Gearbox issue???? Update

[Jimmy-Mac]

Hi all, would like to say hello as I have just joined the forum I have just bought my wife and daughter a 56 plate mini one 7. From researching the Internet I'm gathering my mini has a getrag gearbox and not the midland box. My wife picked the car up as I work away and when I asked her how the car was she said great but it's quite noisy and now that I'm home and have driven the car a few times I have to agree, the noise is like a drone (seems to be coming from passenger footwell)that isn't related to engine speed and doesn't change when you have the clutch in or out or coast with the car in gear or not and under braking the noise is the same. I have noticed when moving off in first the car is making what can be best described as a clicking noise, the noise seems to be apparent in the first 3 gears and it almost feels like there's a delay (slack in the drive train) when getting drive, sorry if that makes no sense but it's hard to describe it seems similar to a 3 series touring I had that had a noisy diff when taking up drive.

The car has 61k miles on it and has been well serviced and is a 1 owner car. I'm new to modern minis so thought I would ask the experts

UPDATE- I just started the mini and turned radio and air con off, the car is making a slight whirring noise that vanishes when clutch pedal is depressed and upon releasing clutch pedal there's an audial clicking noise coming from the passenger footwell area.

[badwolf340]

Maybe better to take the car back to where you bought it (if not private sale) and see what they say

[emicen]

Input shaft bearing is not unknown to go on the 5sp Getrags.

[Jimmy-Mac]

Spoke to garage and it's going back in on Monday :thumbs up: is replacing the input shaft bearing a big job?

[emicen]

They'll more than likely sub it out to a transmission specialist. Spare parts for Getrags are very hard to come by.

[badwolf340]

Spoke to garage and it's going back in on Monday :thumbs up: is replacing the input shaft bearing a big job?
Let us know how you get on :thumbs up:

[Jimmy-Mac]

Will do guys :thumbs up:

[Jimmy-Mac]

Hello again,

As you know, just bought the wee car and I wasn't happy with noises it was making, especially the ones that seemed to be coming from clutch/gearbox area so this is how things have played out this week! Phoned arnold clark in kilmarnock last week and car was booked in for Monday the 1st of February at 8.30am as that was the first slot so a designated mechanic could work on it. Showed up at agreed time and reported to service department to find out there was no trace of my appointment on the system :frown: any way after going over my issues with car was told to leave car and they would be in touch. Later that day (4pm)I recieved a call saying car was ready bar them taking me out in a test drive to check I was happy, this was arranged for 10am on Tuesday. I arrived on time to be told a mechanic would be with me as soon as they had finished their break, so 20 minutes later the we started the test drive but before I gad even left the carpark I was aware the gearbox/clutch noise was still very apparent and 300 yards down the road so was the droning noise :ragin: on further questioning it seems all that was done to the car all day Monday was it was taken for a test drive and deemed fine but when out the test drive the next day with me the mechanic himself admitted the droning noise and gearbox were very audible so he spoke to the person at the service desk and recommended the car gets taken to Harry Fairbairns in Irvine for a better diagnosis. So I headed straight to fairbairns as Im local and it was on my way home, it was booked in for Thursday morning at 9am and I would be taken out a test drive on arrival so the mechanic was aware of the noises I was referring to :unsure: so Thursday morning arrived, I show up at fairbairns to be told there was no mechanic available and they would require approval from arnold clark kilmarnock before they could look at the car :ragin: bear in mind I had booked the car in on Tuesday, so was told to leave it and someone would keep me updated. At 4 o'clock received a call saying that was the car ready to pick up and she reeled off what the out come with the car was. Well seemingly the droning was being caused by a backing plate rubbing so they adjusted it (which upon me driving the car when I picked it up today has made not a blind bit of difference) and the gearbox/clutch noise is seemingly normal( today that changed to normal for a car of that age and mileage, it's had one previous owner and it's done 62k mikes and has been well serviced according to the service book) to be honest I feel abit stupid for actually thinking they would sort it and from my previous dealings with them can see what's gonna happen, as soon as the cars out of warranty they will amazingly discover the car has a serious problem with the gearbox and needs a knew one :ragin: this happened with a civic type R I had that purchased from arnold Clark performance and prestige (behind fairbairns) from day one of buying it had a creaking noise and again it was in and out getting this and that changed trying to sort it and amazingly enough as soon as the warranty expired they finally managed to discover it was the steering rack that was gonna cost approximately 2k to replace :ragin: car was promptly traded in for a 1 series.

So long story short car was in twice and from what I can gather was washed and hoovered twice as it's exactly as it was.

Gonna get it booked into a local Indy and see what they diagnose and will let Arnold Clark know there findings

Sorry about the rant but just confirms these so called warranties are not worth the paper they are written on :frown:

[EcosseGP]

^^ sorry to hear of the hassles that's you've had but tbh it doesn't surprise me with some of these places I'm sorry to say. You should however keep to your plan and have the issue investigated by an independent garage and then go back to HF with your findings. If it was me I'd be doing it sooner rather than later just to make sure you get anything looked at whilst it's in warranty because as you say ... they'll find the issue no hassle when it's out of warranty ! Good luck and I look forward to hearing how you get on. There is a known issue with some of the older gearboxes with the "idler" (input) shaft being noisy. It's annoying rather than an issue to start with and could well be the issue that you have. It's easily fixed but it does mean having to get the gearbox out of it ...


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[emicen]

Don't know how local you want/need but PerformanceTek in Glasgow have more experience than most with R50s and Getrag boxes.

[Jimmy-Mac]

Cheers guys :thumbs up: will try and get to performancetek before the warranty expires but I'm away for three weeks on Monday :frown:

[emicen]

Ah, Gerrys away this weekend but give him a shout I'm sure he can sort something out even if you're not about.

From everything you've described it sounds like the input shaft bearing. I've got one with him for rebuilding for exactly the same thing right now.

[Jimmy-Mac]

It's cool at the moment bud :thumbs up: I will nip in when I'm back. Out of interest how much would I be looking at for Gerry to fix this if it is the input shaft bearing? Just Incase I have no joy with these twats :laugh:

[EcosseGP]

I can't speak for companies but you'll be about the £500 mark if you keep you're own gearbox. You could look at a re-con or exchange one (no guarantee that it won't go the same way) for around £250 upwards then you'd have fitting on top (unless you're doing it yourself) ...


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[emicen]

If its just the input shaft bearings; remove, refurbish and refit would be around £650.

"Working" Getrags straight out of breaker cars are ~£500 with typically £200 surcharge if you don't return your old box to them. Some do come up cheaper, typically with casing damage or repaired casing damage.

"Reconditioned" boxes are £650-750 typically, again with a £200 surcharge. Reconditioned may mean new bearings and seals, or may mean parts washer'd and painted black/silver.

[Jimmy-Mac]

Any one have contact details for Gerry? Gonna try and speak to him over the next couple of days :thumbs up:

[emicen]

Email: sales@performancetek.co.uk

Opening hours – Mon-Fri 9.30am – 5.00pm

Phone:
0141 611 9601
07708 755 528

[Jimmy-Mac]

Cheers bud will give him a bell today :thumbs up:

[Jimmy-Mac]

Well I spoke to Gerry on Thursday and he told me to bring it in on Friday, so on Friday I called in and after a short run round the block Gerry confirmed it was definitely the input shaft bearings so thanked him for his time and headed home to phone Arnold Clark. Car was booked in for today so they could investigate the noise(again) as they can't go on a 3rd parties word(fair enough) so car was dropped off this morning and I received a phone call at 5pm saying the car had been looked at and they have ordered input shaft bearings and they will phone me when they are in so I can book it in to get sorted. Would just like to thank everyone who offered their advice and to Gerry for confirming that the noise was not a normal noise for my gearbox :thumbs up:

This is looking like a good place to frequent :smilewinkgrin:

[EcosseGP]

Great news and fingers crossed that they get it done asap.
Always a great place to hang about [emoji106]


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[Jimmy-Mac]

Great news and fingers crossed that they get it done asap.
Always a great place to hang about [emoji106]


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Thanks bud :thumbs up:

It certainly is :yes nod: