GEAR-BOX TROUBLE... PLEASE HELP!

Hi all, new to the forum though I have been a long time reader of the threads up here. Basically I have a bit of a problem and I wanted to ask some fellow Micra owners for advice first before getting my pants pulled down at a garage.

Basically, a few weeks ago I started to notice a very very faint sort of whistling/ringing noise coming from the gear box, very quiet but it would change it pitch if you touched the stick at all. Well it's gotten a lot worse since. I did my first real big trip in her 2 weeks back covering 350+ miles in a day and since then its become a lot worse, to the point now were I'm driving my partner's car instead for fear of causing anymore damage.
The noise now is very audible and while the ringing/whistling sort of metallic noise is still there albeit a lot louder, there's a sort of, not grinding, but rubbing sort of noise if that makes sense? The car seems to lack in power somewhat too? I live in a very hilly area which never used to present any problems but she really is struggling now.

Until I stopped driving it I was doing as much driving in 5th as possible, as that made the least noise, besides being more economical. But the whole things a mess and its really worrying me now.

I'm not sure if its the same problem or something caused by it but the engine seems to be a lot louder now, sounding in 5th at 30mph like it used to in 3rd gunning it up a hill at 40ish?

Does anyone have any idea what the problem might be? From what I've read and my own knowledge I'm thinking it may be the clutch bearing? What do you guys think and what cost/remedy am I looking at?

Oh, its a 1L K11, V-reg... approx 43K on the clock so low miles really?

Any help would be greatly appreciated, I'm gonna have to get it sorted this week so would be good to know what the problem is and what I'm talking about in advance...

Cheers!
 
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odd_ball
Hi Polly, I have checked previously to see if there were any gear oil leaks and didn't find any but I think I'll get the car up on ramps this week and have a look around. I did at first suspect low oil, but I read that the oil in the gear box on the micra is supposed to last the life of the car? I know thats not possible but I moved away from thinking that was the problem as it progressed so quickly with no obvious leaks or reasons to suddenly be super low on oil?

Some furter info though, she also suffers from the all too common snapped spring problem and so the stick doesn't centre. Something perhaps I'll also look at while I have her on ramps? Reading about a bit I also have the same problem as Marky2027 describes:

http://www.micra.org.uk/threads/dif...s-clutch-not-slipping-what-could-it-be.43523/

I also have experienced a reluctancy of wanting to go into gear, and usually the lower gears. It isn't an every time problem, just pops up every so often usually on the approach to a round-about which is annoying! :)

I started to worry that it was gonna be a huge problem like a new clutch or new gearbox. If it is some other job I can have a go at while I hve the car raised that'd be great! I was thinking a while back though about swapping the gearbox out all together for a 1.3 box... I can't remember who but I read on here somewhere that somebody did it and it improved power and fuel economy. Just thinking if this is gonna be a job that involves heavy costing labour on the clutch/gear-box is it worth having the whole box replaced with a 1.3, killing 2 birds with on stone as it were?
 

pollyp

Club Member
if it only whines and varies in pitch & volume with speed when coasting down in neutral with clutch engaged, it could be wheel bearings, diff bearing, 2nd gearshaft bearings, pinion/diff ring

if it only whines and varies in pitch & volume with engine rpm when stationary and neutral with clutch released, it could be the cogs, input shaft bearings, release bearing

worn loose selector bushes will cause the stick to rattle vibrate in 5th on motorways and make 1st/2nd gear hard to select

where's the clutch biting point? cause if its above 1/2 way it will always load up the release bearing, wearing it out fast till it whines and the clutch will slip under heavy loads
 
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odd_ball
Hi all, a quick update on my situation. I've topped up the gear-box oil, couldn't drain completely & refill as I couldn't get the drain plug out. Also, I've adjusted the clutch cable as the bite was right up the top of the pedal, almost at full release. I didn't fix the return spring as I didn't have time (I work nights so had to leave).

I would say the noise is maybe a very slight bit quieter... But not a huge amount, its still there. I do definitely have the gear-linkage problem making it difficult to select gears sometimes, but its not a huge problem as it only happens every so often...

I've spoken to a few people and phoned my mechanic and they seem to think its a wheel bearing as Polly said. Also, to reinforce that there is alot of play in the front wheels, particularly the passenger side, and she does seem a bit "drifty" on bends.

What I don't understand though is how the noise relates to it? I mean the engine sounding louder fits, my missus drives a Clio which seem somewhat notorious for the wheel bearings going (she had the same one done twice in a year) and that sounded LOUD but the noise mine makes doesn't sound close to it? Also, would the bearings going effect performance, as I mentioned she seems to struggle a bit now?

But the sort of whirring/ringing noise is still there and that's the bit I don't get? It does it in every gear, clutch in or out and changes in volume/pitch if you touch the stick (e.g. say the cars in 4th, if I touch the stick & pull it back slightly like more into 4th if that makes sense, it changes... and the same if I push it forward toward neutral, it changes again, and that's in all gears). So I don't know how that could be a wheel bearing as that to me seems to be coming from the gear box?

Also, the car kind of makes a chugging/ringing noise (like not a constant ring, but a few ringing sort of rattly noises) when slowing down? Again, to me that seems to be the gear box?

Ofcourse, I'm no mechanic or anything and have little experience so I don't know? I'm not trying to shoot down anyone's theories or anything, I just need someone to kind of join the dots, y'know?

Cheers guys...
 

pollyp

Club Member
Hi all, a quick update on my situation. I've topped up the gear-box oil, couldn't drain completely & refill as I couldn't get the drain plug out. Also, I've adjusted the clutch cable as the bite was right up the top of the pedal, almost at full release. I didn't fix the return spring as I didn't have time (I work nights so had to leave).

I would say the noise is maybe a very slight bit quieter... But not a huge amount, its still there. I do definitely have the gear-linkage problem making it difficult to select gears sometimes, but its not a huge problem as it only happens every so often...

I've spoken to a few people and phoned my mechanic and they seem to think its a wheel bearing as Polly said. Also, to reinforce that there is alot of play in the front wheels, particularly the passenger side, and she does seem a bit "drifty" on bends.

What I don't understand though is how the noise relates to it? I mean the engine sounding louder fits, my missus drives a Clio which seem somewhat notorious for the wheel bearings going (she had the same one done twice in a year) and that sounded LOUD but the noise mine makes doesn't sound close to it? Also, would the bearings going effect performance, as I mentioned she seems to struggle a bit now?

But the sort of whirring/ringing noise is still there and that's the bit I don't get? It does it in every gear, clutch in or out and changes in volume/pitch if you touch the stick (e.g. say the cars in 4th, if I touch the stick & pull it back slightly like more into 4th if that makes sense, it changes... and the same if I push it forward toward neutral, it changes again, and that's in all gears). So I don't know how that could be a wheel bearing as that to me seems to be coming from the gear box?

Also, the car kind of makes a chugging/ringing noise (like not a constant ring, but a few ringing sort of rattly noises) when slowing down? Again, to me that seems to be the gear box?

Ofcourse, I'm no mechanic or anything and have little experience so I don't know? I'm not trying to shoot down anyone's theories or anything, I just need someone to kind of join the dots, y'know?

Cheers guys...

try let a garage to remove that seized drain plug

with the biting point that high for so long i won't be surprised if the release bearings abit worn

when the front wheel bearing is damaged, the whirring noise that increases in pitch and loudness with road speed fills the cabin. cos the wheel & disc has play movement it will cause that brake disc to rub against the pads = binding brakes = pulls to one side & loss of acceleration. cruise on motorway for few mins without touching the brakes then when theres no cars behind, let the car engine brake down to a stop in the parking spot only using the brakes to stop the last few mph. then carefully feel if the wheels and discs are warm/hot from binding.

also check the timings within spec if accelerations abit sluggish.

worn bushes allows the gearstick to vibrate at certain resonating rpms, especially in 5th gear.

while in gear, when you put any forward/backward pressure in the stick, it moves the internal gear selection forks against the sliding sleeve coupling. prolonged pressure here or lack of oil could cause the fork to eventually rub against the sleeve and wear down to metal making a metal to metal grind when selecting the affected gear.

rattly tinging noises, check exhaust shields
 
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odd_ball
Polly, yeah, I agree the heat sheild could be causing that problematic rattle. I had a Polo with a loose heat sheild & today for the first time when I reversed out of my parking space at work I heard it and thought, yeah that sounds like a heat sheild.

The drain plug isn't siezed, well I don't think so, I just didn't have a socket wrench big enough to fit it.

I'll let the garage have a look and see what they conclude before checking the timings etc, as I know for sure she is not what she was with acceleration.

The biting point only became high very recently, much after the noise began. Infact, before I stopped driving the car it seemed fine to memory, but after driving her again it was shockingly high... to the point I was stalling alot as it was right up the top of the peddle. Sorted that straight away but yes, I am concerned that with that, and the low oil that maybe there is some wear/damage there... What would I be looking at to get that fixed cost and work wise?

Also spotted 2 other problems when under the car. Under the oil filter there is a strut or something to memory? Well that was coated in a dirty, black oily substance, though no apparet leak from the oil filter? Secondly, what I believe to be the master cylinder (on the bulk head of the car) appears to be leaking to, though I reckon thats a cheap/easy fix?...
 

pollyp

Club Member
i use a 1/2" breaker bar or torque wrench on my gearbox drain

unless the gearbox just needs new diff bearings (£40), if the gearbox shows signs of damage its sometimes economical to simply replace it (least £90 on ebay).
with the gearbox out, may as well replace the entire clutch assembly (£30).
plus new gearbox oil £30 for 3L
add labour

could that black goo not be just residue oil from past oil changes which has covered in dirt dust etc. wipe it clean with wd40 and recheck

which part of the master cylinders leaking? where the brake lines are screwed in?
 
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odd_ball
I suspected the residue could just be spilt oil as there is no trace of it leaking from anywhere as I said. Yes, wiped it clean and will be keeping my eye on it.
Presuming it is the master cylinder it is I'm on about (on the bulk head, drivers side) it appears that the entire lower half of it is wet, so could it be leaking from the top perhaps?
Silly me, I thought I had all the correct tools for the gear box job, guess either my source was wrong or I mis-remembered it... Prob the latter tbh!
So this gear-box prob could be expensive? I reckon at least on front bearing, if not both, need doing so they're getting done on Friday. How much does a bearing normally go for? Sure it was only about £40 on my missus' Clio? If they do diagnose a gearbox fault and the remedy turns out to be new box & clutch, am I safe leaving that till next month... I mean, I know I shouldn't but will it damage the engine?
If the box is already knacked then it can't hurt to keep using it can it?... Unless it damages the engine that is...
 

pollyp

Club Member
correct diagnosis will tell u if its gonna be expensive.

replacing just a front wheel bearing bout £38 from my local machinist, fit myself

replace the wheel bearing, fix the gear linkages, check the gear oil level then see if the issues still there.

if the gearbox is damaged and ur gonna replace it anyway, it won't hurt the engine to continue driving.
 
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odd_ball
Great! I'll let them know all the problems, ask them to sort the bearings, look at linkage etc and see if problem is still there and what they recommend? I'm lucky that they are quite a reliable garage and the prices are good. My partner's family (which is huge) all use the place so the guy knows us all...

Glad to know I can continue driving with the gear box, just can't afford everything at once. Would love to be able to do it all myself, but time tools and know how are not up there... and if I balls it up then I live over 20 miles away from my mechanic so I'm buggered!

What do you think to the master cylinder problem?
 
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odd_ball
Not noticed it creeping though the braking does sometimes seem "soft" like she slows to a certain point then I really have to press down... Can't say I've seen any reduction in break fluid level though?
 
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odd_ball
Thanks Polly, I think I'll have to wait before sourcing a box though as mine is one of those wierd '99 1L models with the different gear-box and if I change it I want it to be like for like. I'm just trying to find out more info on it and how hard they are to source...

Not a happy camper at the minute. The car was booked in for yesterday. Took it in expecting it to be fixed, the bearings atleast anyway, and hey just looked at it. Confirmed there is a bearing noise AND there is something going on with the gear-box, but could not and would not say what and didn't really seem that interested in diagnosing it any further... So home the car came with nothing fixed. Was told it'd be £133 if its both front bearings that need doing... hopefully its not a back one as I heard him o the phone to hs supplier and they're £77 each, before mark up & labour... something to do with ABS I think I heard him say... pretty sure I haven't got that!?

So I'm not happy at all, the cars really gtting me down, and while I know it's nothing major thats going to damage her, I just feel I'm making things worse by keeping her on the road...

I need a new box...
 

pollyp

Club Member
they're rippin you. try quoting another garage.

costed me £38 replacing each front bearing
if dash has an abs light on IGN or u see a big abs modulator in the engine bay behind battery, u hav abs.

a rear hub with abs ring is £90 which is crazy but i simply got a non-abs hub from scrappy for £35, hammered the old ring off, got a machinist to lathe and press fit the ring onto the hub, done.
 
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odd_ball
I know, I was shocked at the price too! I guessed around £40 each for the bearings, if indeed both need doing, and a little more for labour but £130+ is taking the pee a bit I think...

The car is just causing me a nightmare at the minute, the gear-box noise is just getting worse. Theres still the sort of light wearing noise, but also a noise that resembles if you had 2 glass coasters on top of each other on your dash as you drive, a glassy kind of noise and thats in every gear, clutch up or down... Doesn't seem to do it in neutral at a stand still, but it may be there if you bang it into neautral while traveling... I don't know as I haven't tried it yet...

Also, the car seems to make this knocking sort of noise when I first switch the engine on, but doesn't seem to increase in pace with the engine once travelling, and after parking upI couldn't hear it again with he engine runing at idle as before?

Urgh, why do things not go right for me?
 

pollyp

Club Member
sounds like something is getting very loose.
are the worn wheel bearings replaced?
maybe some other garage could lift the wheels off the ground, bang it in gear to spin the drivetrain and listen for any odd noises. if it doesn't rattle when in any gear and reving, then it could be loose parts attached to the chassis.
 
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odd_ball
I haven't had the bearings done yet, no... Thought it was booked in to have them done Friday but they only took it for a quick spin... Think they just palmed me off as they were busy so got rid of me to give themselves more time for other stuff... Plus I was a bit taken aback by the cost...

Somthing is deffinatley progressing and it is driving me bonkers... not only the noises but with worry! I love this little car and I want her running tip top again!

If the car is lifted, gear engaged and engine running, wouldn't whatever is rattling on the road still be rattling?

I've been looking at new g/boxes on ebay, looking at between £100-£150+ for what I need, does that sound a lot?

Thanks for all your help and patience Polly, you've been a star so far!
 

pollyp

Club Member
yeah just put the front up on axle stands, handbrake on, in gear, engine drives wheel and try locate the noise in all the gears.
if the noise appears then its part of the moving drivetrain bits. a close ear & stephescope helps locate it. take care around the moving bits.
if its quiet then its either something loose on the chassis or the faulty part has to be under moving load like wheel bearings.

£100+ sounds bout norm for a gearbox online.
check the buy sell here first for any low cost 1l boxes
 
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odd_ball
I'm hoping possibly that its the gear linkage making the awful rattle noise... I've been reading your blog... haven't even got to the bottom of page one yet! Very detailed... makes a fantastic read! You had the same rattle problem didn't you that you thought was your custom gear nob but turned out to be the linkage?

Hopefully I've got some loose heat sheilding and bits, maybe something in the engine bay, a bearing on its way out and problem with the linkage?

Actually, what I did find today was my manifold has a cover over it, and one of the bolts has gone awol so that could be causing some noise I guess...

I must also apologise, from your name I'd assumed you were a lady... From your blog I've learnt otherwise! :)

Thanks for all your help so far... Is he linkage easy to atleast inspect without dis-mantling the engine? Haynes makes it look a right ball ache!...
 
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odd_ball
Oh, also... where can I get axle stand adjusters so the stands can sit under the sills (the way Haynes instructs) or is there somewhere else I can stick them? I was gonna cut adjusters out of wood but thought perhaps they wouldn't take the weight and split?...
 

pollyp

Club Member
yep i used to have worn rusty gear linkage bushes which makes the stick rattle like mad in 5th on motorway and hard to select 1st/2nd. replacing with tighter fitting bush or convert to ball bearing improved it alot.

ooh if the manifold shield bolt has come off that will allow it to rattle about at certain revs. but imho i'd just rip out all the heat shields to eliminate all rattles, it doesn't get that hot anyway.

lol yeah me name is misleading :p pollys also a name for parrots too aint it? :)

gear linkage is real easy to access, check n remove.
just pop it in gear, then from underneath you grab the selector rod, try twisting it and see if the universal joint shows any mm of play. it should be pretty slack free

removal just involves taking off the middle heat shield, 2nd catalyst to access under the gear stick and unbolt the rod off.
the universal joint/rod bush pin is riveted so i just grind it off, clean bush and fit back on with nut bolt. see blog index for details

i jack up the front with the trolley jack under the wishbone rear bush mount, then support the axle stands on the square box chassis railing u see underneath between the sill and exhaust tunnel. i'd avoid the sills cos with rust at this age they will prob crumble. and do not jack up from the middle of the crossmember cos its too weak.

the back end i jack up from the middle of the rear axle beam then support axle stand on either side of the axle beam
 
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odd_ball
Right, that sounds pretty simple actually... Haynes make it out to be this big job, removing everything to get at it... So with the cat and exhaust and everything am I gonna need to re-seal those or will they just fit back together? I'm itching to get this sorted! I'm not convinced I've got a huge gear box problem... theres something there I think... but not everything...

Have you had any experience of LUCAS oil stabilizer? (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300678760848?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2648)

Someone told me about an addative you can put in gearbox to help stop noises, I think this is it? If I manage to sort all the other noises out do you think this might help?

I'll try find the parts you're on about in your blog... this computer is so slow gowing through it though...
 

pollyp

Club Member
most the time the cat gaskets can just fit back together unless the surfaces have really rusted n pitted badly.

yeah try fixing the smaller minor stuff outside the gearbox/engine and see if that resolves the issue before u consider delving deeper into major overhauls etc

not tried that stuff. i just stick to normal gearbox oil. maybe as a last resort.

page 6 post 278 of blog for pics of the gear linkages

http://micra.org.uk/threads/pollymobiles-rebuild.35251/page-6
 
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odd_ball
Thanks, I'll give it a go as soon as pssible... Working nights gives me very little time for anything! Is it possible o buy new linkage bushes? And what size nut & bolt do I need, would you happen to know?
 

pollyp

Club Member
its usually the softer plastic bushing that the metal insert goes into which wears out loose. the metal insert itself usually just dries up n rusts which jams its rotating ability causing the stick movement to be very stiff.
tis better to either get a replacement selector rod with a better condition bushing or from like a newer facelift with low miles (rod layout is different but the bushes the same) then swap the plastic bushing & metal insert.

dsc05852m.jpg


can't remember the bolt size, prob like M8, long as it fits through the metal insert hole, remeasure it soon
 
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odd_ball
Sorry it takes me so long to get back sometimes, I only have internet access through work at the minute and I work shifts so can't get on everyday.

Right, well I bought me a nice new jack and axle stands and have been itching to get the car up to perform the tests you mentioned in an earlier post. Also intended to fix the return spring on the gear stick, check out the linkage and tighten up all the heat shields as I've got at least one rattling like mad! But Sod's law the weather has been miserable so I've not been able to do anything as yet.

Car has calmed right down now. still have the wearing noise from g/box which obviously I'm waiting to look in to, but all the other horrible stuff has gone. Think the building up of horrible noises was one of the manifold heat shield bolts wiggling its way out?

Not hearing the usual humming you would associate with a duff bearing though? Though this could be down to it not being that far gone and I'm concentrating on the g/box noise. She does make a sort of clunking when on full lock though (I forget which way). Is this a bearing or is this some sort of steering assembly problem?

I went to price bearings up the other day and they're £30 each inc VAT so I think I'll be attempting that myself, if indeed it is a bearing problem. While at the parts shop I discovered a friend works there and so that could come in very handy! Got chatting and forgot to price the linkage bushes. Can you buy these new and does it come as a kit or do I need several parts? Can't tell from your picture which bit I need? I thought the bush was like a double linking thing?

Also, oddly... the other night when I left work finally feeling rather happy that I seemed to be getting to the bottom of all my Micra problems, the engine management light started flashing? Tried switching off and back on, leaving it for a bit, starting again but it kept coming on? Started limping the car home (20mph, 4am in the morning... no worries) when I decided to switch the engine off whilst going down a slight hill, started her back up in 2nd, clutch in obv and she started fine, no light and it hasn't come back since? Can only assume that with the manifold heat shield rattling about or when I've been fiddling with it I've knocked the C02 sensor or something maybe?

Hoping to get some grubby hands over the weekend and get everything sorted... plus the missus is off for the bank holiday so might rope her in too!?... Can't see it happening mind...
 
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odd_ball
Right, an update. Finally had a break in the weather and managed to jack the car up. Rotated the wheels in all gears as Polly suggested. Passenger side made a horrid, dry scraping noise all the way around, the driver side made the same noise but only a quarter of the way round (if that makes sense?)... Is this a bearing fault?

Also, a few other things I'd like advice on... Heat sheilds, how dangerous is it to remove them? I was removing the first one (under the gear-stick) and 2 of the bolts snapped. They sheered off quite easily actually so I suspect they may already have been broken and hence attributing to the rattling of the car. Anyway, due to the design of the heat sheild, the fact that each piece is attached to the other (the bolt between the first and second sheild is impossible to get off, I had to remove the lot, with quite a few of the bolts sheering along the way. I've put what bolts came out whole back in their holes and tightened them up, and obviously the holes from the broken ones are blocked by the broken bolts. Is it a good idea to put the heat shield back on and hw best would I do that. Do I need to drill out the old bolts and re-thread the holes or should I make new holes or rivet it up? Just worried about the heat build-up, especially around the fuel tank! Also, does the sheild serve as sound deadening too? Seems to be alot more road noise now?

Brakes - Can somebody look at the images below and tell me if my brakes are ok? Not really sure how thick the pads should be or how to guage it? Also are the disks ok, they're scored and I thought this was a problem? My breaking feels spongey at times, like the car will slow to a point then I really have to push the pedal down? The picture of the pads is with no break applied at all, I thought there'd be a bit more clearance to the disk then that? seems like the pad is right on the disk?
DSC_0960.jpg


DSC_0961.jpg


As I think I've metioned earlier, when under the car I've noticed a few things. First is I seem to be leaking fluid from what I think is the master cylinder or is it something to do with the steering?
DSC_0970.jpg


DSC_0975.jpg

(That pictures uploaded upside down for some reason?) Anyway, it's on the bulk head, driver's side and I do have dampness in that wheel arch too but all gaitors and joints seem fine, and though something is clearly leaking, I don't appear to be losing any fluids, break, steering or otherwise... or at least not noticable amounts?

Something I also mentioned earlier was some kind of oil residue near the oil filter which I couldn't track from anywhere. Picture taken before I cleaned the area to keep an eye on it...
DSC_09721.jpg


Finally, passenger side, just behind the arch, sort of foot-well area I appear to have some sort of dampness/stain that again I can't attribute to anything? Any ideas?


Any help or guidence on the above matters would be very much appreciated guys!

Thanks...
 

frank

Club Member
you can usually test a wheel bearing by holding the suspension leg while spinning the wheel (you will feel vibration if the bearing is worn)
and is the leak from the steering rack
 
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odd_ball
Most of those picturs have loaded the wrong way round actually? When I first drove the car, just round a few local streets it did seem alot quieter. I've also emptied the boot of everything, the jack, spare wheel... the lot as the sound of the spare tyre rubbing in its well was driving me mad and distracting from the problem noises.

Anyway, removed all that, also because I've noticed the noise seems louder when the car is more heavily loaded, like if I have my missus in the car the noise is more apparent... not that you can miss it anyway...

So yeah, the car seemed a lot quieter, none of the rattles or anything it had before due to no heat sheild. The scraping noise also seemed to calm down too, and I fixed the return spring too which seemed to somewhat minimise the stick rattle.

However, once I set off to work and hit the 50 and 60 roads the scraping noise got alot louder again, and also theres alot more road noise, is this due to the heat sheild being gone? Sounds like wind rushing in when you don't shut the door properly...

I do still have a slight rattle, which is the heat shield on the manifold. One bolt fell out so I took the other out to remove it but the centre bolt that holds the O2 sensor is rusted right up... broke my 9mm socket trying to get it off!... So I put the remaing bolt back in and that sheild is still there, making an almost inaudible rattle at a certain rev when setting off so thats not bothering me too much...

Just want to get everything sorted and be care free again like I was when I bought her...
 
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odd_ball
you can usually test a wheel bearing by holding the suspension leg while spinning the wheel (you will feel vibration if the bearing is worn)
and is the leak from the steering rack
I don't know what the leak is from to be honest, but it's worrying me!?... The wheels seemed very "gritty" going around... unfortunatley I didn't know to hold the suspension leg when doing it?...
 

euro_micra

Matt :)
I get that gritty sound while rotating the wheels by hand too Paul. Video here. I don't think it has anything to do with your main problem, and brakes appear to be fine.
 

euro_micra

Matt :)
Hmmm... So what could it possibly be? It's driving me mad...

no idea mate, I've never dealt with gearboxes or driveshafts myself.

PollyP's advice sounds good:
yeah just put the front up on axle stands, handbrake on, in gear, engine drives wheel and try locate the noise in all the gears.
if the noise appears then its part of the moving drivetrain bits. a close ear & stephescope helps locate it. take care around the moving bits.
if its quiet then its either something loose on the chassis or the faulty part has to be under moving load like wheel bearings
 
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odd_ball
no idea mate, I've never dealt with gearboxes or driveshafts myself.

PollyP's advice sounds good:
I've had it up on stands... rotated wheels by hand, let them roll also with engine running in neautral and first... was afraid to go any higher incase vibration would cause the car to fall? Came across the gritty noise and thought it was that? Gonna have to get the gear linkage sorted then see what I can find?

Is it possible to get the gear linkage bushes new from parts shops and what else would I need other than the 2 plastic busehes form each end?
 
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odd_ball
I've completely stripped the back of the car now, seats, carpet, spare wheel etc all gone. Part of the reason is I was trying to locate a noise from the back... which is still there and can't quite put my finger on. Thought perhaps it was the boot lid rattling? It does slightly but thats not it. I think it could be a shock or something? Can anyone describe what a shock on its way out sounds like?

Also, was looking under the car with the engine running to see if I could see anything vibrating/rattling and I've discovered this really high pitched whistling noise... but really high pitched and almost inaudible, like a dog whistle and I can even hear it in the car when driving now? Any ideas?
 
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