuse a manual 'box will take... Try that with an auto and it would soon end in tears...

I recall a 205 I once knew with an MA 'box. Owner felt the need to change oil because it had a tendency to jump out of second. Out with the oil came several balls from a bearing...

That 'box I know soldiered on for another two more years...

[flying clutchman]

Once did an escort that had exactly the same soert of problem. Changed the seal and filled it upwith oil after about 20 mins stopped screeching and was fine after that. If it's just one gear it's normally the actual gear not freewheeling round the shaftthat makes the screech.

[madvanmusings]

Finally got round to finishing van. Filled gearbox with oil, and no noise! Very very happy, can't believe how lucky I have been and nobody who heard it before can believe its the same gearbox. I am going to hunt down a spare gearbox though, just in case. Have found in the past, the best prevention for something breaking is to have a spare!