Something went Bang!

[andyf]

James and I entered the DDMC Valleys and Villages Classic Tour on Sunday. It was a 60 mile drive from home to the start in Wootton Bassett and the roadster behaved well, no unexpected noises. Then on the route to the classic car show at the Newbury Show ground it started to make some odd noises around 45 miles into the route. Then things got worse on the way up a steep hill out of Yattendon when I changed up there was a bang and a lot of clattering and we pulled up. It still has drive but it made a terrible noise, so bad it seemed to come from every direction. So we had to get recovered, that's a first in 37 years that it's had to be recovered! Now starts the task of figuring our what's actually broken, my money is on the diff but time will tell....

[greyV8pete]

Do you have drive in all gears? If not suspect the gear cluster, that you used when you changed up, is missing some teeth?

[andyf]

I don't know, it certainly had drive just after it went bang, and for the type 9 boxes the weak link would be the synchro rather than the gear cluster. But when we rolled it backwards off the recover truck we could hear a clicking/knocking from the back of the car and feel it through the bodywork! The first test will be to remove the propshaft and roll the car backwards and forwards to see if it still makes the same noise.

[A_Hogg]

Any Update?

[andyf]

I did get under it and spin the prop shaft by hand and there is one point at which the pinion feels like it is ok and does not make any noise when you rock it back and forth but on the opposite side it makes a clacking noise and feels like there is more back lash. I also ran through the gears and they are all meshing ok with no unexpected noises when rocking the prop shaft. So I think the gearbox is ok and that its broken a tooth off the pinion gear. The next step will be to remove the diff and inspect it.

[greyV8pete]

I did get under it and spin the prop shaft by hand and there is one point at which the pinion feels like it is ok and does not make any noise when you rock it back and forth but on the opposite side it makes a clacking noise and feels like there is more back lash. I also ran through the gears and they are all meshing ok with no unexpected noises when rocking the prop shaft. So I think the gearbox is ok and that its broken a tooth off the pinion gear. The next step will be to remove the diff and inspect it.

That diagnosis seems correct. Best source a new diff now, rather than waiting to pull the duff one out!