Gearbox issues??

[Jonnys19882]

Good evening all, I have a 2012 110 4x4 with a six speed manual that is making a concerning noise. When accelerating in a high gear at low speed (mainly 5th and 6th) I am getting a grinding noise coming from the front of the car, once I change down it’s fine and no noise. The car seems to be going into gear fine and no other noises and is smooth. Has anyone else had this issue or possibly shine some light on it?

Thanks as always.

[J.R.]

They are usually a very robust gearbox, however the 4x4 transfer gearbox or bevel drive gearbox as it is more correctly known is quite prone to failure after oil loss from a leaking seal, as yours is a 4x4 that would be where I would look straight away.

 

Have you noticed any oil drips on the floor where you park?

 

Have a look at the undertray from behind the engine for any sign of oil, not that easy and better if you remove it but if you crawl underneath you would see/feel oil coming through some of the drain and fixing holes in the area of the bevel drive box which is located on the inboard end of the RH front driveshaft.

[Jonnys19882]

Thanks, this is fantastic advice, this is why I love this site.

I haven’t noticed any oil drips but to be honest I haven’t looked and it’s been very wet here recently so it’s possible. I haven’t had the car long and it’s booked into a garage for a haldex oil change at the end of the month, I hope the box is ok though as the thought of a new one frightens me.

[Urrell]

Could it be the DMF?

 

[Jonnys19882]

I thought of that but I can’t see any other symptoms, no juddering or anything 

[Andy Sayle]

Oooh, careful on this one.  I had a clutch spring plate fail on mine, one of the leaf springy bits had a clear fatigue failure, and departed company with the rest of the plate.  It proceeded to bounce around the inside of the clutch housing, before eventually punching through the gearbox casing, and allowing gear oil to dribble down on to hot bits of exhaust.  I noticed the lack of clutch one day that went away (clearly the bit of metal getting stuck somewhere it shouldn't be,) and then the smell of gear oil first (it stinks!).  I ended up needing a new clutch (and flywheel), new clutch slave cylinder, and a gearbox casing strip down, weld up and rebuild.  Skoda were not at all interested in the failure, even though it was not long out of warranty, and can clearly be attributed to a fatigue failure of a sub-standard clutch component.  I had a thread on here about it somewhere....

 

 

Edited 23 November, 2022 by Andy Sayle

[Urrell]

On 15/11/2022 at 18:43, Jonnys19882 said:

I have a 2012 110 4x4 with a six speed manual that is making a concerning noise. When accelerating in a high gear at low speed (mainly 5th and 6th)

How many revs is the car doing when you do that?

[Jonnys19882]

38 minutes ago, Urrell said:

How many revs is the car doing when you do that?

Just over 1k

[b1ackb1rd]

1 hour ago, Jonnys19882 said:

Just over 1k

 

That's not a great idea, in VAG circles this is considered a big no-no unless you want to pay out for a new DMF

[Jonnys19882]

1 minute ago, b1ackb1rd said:

 

That's not a great idea, in VAG circles this is considered a big no-no unless you want to pay out for a new DMF

So do you think it’s the sound of stress on the DMF and just to change down earlier?

[J.R.]

I do it all the time but only on a very light throttle, the engine has lots of low down torque and the 110 engine in standard form is very gentle on the DMF, mine was past its best but I would never have known there were no noises or vibrations even when accelerating from low revs in high gears, after a remap (which I notice yours has had which could be significant) I had clutch hydraulic problems caused by the vibrations from higher revs which the engine pre remapping could never reach.

 

I replaced the DMF with the clutch as I could see that it was sloppy, afterwards the engine was much quieter at high revs, the growling clatter which I thought was normal for a highly tuned TDi at high revs had gone, the low running speed was as quiet as before, no change.

 

So you may have a failing DMF especially as your engine has been remapped, does it sound growly at high revs and do you use the extra rev range?

 

I believe from my own experiences that the higher powered engines are harder on the DMF's, others may confirm or dispute this.

 

I still drive in built up areas at 1k rpm in 6th gear and accelerate gently from there without downchanging, the full on torque comes in very soon after with the smaller turbo than the stock 170hp engine would have.

 

What stage of remap did you have? Mine is supposedly 184hp from Celtic Tuning, I reckon its the factory 170hp map.

[b1ackb1rd]

10 hours ago, Jonnys19882 said:

So do you think it’s the sound of stress on the DMF and just to change down earlier?

 

Whether its the source of your noise or not, this isn't good practice. 

[Jonnys19882]

10 hours ago, J.R. said:

I do it all the time but only on a very light throttle, the engine has lots of low down torque and the 110 engine in standard form is very gentle on the DMF, mine was past its best but I would never have known there were no noises or vibrations even when accelerating from low revs in high gears, after a remap (which I notice yours has had which could be significant) I had clutch hydraulic problems caused by the vibrations from higher revs which the engine pre remapping could never reach.

 

I replaced the DMF with the clutch as I could see that it was sloppy, afterwards the engine was much quieter at high revs, the growling clatter which I thought was normal for a highly tuned TDi at high revs had gone, the low running speed was as quiet as before, no change.

 

So you may have a failing DMF especially as your engine has been remapped, does it sound growly at high revs and do you use the extra rev range?

 

I believe from my own experiences that the higher powered engines are harder on the DMF's, others may confirm or dispute this.

 

I still drive in built up areas at 1k rpm in 6th gear and accelerate gently from there without downchanging, the full on torque comes in very soon after with the smaller turbo than the stock 170hp engine would have.

 

What stage of remap did you have? Mine is supposedly 184hp from Celtic Tuning, I reckon its the factory 170hp map.

You make a good point here. Mine is a similar hp from a Pendle custom remap. My other yeti 170hp to 203hp doesn’t make the same noise but as you say this may be down to they way the torque is delivered. The car is booked in on Monday to have it looked at and if it does need a new DMF then so be it I guess.

[Urrell]

Mine does not have a DMF, it is not smooth below about 1500 revs when applying much throttle in 4th and 5th.

[J.R.]

Much being the operative word, when I am driving at 1000-1200 rpm in 5th or 6th gear if I need to do any more than a tiny acceleration to keep up with traffic or maintain speed on a very slight incline using a very small amount of throttle then I downshift one or more gears according to the need and situation.

 

It's how I have always driven any vehicle whatever the engine, I never allow them to labour and only use full throttle when the engine is within its operating torque curve, driving at 1000 or 1200 rpm per sé is not bad practice, it's how you do it, general advice is just that and intended for the lowest common denominator.

 

I drive with a high degree of mechanical sysmpathy, I get feedback through all my senses, the reason why I rarely have music playing, I would drive another identical example of my car in a completely different manner not using low revs were I to sense any labouring or harmonic vibration from the drive train.

[Yety]

2 hours ago, J.R. said:

Much being the operative word, when I am driving at 1000-1200 rpm in 5th or 6th gear if I need to do any more than a tiny acceleration to keep up with traffic or maintain speed on a very slight incline using a very small amount of throttle then I downshift one or more gears according to the need and situation.

 

It's how I have always driven any vehicle whatever the engine, I never allow them to labour and only use full throttle when the engine is within its operating torque curve, driving at 1000 or 1200 rpm per sé is not bad practice, it's how you do it, general advice is just that and intended for the lowest common denominator.

 

I drive with a high degree of mechanical sysmpathy, I get feedback through all my senses, the reason why I rarely have music playing, I would drive another identical example of my car in a completely different manner not using low revs were I to sense any labouring or harmonic vibration from the drive train.

Phew, I'm not the only one thinking like this 😌

 

I've always been careful to keep the engine revs above 1500 as a bare minimum. I too, like the sound of "whirring" things rotating, especially as I normally run with no back seats - weird I know. DPF and drive line shunt can be very distressing to the mechanicals at such low revs. My Suzuki has low compression Swift GTI block/crank and  8 valve head and can handle low revs and low road speed easily. Very little or no measurable wear in 208+k so far. 

I think a lot of folk have been brought up on "old style" diesel engines, Ford Transit and the like which would lugg from very low revs (and break down, leak oil, be very noisy, etc). Also, there is no need to rev the b******s off the unit - lots of use of the gears to keep in the zone, or get else a DSG!

I'm on 125k on original everything, and crossing my fingers as I want to keep my Yeti for ever.

[idleness]

I change down at 1500 unless I need to  accelerate hard then it's 1700.

Wouldn't dream of accelerating from 1000 it's just to low, and mine rumbles at those revs if accelerating even when I had just replaced the DMF. Up to 166k miles now.

 

Edited 24 November, 2022 by idleness

[J.R.]

I have the rear seats removed as well!

 

The last time I took them out it became a permanent measure, 13 years with Octavias and all I ever needed to do was occasionally lift out the light foam & cloth rear seat squabs for a few more inches of length and they would always be carried on or with the load, with the Yeti I cant carry anything of consequence without removing and lugging away 3 very heavy Varioflex seats and I have to think of this first before going to collect anything, impulse purchases like DIY materials on promo are a big problem.

 

Its far easier to refit the seats and parcel shelf on the rare occasions that I carry rear seat passengers than remove them constantly for materials.

 

I really should buy a Transit or the like but can't bear to part with the Yeti! I do however have 7 trailers (maybe more, I have lost count) of various sizes weight capacities and volumes.

[J.R.]

As much as I despise the Maxidot display telling me that it wants me to change up or down a gear it does not disagree with my driving at 50kph on the flat in 6th gear and accelerating very gently from that, if I am unwittingly in 5th or remaining in 5th because I am about to come out of the 50kph built up area it will often prompt me to change up to 6th.

 

The exception is when it is doing a regen and the gear change indicator being one ratio less than normal is my confirmation that I am correct, the slight change in engine note is indeed a regeneration, otherwise I have to wait to stop at traffic lights or a junction to see if the idle speed is increased but often it isn't because it has already given up.

[idleness]

On 24/11/2022 at 18:56, J.R. said:

As much as I despise the Maxidot display telling me that it wants me to change up or down a gear it does not disagree with my driving at 50kph on the flat in 6th gear and accelerating very gently from that, if I am unwittingly in 5th or remaining in 5th because I am about to come out of the 50kph built up area it will often prompt me to change up to 6th.

 

The exception is when it is doing a regen and the gear change indicator being one ratio less than normal is my confirmation that I am correct, the slight change in engine note is indeed a regeneration, otherwise I have to wait to stop at traffic lights or a junction to see if the idle speed is increased but often it isn't because it has already given up.

30mph in 6th ??

Maxidot gear ranges are rubbish, I ignore them 

For me

30mph is 3rd

40mph is 4th

50mph is 5th

60mph is 6th 

Never get any gearbox rumbles

 

I just look at VAGDPF to confirm regen status, I pretty much know when its going to happen anyway.

 

 

[J.R.]

14 minutes ago, idleness said:

30mph in 6th ??

50 kph = +/- 35 mph.

 

But yes, 30mph in 6th if that is the speed limit or the speed of the traffic or speed I wish to cruise at.

 

I did not say that I took notice of or obeyed the maxidot gear indications, I find them patronising but they are usually quite correct for the conditions, what they cant do is anticipate like a good driver can, they certainly are a million times better than your speed and gear rule book and take into account the engine load, accelerator position etc.

 

Using your logic I would only use direct top gear once in a blue moon when there is a 90kph limit instead of the national 80kph limit or when I use an autoroute, not much point having a diesel for economy if you are going to use the intermediate gears like that.

 

You remind me of a girlfriend who had a drivers license but who had never owned a car, she would say "is this a 3rd gear or a 4th gear hill?" and could not understand that there was no fixed answer and it depends on the speed you were going at/want to maintain, how laden you are, what vehicle you are driving.

 

Do you drive downhill at 50 mph in 5th gear?

 

I would not take my eye (singular) off the road to look at an app on a phone.

[idleness]

Let's look at your maths.

50 kph isn't even close to 35mph

50 kph =31.069 mph much closer to 30 than 35.

 

CBA with the rest of it 

 

 

[Austin 7]

Hi

 

"it’s booked into a garage for a haldex oil change at the end of the month"

 

I hope you are already aware of the slight risk associated with this.  Some garages (even Skoda ones) have unwittingly confused the drain plugs for the haldex and the diff, which aren't far apart.  You then end up with an emptied diff and a doubly filled haldex.  A short while later the diff overheats and fails through lack of oil and you have a struggle on your hands to prove who's fault it was.

 

The other factor is that some generations of Haldex have a mesh filter which is ideally changed, but isn't on the routine schedule and therefore stays untouched. Once it clogs up it's bad news for the Haldex.

 

I only have a 2WD petrol, others on this forum have more direct knowledge, so take a look for more threads on the subject.

[J.R.]

3 hours ago, idleness said:

Let's look at your maths.

50 kph isn't even close to 35mph

50 kph =31.069 mph much closer to 30 than 35.

 

CBA with the rest of it 

 

 

 

Apologies for my memory failure, my mental arithmatic is still good when I use it.

 

What does CBA mean please?

[Ootohere]

@J.R.  it is, 'Can't be arsed'. 

 Which is a fair enough.   Not many can be, but some try it. 

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/505957-looking-for-a-skoda-yeti/page/2

 

Edited 26 November, 2022 by toot