I have a Felicia 1,9 diesel. For over a year now, i have heard a jingling noise coming from the engine. It could only be heard when the car was driven by a wall or in traffic, when the sound could bounce off of something. If you stuck your head under the bonnet you could not hear it. I use the car daily and do about 8000 miles a year motorway and town driving, the noise has not changed since i first noticed it over a year ago. I have had the alternator belt changed this morning, and asked the mechanic to look for any thing that may be causing it. He said all was in good order. I think he thought i was a bit bonkers!! as we could not actually hear the noise under the bonnet. When i got home i decided to have a good listen to see if i could find it. Screwdriver to ear, i tried every thing. Eventually, i think i have traced it to the gearbox. It is a ringing noise, sounding like a washer spinning behind a bolt. I am not saying thats what it is, just that it sounds like that. Can any one shed any light on this? And does any one know as this has been going on for so long is it a major problem?

Is this possibly the dreaded 5th gear nut? A seach will tell you lots about that.

Could be!!!! I will have to have a mooch about in the other threads and check the symptoms ...... Thanks for the info.

Is this possibly the dreaded 5th gear nut? A seach will tell you lots about that.

I had a look through the 5th gear stuff, They all seem to say about whining in fifth, I dont get that, its a bit hard to explain, but its like there is something jingling in the gearbox. This happens when the car is moving and when its in neutral if you rev it. Clutch up or down. The more you rev the more it jingles!!! I feel like a right plonker saying that but thats what it sounds like!!

Sounds like one of the drive springs in the centre of the clutch plate is a bit loose, or the clutch release bearing a bit noisey

Sounds like one of the drive springs in the centre of the clutch plate is a bit loose, or the clutch release bearing a bit noisey

Do you know if this is something that i should have looked at? or is it something that will be ok to leave? To be honest any thing like this does my head in!! And i have lost faith in driving any distance, stupid really, as i didnt think twice before i knew it was coming from the gearbox.

It might be the inner drive shaft UV joint protectors, these are steel rings that are fitted ( not very well )to the UV joint. They come lose and rattle around. If this is the case don't worry about it.

I would like to think it was that! Do they still make this noise when the car is stationary? Its poring down again here but i will try and have a look. Please make allowances for my limited knowledge. Am i looking at the UV joint nearest the gearbox? And would these discs be visible from the underside of the car? What i am trying to say is, If i crawl underneath with the engine running, should i be able to see these disks rattling around? if it is them thats making the noise.

I´ll throw in the gear-linkage as a suggestion aswell, but that is more like a loud rattle at idle on mine....

I would like to think it was that! Do they still make this noise when the car is stationary? Its poring down again here but i will try and have a look. Please make allowances for my limited knowledge. Am i looking at the UV joint nearest the gearbox? And would these discs be visible from the underside of the car? What i am trying to say is, If i crawl underneath with the engine running, should i be able to see these disks rattling around? if it is them thats making the noise.

Well they may rattle a little when stationary.

Yeah the ones nearest the gearbox.

Put you're hand round the joint and if it's loose you'll feel it.

Could it be the layshaft? i dropped my astra into 2nd accidentally after accelerating through 3rd went with a pop and after that the layshaft rattled, but on overrun there was a tingling noise.

It might be the inner drive shaft UV joint protectors, these are steel rings that are fitted ( not very well )to the UV joint. They come lose and rattle around. If this is the case don't worry about it.

i think this is a likely cause of the problem too

Well! A picture speaks a thousand words. I will get a wander lead out tonight and have a look. I dont think its the linkages as i have checked them. I dont know about the shaft mentioned? I am still hoping its nothing as drastic as that. Thanks for the picture and all the suggestions!!

Just a little PS I had a look under the car last night in my Dads garage. i had driven there in heavy rain, and the noise was not there. I only mention the rain as that was the only thing that was different to any other time i had hunted for it....... just a thought

if one of the layshafts was foobared you would know about it

I have located the part in the picture, and there is movement in it when i try to twist it. Not that much, but in my opinion there could be enough to make the noise. This is the strange bit!! its not making the noise tonight again. I have got to try this in the daylight, in the dry and when i can grab hold of the UV When the engine is running and see if it stops making the noise.

did you check the one the other side too??

My 1.9 Diesel makes a jingling noise too. I found it was the linkage from the bottom end of the gearstick to the back of the gearbox. It stops making the noise when I apply light hand pressure to the gearstick. Does yours do the same?

By the way, the car's done over 146,000 miles and has been making this noise for about 90,000 of them!

did you check the one the other side too??

I checked both sides, both were equally lose. I drove it last night, and had time to have a listen. It was realy going for it jingling like crazy!! Its a dry day today so i have got to find a place where i can get it up in the air and lie under it with someone in it to rev the engine. its so loud now, its got to be traceable with a good long look from underneath. And to day is the day for it.

My 1.9 Diesel makes a jingling noise too. I found it was the linkage from the bottom end of the gearstick to the back of the gearbox. It stops making the noise when I apply light hand pressure to the gearstick. Does yours do the same?

By the way, the car's done over 146,000 miles and has been making this noise for about 90,000 of them!

As i said above i am going to have a look to day. what you have suggested sounds promising!! I would realy like to think it is this linkage. I have felt all round the gearbox linkages but not from under the car. so maybe, just maybe. This could be it! I will let you know later, Thanks for the info:thumbup: it all helps.

Got it!!!! It was that linkage from the gearbox to the gear stick. The stick comes down in to a rectangular receiver on the end of the long link to the box, covering these joint is a rubber boot, this has perished and they rattle together creating the jingling noise!!! I may replace the boot, i may not. But knowing its not the gearbox on its way out has made my day. I would like to thank all the people who have made suggestions as to what it could be. What a result!! Thanks again.

Good to know you got it sorted. It's always a relief to find the problem's something simple and that it's not going to cost a fortune. Mine started jingling just after I got a new timing belt fitted, so you can imagine what was going through my tiny mind :eek: until I found the real source!!!

if one of the layshafts was foobared you would know about it

Mine rattled like a beatch! hahaha!

Good news , sorted:D

Hi Mrpj6.

My wife's car does the same have you got a photo of the location of this perished boot? Can you see it from inside the car or underneath?

TIA

Taff

Rattling gear linkage can usually be identified as holding the gearstick stops it. Best not to do this long term though as it may increase wear on the gearbox.