Strange Gearbox weirdness.

Hi all!

Not been in here for ages but I'm still out in the van daily.

Not one to usually ask for 'remote diagnosis' but I thought I'd pick The Late Bay's collective brains on something.

Out in van tonight. 1600+standard box (from '76 van). Approaching roundabout and just lost drive.

Clutch pedal unchanged, cable intact. Can engage all gears but when lift the clutch -nothing! There's a slight grating noise when in fourth but otherwise nothing.

I'd love it to be the clutch but I fear it's something more catastrophic. I'm reckoning when I pull the engine on Saturday the drive shaft will just spin by hand.

Any ideas? Ta!

That's my second recovery truck in 25 years of v-dubs. Last one was 20 years ago and was a beetle release bearing disintegrating.

 

No noises from the box prior to this happening ?

 

I fear you may be right!

 

N

nope....occasional slight judder on initial startup when pulling away from stone cold.

 

Me to :-/

I'd love to be proved wrong. If be delighted if the clutch comes out in 3 pieces but I think I'm going to be disappointed.

Reconditioned gearbox anyone?

:-(

 

You never know.

 

I expect some clanking or something.

I had something similar in a golf a few years ago. A rivet broke in the gearbox and rendered the car unusable.

I guess we'll find out at the weekend! I have a noisy spare box in the garage I could stick in to keep me mobile while I investigate.... I'll happily dismantle/rebuild anything greasy but gearboxes are a mystery to me. Perhaps it's time to explore them!

 

..

 

Sheared input shaft. If youve a spare then..... Doesvthe engine run ok. Any change in tickover or anything untowards when you rev it?

 

Ticks over and runs as normal. It all feels normal. It's just when I lift the clutch nothing happens

 

Clutch pedal normal

 

That parts emporium guy from Stevenage way has got a CE 3 rib box for sale ...they come up quite often for sale

 

Totally.

 

Cheers. If the circlip the input shaft has become dislodged I wonder how much of a hassle it is to fix? Will innards needs realigning?

Thanks for the input btw guys ;-)

 

Fingers crossed

http://www.vwkd.co.uk/bb/viewtopic.php?t=840

 

Dont know im afraid. Like you i havent delved that far into the gearbox.

 

With the engine running and in gear check the drive shafts one could have failed, or the splines in one hub could have stripped, unusual though.

 

Don't think that'll be it, I've driven 30,000 miles without this circlip - clue is the input shaft pulls out - but once trapped by the engine it didn't go anywhere. The circlip is to keep the drive gear in place though, maybe I was lucky?

 

I'll try this first, cheers.

 

Time will tell! As I can't drive the van up the slope to my garage I'm going to have go old-school and do this on the road. Oh the joy!