| Author |  Topic  | |
pchristy
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
1790 Posts |  Posted - 09 Mar 2009 : 18:48:32  
| A few weeks back my gearbox started making what I can best describe as a graunchy whirring sound in second gear.
Today I changed the oil, and sure enough, there's iron filings stuck to the magnetic drain plug!
Not a huge number, but enough to be worrying. I've filled it up with the factory recommended EP80, in case the synthetic was too thin for it, and given it a shot of Moly. Hopefully this will keep it going until its MOT in May.
This is a bit of a bummer, as the car is meant to have a re-con gearbox, and according to the records, has only done about 7 or 8 thousand miles since it was fitted! More "con" than "re", clearly!
So what to do next? Ideally I'd like to get a 2nd gearbox and get it re-conditioned (properly!) ready to install when this one gives up. There was one on e-bay a couple of weeks back, but it seemed a bit expensive for an unknown quantity!
Also, where do you get these boxes overhauled these days? I know they are not the kind of thing for an amateur to tackle. Has anyone got any recommendations and/or contact numbers?
--
Pete
"Duct tape is like the Force: It has a light side and a dark side, and it binds the Universe together!" |
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transit80
V4 Mad
United Kingdom
775 Posts | Posted - 09 Mar 2009 : 19:56:17
| Pete,there is some one who is the bees knees of rebuilding gearboxes but I cant remember his name (Partington????) Im sure someone on here will tell you.If you want a gearbox I have one with a broken cover, I think the internals are OK but you would have to check it over,you can have it for a couple of beers
Chris Wilcox |  |
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Woody
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
2764 Posts | Posted - 09 Mar 2009 : 21:16:59
| Chris Partington is the gentleman you are referring to. I don't have contact details though I am sure Alistair V4Registrar has at Saab OC.
A lot depends on what has gone in the transmission, most likely a bearing has started to fail (my bet is on the countershaft) and it is better to get it looked at sooner than later as particles might start to damage other components.
Personally I have done two of my Saab gearboxes in the past, that had bearings fail, luckily not affecting the pinion,nor the diff housing bearings. It was interesting as I did not have any special tools first time around, though for the second I had use of Saab's cradle. Don't have the tool for setting the pinion.
Having a spare box is handy, though I agree it is difficult to get one blind without being able to try it.
From a DIY point of view, I am not sure where you can get consumables from, ie locking tabs etc. I still have a small stock of shims and tabs acquired during the 80s when I was messing with mine. Still have a Spec 1 gearbox to put back together and a 75 box in an oil bath. Ball bearings are SKF and should be available from a good bearing supplier. Depending on the age of the box, I am not sure about the needle roller bearings. | |
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2strokereg
Starting Member
16 Posts | Posted - 10 Mar 2009 : 09:24:56
| My understanding is that Chris Partington has now 'retired' and is not taking on any new customer work. That said, I am sure his advice will be free, and he may be able to sell you component parts from his parts hoard. His telephone number is 01280 847189.
Martin | |
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rsimps
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
1616 Posts | Posted - 10 Mar 2009 : 12:32:01
| | Try Dave Barrow (soc comp sec), he has built a few boxes. Otherwise if you are really stuck try twisting my arm. | |
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pchristy
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
1790 Posts | Posted - 10 Mar 2009 : 18:26:01
| Thanks to everyone for your support!
Now that I have CPs number, I'll give him a try. I can but ask!
I've seen a gearbox advertised relatively locally. Its a bit of an unknown quantity, but if it keeps me mobile, then fine. And it gives me the chance to see about getting my current box repaired!
Chris: Thanks for the offer! I may yet take you up on it, but it depends on the outcome of a number of 'phone calls I have to make over the next day or two!
Whoever put this car back together again made a bit of a pigs ear of it! (actually, I know who it was, but I've no wish to slag off someone I barely know!) Whilst servicing it yesterday, I discovered one of the inlet manifold bolts had "bottomed" in the block before it clamped down on the manifold. That probably explains the low vacuum, and why one cylinder seems to be running lean (from the state of the plugs)! I've made a temporary fix by putting a thick washer under the head of the bolt, but I think the whole manifold is going to have to come off before long.
Aaaarrrgggghhh!
--
Pete
"Duct tape is like the Force: It has a light side and a dark side, and it binds the Universe together!" | |
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pchristy
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
1790 Posts | Posted - 11 Mar 2009 : 18:45:05
| Good news / bad news!
The good news is that I managed to contact Chris Partington. What a charming man he is! As luck would have it he has a gearbox pretty much finished, and offered it to me on an exchange basis for a very reasonable sum.
The bad news is that yes, he is retiring! He has decided to hang up his spanners for good. I obviously managed to catch him just in the nick of time.
Its a great shame, as there doesn't seem to be anyone else to carry on the good work in the UK! I am clearly going to have to treat this 'box like a crate of eggs, as it is likely there will be no more from this source. I would have been interested in getting him to train me how to do it, but I'm nearing retirement time myself!
I also asked him about lubrication, seeing as there has been so much discussion about the best oil to use. His reply was that basic EP80 (as recommended in the handbook) is quite adequate. He didn't believe synthetics would do any harm, but he didn't think they would have any significant advantages over the basic EP80.
So there you have it, straight from the acknowledged expert in the field.
Good news for me, but a sad day for the community at large......
--
Pete
"Duct tape is like the Force: It has a light side and a dark side, and it binds the Universe together!" | |
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blue95V4
V4 Fanatic
United Kingdom
415 Posts | Posted - 12 Mar 2009 : 17:10:03
| I have a couple of spare used gearboxes - quality unknown but thought to be good (removed from working cars) if anyone needs one as a "stop-gap". Would have to be collected though (Dorset/Somerset border)or taken to an event by me or someone. "Saab-Trekkable"  .
David (Heli-too-many-Saaber!) |
Edited by - blue95V4 on 12 Mar 2009 17:11:14 | |
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| | Topic | |
Gearbox - not good!
