Problems… is it the gearbox or clutch?

[crazyhorse]

ok so first job done...

got the code.. ABH19  059

so will put the feelers out for new to me box

[Mocki]

We were much younger than Aidan!!! I have swapped boxes on my own since then with a trolly jack and a gizmo i built with the van up on car ramps


As for clutch alignment , it’s quite doable without special tools , I’ve used a screwdriver with insulation tape wound round it before now to center the clutch……

The last time i did one i think it took about 5 hours start to finish to swap boxes on my own

[multisi]

ok so first job done...

got the code.. ABH19  059

so will put the feelers out for new to me box

So its not the original box  for the van as its listed for a diesel built in 1989.
 

[Aidan]

so you have a van that has previously had its box swapped for a fairly rare TurboDiesel one, which was probably already well past its best when fitted, TD boxes are generally more tired than petrols of similar age and mileage because turbodiesel drivers tend to be lazy and just use the torque and not change down; the ABH works okay in a petrol as it would give good acceleration and quick shifts through 1st-3rd but a bit of a gap to 4th and overall 2.5% slower than the ABD petrol box in 4th gear; yes figure on well over a grand if it needs a crown and pinion as a new 5 speed 4.83 final drive set (actually a 4.86 I believe) is best part of £800 plus the cost of shortening it to use in the 4 speed, and pinion bearing best part of £100, plus the labour , seals and gaskets as a minimum, and whatever else needs/wants replacing whilst it is being rebuilt.

But be aware any used box may have unknown issues. All sellers will tell you it was fine when removed from the original bus, which was fine when they were £50 and there were lots of them tucked away in sheds 'as a spare' and if the first box you got wasn't good you could readily find another and you'd be quicker on the subsequent change. but 20 years later that ain't the case in my experience.
20 years ago you could put up a wanted ad on here and usually be offered 2 or 3 in a day or two, and another member would offer to deliver it and might give you a hand putting it in

Any decent garage could swap out the correct box (ie right box with correct bellhousing and input shaft so no messing) in 1/2 a day maximum; gear linkage 2 bolts, driveshafts 12 bolts, engine 4 bolts, starter motor another nut, battery disconnect, gearbox mount 4 bolts, clutch slave 2 bolts, and if fitting a new one clutch is 6 bolts, plus fresh oil, it's really only a couple of hours work on a ramp, three with a decent tea break. First time on your own yes a day's work.

M0cki is still much youger than me

[Stesaw]

I have a 4 speed box.. ABD code if I remember correctly. Not using it but its kept dry and I turn it over every month. Although I've never dropped the plug so dunno if it has oil in. I just assume it has. Selects gears fine but thats no indication of the condition of it.

[crazyhorse]

I have a 4 speed box.. ABD code if I remember correctly. Not using it but its kept dry and I turn it over every month. Although I've never dropped the plug so dunno if it has oil in. I just assume it has. Selects gears fine but thats no indication of the condition of it.

Message sent

[crazyhorse]

so you have a van that has previously had its box swapped for a fairly rare TurboDiesel one, which was probably already well past its best when fitted, TD boxes are generally more tired than petrols of similar age and mileage because turbodiesel drivers tend to be lazy and just use the torque and not change down; the ABH works okay in a petrol as it would give good acceleration and quick shifts through 1st-3rd but a bit of a gap to 4th and overall 2.5% slower than the ABD petrol box in 4th gear; yes figure on well over a grand if it needs a crown and pinion as a new 5 speed 4.83 final drive set (actually a 4.86 I believe) is best part of £800 plus the cost of shortening it to use in the 4 speed, and pinion bearing best part of £100, plus the labour , seals and gaskets as a minimum, and whatever else needs/wants replacing whilst it is being rebuilt.

But be aware any used box may have unknown issues. All sellers will tell you it was fine when removed from the original bus, which was fine when they were £50 and there were lots of them tucked away in sheds 'as a spare' and if the first box you got wasn't good you could readily find another and you'd be quicker on the subsequent change. but 20 years later that ain't the case in my experience.
20 years ago you could put up a wanted ad on here and usually be offered 2 or 3 in a day or two, and another member would offer to deliver it and might give you a hand putting it in

Any decent garage could swap out the correct box (ie right box with correct bellhousing and input shaft so no messing) in 1/2 a day maximum; gear linkage 2 bolts, driveshafts 12 bolts, engine 4 bolts, starter motor another nut, battery disconnect, gearbox mount 4 bolts, clutch slave 2 bolts, and if fitting a new one clutch is 6 bolts, plus fresh oil, it's really only a couple of hours work on a ramp, three with a decent tea break. First time on your own yes a day's work.

M0cki is still much youger than me

thanks for this Aidan,

Will go up to the local garage tomorrow and put the feelers out on a rough estimate on price. To change the CV joints they estimated half a days labour, so will be interesting to see..

My neighbour has offered me his driveway for as long as i need it so that might seal the deal... with regards to parts, all i would need is new clutch https://brickwerks.co.uk/product/clutch ... ost-228mm/ and some gearbox oil??
 

[crazyhorse]

So…

Update… I have managed to purchase a second hand box… borrow my neighbours driveway.. and a trolley jack from a garage up the road… let’s do it…

Emptied oil from box today… this is the plug…



[youtube]https://youtube.com/shorts/CzzRgh_3iJY? ... 6p5IQU8_wO[/youtube]

Started at 11… 1 driveshaft bolt rounded and took an age to get off… then spent a good hour getting the 2 bolts off the clutch bracket.. what an awful place to get them off..

Stopped play at 4.. only thing to do is the 2 at the bottom between engine and box. 1 at the top
And the 4 at the front of the box… then we should be in a position to drop it..

[crazyhorse]

Pics from inside

Any ideas what could have caused this?

[R0B]

Oh dear, that's not good.

[multisi]

Aidan wrote about this type of problem 1 month ago.

[silverbullet]

If that is the case then you have a broken gearbox, could be broken tooth (or teeth) on crown and pinion or broken tooth (or teeth) on a gearset, but the jamming in reverse is usually the pinion teeth trying to climb over remains of crown tooth

Cause is usually a very worn pinion bearing, usually proceeded by box becoming noticeably noisy, when you are driving it backwards the pinion shaft is moving backwards and tightening the mesh of the crown and pinion

[Aidan]

Aidan wrote about this type of problem 1 month ago.

in this very thread; got to wonder why do I bother, really

I must stop posting, I must stop posting, I must stop posting

it only encourages them

[crazyhorse]

Aidan wrote about this type of problem 1 month ago.

in this very thread; got to wonder why do I bother, really

I must stop posting, I must stop posting, I must stop posting

it only encourages them

I need all the encoragement in the world....

just wanted confirmation of prognosis...esp when I wasnt really sure what i was expecting to see looking inside the gearbox. its crazy to see what happens over time in those things...

Before I get shouted off the park... anybody have an idea what I should do with the old box? seems strange to just throw it...

 

[Aidan]

pretty unlikely to find anyone interested in stripping it for parts as time involved may out weigh the value of the salvageable parts; leave it out for the scrap scavengers