Transmission whine, 5th gear

If you are going to go anywhere, better make sure your tranny can handle the load. Gear changes for the power hungry should be talked about here. Is that a LSD I see in your pocket?

Moderators: kamzcab86, CalAltaDubber

Post Reply
User avatar
gull
Posts: 817
Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2006 6:30 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1989
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Auburn, WA
Contact:

Transmission whine, 5th gear

Post by gull »

The transmission in my '89 has taken to whining in 5th gear. It shows up mostly on long trips. Pitch varies with speed, volume varies with throttle position. It's not present when coasting in gear, or when using gears other than 5th. (Well, 2nd has always whined a little, but it hasn't gotten any worse.)

What's the consensus on this? Normal wear, or impending transplosion?

I'm thinking of changing the gearbox oil and checking the drained oil for chunks. It was just changed about 15,000 miles ago, though.
VW fan who fell to the Honda side of the force
Image
User avatar
Briano1234
Whats that smell?
Posts: 4105
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 5:45 am
What year is your cabby?: 1992
Do you own a Cabriolet?: No
Location: Duluth, Ga
Contact:

Re: Transmission whine, 5th gear

Post by Briano1234 »

Well that is a sign that it is usually going, but then again maybe not as it is splash driven you may be low on fluid, but then are you sure it isn't the differential doing eh self machining syndrome?
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
User avatar
gull
Posts: 817
Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2006 6:30 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1989
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Auburn, WA
Contact:

Re: Transmission whine, 5th gear

Post by gull »

Don't think it's the diff. The diff would make noise in all gears, not just 5th.
VW fan who fell to the Honda side of the force
Image
User avatar
gull
Posts: 817
Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2006 6:30 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1989
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Auburn, WA
Contact:

Re: Transmission whine, 5th gear

Post by gull »

Well, turned out it was low on oil. Really low on oil. Like, a little over a pint in a gearbox that's supposed to have two liters. D'oh. Shame on me for not checking it.

Refilled it with RedLine MTL. It's quieter and shifts much better now that it has oil in it. Go figure. :screwy:

I put the 17mm allen wrench with my other oil change tools so I won't have any excuse for not checking it in the future.
VW fan who fell to the Honda side of the force
Image
User avatar
gull
Posts: 817
Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2006 6:30 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1989
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Auburn, WA
Contact:

Re: Transmission whine, 5th gear

Post by gull »

I'm catching occasional whiffs of gear oil burning off the exhaust after long drives. It'll be interesting to see how much is left in there at the next oil change. I think it's probably the output flange seals.
VW fan who fell to the Honda side of the force
Image
User avatar
Briano1234
Whats that smell?
Posts: 4105
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 5:45 am
What year is your cabby?: 1992
Do you own a Cabriolet?: No
Location: Duluth, Ga
Contact:

Re: Transmission whine, 5th gear

Post by Briano1234 »

gull wrote:I'm catching occasional whiffs of gear oil burning off the exhaust after long drives. It'll be interesting to see how much is left in there at the next oil change. I think it's probably the output flange seals.
They aren't as bad as I thought they would be when I changed mine..
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
User avatar
gull
Posts: 817
Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2006 6:30 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1989
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Auburn, WA
Contact:

Re: Transmission whine, 5th gear

Post by gull »

Did you do them with the trans in the car, or pull the trans? On the BrokeVW site it looks like it'd be much easier with the trans out, so I'm pondering waiting until the next clutch job if it's not losing oil at too massive a rate.
VW fan who fell to the Honda side of the force
Image
User avatar
Briano1234
Whats that smell?
Posts: 4105
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 5:45 am
What year is your cabby?: 1992
Do you own a Cabriolet?: No
Location: Duluth, Ga
Contact:

Re: Transmission whine, 5th gear

Post by Briano1234 »

did it on the car

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=2267
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
rabbitinfife
Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2010 11:58 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1989
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Tacoma, Wa

Re: Transmission whine, 5th gear

Post by rabbitinfife »

i've been running syncro shift from bg products works awesome in older high mileage trans quites them down and they shift better
Post Reply