489 replies to this topic

[duncanm]

My gearbox has developed an alarming whirring noise which started as a ticking about 1000km ago. At road (not engine) speed - doesn't change with load, gear, or clutch in/out.  Nothing in the oil when I drained it for diagnosis at the ticking stage.

 

I just put it up on stands and ran it in gear with a tent pole for diagnosis -- sounds like something in the transfer case -- I suspect bearing rather than gear given the symptoms.

 

Partsouq is awesome, just ordered all four bearings for $100 delivered.

 

 

 transfer.png   49.22KB   10 downloads

[cowie165]

My gearbox has developed an alarming whirring noise which started as a ticking about 1000km ago. At road (not engine) speed - doesn't change with load, gear, or clutch in/out.  Nothing in the oil when I drained it for diagnosis at the ticking stage.

 

I just put it up on stands and ran it in gear with a tent pole for diagnosis -- sounds like something in the transfer case -- I suspect bearing rather than gear given the symptoms.

 

Partsouq is awesome, just ordered all four bearings for $100 delivered.

 

 

transfer.png

 

Nice work on the diagnosis! Are you up for changing the bearings yourself?

[duncanm]

 

Nice work on the diagnosis! Are you up for changing the bearings yourself?

 

yeh - had a look around, doesn't look too tricky. Drop the exhaust, remove shift mechanism, remove driveshaft, unbolt back of transfer case, remove shafts, diff and bits, replace bearings.

 

Only tricky bit may be removing and replacing bearings -- I may need to drop them off at the local servo to get them pressed off/on the shafts.

 

Lets hope the diagnosis is correct.

[cowie165]

Wow. Do you have access to a hoist? Or are you smashing this out in your driveway??

[Robert]

Transfer case removal is pretty easy
Don't need to drop the box

As for replacing the bearings, no idea!
Good luck with it, shouldn't be too hard

[duncanm]

I plan to smash it out on stands in the driveway.  simples

[El_Freddo]

On my L AWD box I replaced the centre diff bearings and the rear output shaft's rear bearing with nothing more than a punch, mallet and a freezer. The freezer is used on install

By putting the bearings in the freezer over night they drop in pretty easily. I only remember using this trick on the rear centre diff bearing.

All the best with it!

Cheers

Bennie

[crjohnson]

If you have the tools check the preload on the output shaft. I had a bad noise in my last forester, made a whirring noise but only when coasting.

 

Turned out to be the top rear bearing, all pitted and stuffed from too much preload (the car had only done about 70,000kms)

 

Here's a link with a few pics, wasn't too bad of a job replacing the bearings, let me know how you go getting the shifter arm back it though. That was a PITA! I still haven't actually got it back together as I sold the car...

 

http://ozfoz.com/for...p?f=20&p=887501

[duncanm]

If you have the tools check the preload on the output shaft. I had a bad noise in my last forester, made a whirring noise but only when coasting.

 
preload?  Only replacement instructions I've seen mention clearances and heights off the casing controlled by two shims. 
 
I'll measure those, but don't expect them to change given the shaft and casing will remain (assuming, of course, the bearings I ordered are the same sizes).
 
page 3 of the sl-i.net thread linked from your ozfoz link roughly outlines the procedure I expect to follow.

Will definitely try the shaft-in-freezer / bearings in oven trick before I bother getting the local mech to press the bearings on.

Bearings got to the local fedex truck this arvo, so I expect them on my desk at work in the morning.

Also have a poly shifter bush in the mail to replace my bolt-and-heater-hose bush hack (which has been surprisingly robust and tight).

[duncanm]

Crawled under the car tonight and pulled the transfer extension case.

 

First sign of trouble was a couple of chunks of what looks like bearing assembly.

 

Once the extension was off and everything out, it was clear what the problem was.

 

 

 DSC_0773.jpg   40.9KB   7 downloads

 

Chipped tooth on the transfer drive gear (the clicking noise), lots of play on the centre diff bearing (could be why the tooth failed, I guess), and some crunchiness on one of the other two (driven gear shaft) bearings. The chip has been kicking around the case a bit and scratched the diff casing. It didn't make it to the main part of the gearbox.

 

 

One other slightly odd thing -- all the drawings I've seen of the extension show the bearing (32) with a retainer on the extension housing held by 4 allen bolts.  Mine just sits in a recess in the housing with no retention.

 

It looks a bit like a gen2 outback transmission, as shown here:

 

 566494912104.png   68.1KB   7 downloads

 

 

Anyone got a trashed 5MT they want to part with?

[duncanm]

.. partsouq has the right diagram (based on my VIN).

 

 xfer.png   147.87KB   6 downloads

 

New transfer drive gear is USD$88 from them. I'll see what's available locally.

[Samwise]

Shoot me part numbers man and I'll have a look for you.

[duncanm]

Ok  had my images mixed up.

 

Pre Apr'00 has no retainer on the outer drive bearing, and has a gasket on the extension.

 

Kong - part number is the same for the GX2.5 box - as long as its pre Apr'00 -- what sort of $ are you looking for it ?

[duncanm]

thanks for the offer -- unfortunately, revD will be the newer version with tapered bearings and the end retainer. Shaft is a different part #.

[andrew_k]

I've got an MY99 5mt that is happy to donate parts.

[El_Freddo]

thanks for the offer -- unfortunately, revD will be the newer version with tapered bearings and the end retainer. Shaft is a different part #.

Why not just use the whole rear casing and centre diff?

In theory it should be as simple as swapping the housing section in one piece onto your front case.

The only changes *could* be a change in your gear linkages. A research session on part numbers for the gear linkages between the two models should show up any changes in this area.

Just goes to show how important it is to get into this issue before other damage occurs.

Cheers

Bennie

[duncanm]

Why not just use the whole rear casing and centre diff?

In theory it should be as simple as swapping the housing section in one piece onto your front case.

The only changes *could* be a change in your gear linkages. A research session on part numbers for the gear linkages between the two models should show up any changes in this area.

Just goes to show how important it is to get into this issue before other damage occurs.

Cheers

Bennie

 

Bennie,

 

I've only got the transfer case extension off.

 

I did think along the lines of 'maybe I can just swap extension case + gears + diff) -- but the part numbers for the transfer case (the next casing along) pre and post Apr'00 are different -- so I wonder if they'll fit.  You're right, if you take the whole transfer case off, it might probably line up (but I haven't got the gearbox out of the car.  I haven't even dropped the dumps).

 

I want to get this fixed soon -- if I had the spare time, I'd grab the newer gearbag and have a play with the bits to see if they bolt together.

 

I've gone and ordered a new drive gear from partsouq -- thanks for the offers guys. Andrew - your's probably would work fine. All the 5MT's of that vintage seem to share the same drive/driven shaft bits.

 

and yes -- kicking myself I didn't isolate the problem when it was a gentle tick.  Then again - I suspect the 'tick' was already a broken tooth, and the bits have gone and killed the bearings.  I'm going to have a very thorough look at the centre diff to make sure its ok, so I might be hitting people up for a diff, if available (not paying the $500 new for that!)

[El_Freddo]

All rear housings from a 5 speed box will bolt to ANY 5 speed box. Eg, in my L series I've got a phase 2 front cases and gearsets mated to an L series AWD locking centre diff rear housing. It all works as it should and bolts into my L as it should since I'm using an L's rear housing

Cheers

Bennie