Folks,
Looking for some diagnostic advice. My 81 GTV has started making a nasty clunk after changing into 2nd (occasionally in 3rd) as I start to move off. The sound and vibration feels to be coming from general area between engine and gear selector - it sort of feels like it is trying to jump out of gear. It doesn't happen every time, but is intermittent.
I had the propshaft out, donuts and main centre bearing replaced about 3 months ago, and apart from usual 2nd gear synchro crunch if I'm not paying attention, gears have been fine, if less than slick changing.
Any suggestions - I'm wondering if maybe the gear change connection to link rod might be loose? Or could it be clutch related? (though it hasn't felt at all like clutch is slipping).
Gday,
I think it will be a gearbox mount. Probably the passengers side one.
Mick.
Cheers Mick, will investigate further.
Hmm, did it in 1st this morning. Definitely coming from the front of the car, not rear/transmission.
I agree with Mick. Same thing happened to me and he suggested gearbox mount. I had replaced the centre bearing in my prop shaft a few weeks earlier and musn't have torqued the gearbox mount nuts properly.
If it is at the front you need only check the three engine mounts (the rear may have collapsed causing the engine to lift and fall under load).
Cheers GTV (and Mick). Sounds like that could be the culprit.
Yes sorry I misread your initial post I thought you had written between the gear lever and the gearbox, but you meant up front. My apologies. Yes could be a failing engine mount or just the exhaust knocking on the floorpan under torque.
Once again another problem that is hard to diagnose without seeing the car, can only give suggestions!
Cheers
Mick
Hey Poohbah we have the same amount of posts. How cool is that!
Haha cool indeed, except that you generally seem to know what you are talking about, whereas I'm mostly flailing about in the dark of mechanical ignorance ...
Well, the problem has now been identified and is being fixed.
Worse than initially thought unfortunately.
Planetary gear bearing in the gearbox seized and broke, stripping quite a few splines off the planetary gear.
So the bad news is that the gearbox had to be dismantled to have the planetary gear replaced.
The good news is that there is no sense putting it back in without also tidying up the rest of the box, including new synchro rings etc which are showing the signs of 34 years worth of wear and tear. So it ought to feel like new.
Yikes, You don't seem to be having much luck with Alfa's lately I gather.
Hope it all goes well!
Andrew.
She is truly like painting the harbor bridge - start at one end and keep going...
Hopefully, after this I'll get a few months of relatively trouble free motoring!
Maybe time to source a 75 Twin Spark gear box with LSD? I recall Martyn having one for sale recently? (See WA section post)
Cheers, but too late anyway. Should pick up car from the workshop today or tomorrow.
Well I now effectively have a new gearbox and diff ... and a much lighter wallet.
New planetary gear, new 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears, 2 new synchro rings and clutch bearing. Also replaced exhaust manifolds, after cracks were revealed in the old ones during the work.
I think I may have seen your car at Cilebertis - those exhaust manifolds were bad :)
Yep - broke clean in two once they were pulled off!
Interesting feel to the overhauled box - is pretty stiff, obviously will take some time to run in and loosen up.
But no grinding, and you can really feel it slot into each gear.
BTW - what did you have in the shop? Even though every trip there costs me, I do enjoy wandering around and seeing what else is in.
Mine wasn't in the shop but I am just getting new guides put in my Alfetta GTV6 heads, and getting the head skimmed and valves cut. Can't wait to hear the glorious sound of the 2.5 V6 once again :)
Cheers BT. Would love to hear the V6 too. I miss the growl of my 156 Busso dearly! Though I also love the bark of the 2.0, especially now the manifolds have been replaced.
And hi there Sportiva. My new box feels much as you have described, though it has already freed up quite a bit. I took it for a long drive yesterday. It is quite a difference feeling it slot into gear so definitively.
I think I want your car Poohbah when your've finished with it
it will be almost new
PS they tell there are 2 different sets of ratios early and late and then theres the 75s
which is the better one and why '
cheers guys
Cheers Sportiva, and hi there Carlo - I feel like I have repainted the Harbour Bridge ... next priority is to tidy up the bodywork, but I think it will be a while before I am ready (and flush enough) to splash out too much on paint etc.
I actually asked the workshop about swapping in a 75TS gearbox (admittedly after mine had been rebuilt), and they said it isn't just a straight swap, but also needs a bit of modification and fettling, so in addition to the cost of sourcing one in reasonable nick, it would still be a pretty costly exercise for someone like me who doesn't have the expertise to do the work myself.
Regardless, one week in and the new gearbox has really loosened up already. It feels so good to not fear the old 2nd gear crunch, particularly when its still cold!
Cheers Sportiva. I really envy your mechanical aptitude - would no doubt make my motoring interests a lot less costly. You are spot on about the new synchros - I can now (almost) imagine a car reviewer in '81 talking about the positive feel of gear selection in the latest GTV!