Transfer box failure? - No! Melted Overdrive!

[Singlefin]

Morning chaps, hope the festive excesses haven't killed off too many brain cells; I need to pick your brains!

I think my transfer box has given up the ghost - it started making a terrible clattering and smoke poured out of it. When I put the transfer box into neutral and the main box in gear there was no noise so I'm fairly sure it is the transfer box - are there any other checks I could do?

Is it possible to remove the transfer box in a S3 without taking out the whole gearbox?

Thanks in advance!

Happy New year!

[Lucy1978]

sounds like you've been running it with no oil.

I s'pose in theory you might be able to take the transfer box off without removing the whole gearbox, you'd need to take the seat box out to get to some of the bolts and by that time you may as well remove the whole lump and make your life easier.  (it should take about 3-4 hours to remove the box if you've not done it before.) 

Thinking about it now, have you adjusted your handbrake recently?  As I can't really see what would be smoking inside the box and an over adjusted transmission brake smokes like a goodun.

There's a load of photos of the inside of the trasfer box http://ollr.10.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=3778 and gearboxes http://ollr.10.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=3133

[ian_s]

drop the inspection plate off the bottom of the transfer box and see what its like inside
if it is knackered you should be able see damaged gears.

[Singlefin]

Cheers for that guys, have started investigating...

Either it's not the transfer box that's [!Expletive Deleted!] but my overdrive, *or* my overdrive is [!Expletive Deleted!] as well... :doh:
I popped the overdrive off as a prelude to getting the xfer box off and found that it had about half a bean tin's worth of oil in it, as well as a bunch of twisted shimmy-looking things. Also, in the middle of the shaft, it looks like something yellow and plastic has melted. Thinking back to when I broke down, the transfer box was warm, but I actually burnt myself on the overdrive, so I'm choosing that as my prime suspect for now.
Wish me luck!

[Lucy1978]

The yellow plastic is most likely the carrier for some roller bearings. similer to the ones used on the mainshaft.

[Singlefin]

Ah yes, one of those sort of meshy things, right?

Next question - is the actual layshaft supposed to rotate? I have a nasty feeling it's welded itself to it's gears - can't get it out. Is now a good time to lob the whole thing into the harbour and have done with it?

[ian_s]

last time i broke a gearbox i posted a wanted ad on here and got a complete second gearbox/transferbox for 50 quid
maybe you should try the same?

[Lucy1978]

are you talking about the intermediate shaft in the transfer box or the layshaft in the main box?

The layshaft gears all turn with the shaft.  The intermediate gears in the transfer box should turn on the shaft via plastic caged roller bearings.

Chris

[Singlefin]

sorry - the layshaft in the overdrive - the one that sticks out the back. I've got a nasty feeling it's welded to it's gears.  :doh:

[Lucy1978]

teh one on the left in this picture?


That's the output shaft.  Which does rotate.  I seem to remember it's press fitted into bearings. you'll probably need to take the front outputho9using off to remove the rear outputshaft.

Where abouts are you?


Chris

[Singlefin]

Nope - the one on the left in this picture, on the overdrive:

[Lucy1978]

sorry being dense  :doh: Can't help you there as I've never stripped one down.

[Singlefin]

Not to worry, am picking up a working replacement on Saturday. Thanks for your time, tho  :D

[Lucy1978]

what're you doing with the old one?

[Singlefin]

I think it's beyond repair - the layshaft *isn't* supposed to rotate, so it's damaged the rear cover plate and the layshaft gears are probably irretrievably welded to the layshaft itself, so I can't get it out. However, If I can get the other bits out somehow, I was planning on seeing if anyone here has a use for them, once I've got the replacement in and know it's ok. Which is easier said than done - I've just spend an hour jiggling it and it's still got another 18mm to go. I've tried monkeying about with all my gear levers, rocking the landy backwards and forwards, taking off the inspection plate and poking the gears inside. Any more tricks?

[Lucy1978]

Take it back off, tearing the gasket as you do so, swear a bit, look at it in a puzzled fashion, push it back on, hoping that as the rip is at the top it won't leak and it should just drop in.
Failing that, put in gear and rock the car a bit.

THey all seem to do that, get so far on then just stop, then for no apparent reason just pop in.

[Lucy1978]

oh and if you get rid of the knackered one, I'd be interested even as just as one to take apart to see how they work.