Gearbox noises (TDI 6-speed)

[muddyboots]

Over time I've gradually been getting increasing noise from my gearbox, and before I take it to the dealer I want to be armed with as much info about possible causes as I can.

Symptoms:
When starting from stone cold, and then until it's fully warmed up, I can hear a clattering noise from the gearbox area - whilst sat inside the car, with engine idling, and foot off clutch.
It sounds like someone's chucked some pebbles inside the 'box - a random kind of clatter, not regular.
If the engine is idling smoothly, it's only audible if I repeatedly blip the throttle very slightly to cause quick (but small) changes in engine speed.
If the engine is idling lumpily, it's audible without having to do this.
If I just put a bit of pressure on the clutch to take up slack, the noise remains.
If I push the clutch down past biting point (so the gearbox is disconnected) the noise goes away.
When fully warmed up the noise goes away.


I've mentioned this in the past, and it was suggested it could be the dual mass flywheel on it's way out.
But just wanted to know if it could be anything else - gearbox bearings, clutch release, etc etc

Also, has anyone else noticed this ?

Cheers

 

[Niall]

DMF + Clutch on it's way out, I had the same problems with mine.

 

[muddyboots]

Did you have exactly the same noises as I describe then?

 

[Niall]

When starting from stone cold, and then until it's fully warmed up, I can hear a clattering noise from the gearbox area - whilst sat inside the car, with engine idling, and foot off clutch. Clattering noise when accelerating

If the engine is idling smoothly, it's only audible if I repeatedly blip the throttle very slightly to cause quick (but small) changes in engine speed.Uneven idiling, yes

If the engine is idling lumpily, it's audible without having to do this.

If I just put a bit of pressure on the clutch to take up slack, the noise remains.
If I push the clutch down past biting point (so the gearbox is disconnected) the noise goes away. When the clutch is pressed in, my noise dissapeared

No problems ince the replacement, my dealer has a brand new Altea with a DSG with similair problems. Dual clutch replacement, ouch..!!

 

[muddyboots]

Thanks for that Niall....at least I can provide the dealer with some suggestions...!

 

[IH2004]

My car makes exactly the same type of noise you describe, muddyboots. But mine also does it sometimes when the car is fully warmed up. I am going to try to get it sorted next month. Let us know what they say..

 

[muddyboots]

IH2004 -> What model have you got, and what year & mileage is it ?

 

[muddyboots]

Forgot to mention; it's gradually starting to crunch a bit when changing into 2nd. Anyone else's do this ?

 

[maxcars1]

Muddyboots

I've replied to your thread regarding my gearbox issues. Is the gearlinkage adjustable on the 2nd gear? When they fitted my first new gearbox, I couldn't get 3rd above 2k revs. This was after I'd picked the car up and apparently road tested it 'Yeh sure'. I eventually found out that you couldn't adjust the linkage for 3rd gear - hence second new box.

 

[Tom B]

My car has done this since I picked it up...as did the 1.4 I had before it, as does my mum's new Cupra.

I had both cars for around 15k, no clutches or DMF's went.

 

[maxcars1]

Gearbox Noise

DMF + Clutch on it's way out, I had the same problems with mine.

Mine had all the clutch assy and flywheel changed and still the noise was there. Apparently it's an issue with alot of VAG cars - some noisier than others.

 

[micky 32]

Muddyboots, i have the same symptoms as you describe in this thread. What was the outcome?

 

[muddyboots]

The outcome was...

...I think it was just a case of paranoia, and my supreme ability for my ears to tune into a slight noise and think something serious is wrong, when really it isn't !
Sometimes reading things on forums is like reading a medical symptoms book, you were fine before you started, and at the end you're convinced you're going to die...

Reading through the other posts in this thread, it wasn't the same as Niall's symptoms. He described a clattering whilst accelerating, whilst mine just made a noise while idling and was completely fine whilst driving.
And as Tom (toXXin) suggests, his TDI Sport did the same from new, as did his Mum's Cupra TDI.

I think the clatter noise is just when the engine's idling and rotating backwards/forwards on it's mounts, the geartrain just gnashes backwards and forwards a bit because of the engine movement.
You know like if you jack up one front wheel of a car, and try turning it one way then the other whilst the car is in gear, you'll feel/hear all the joints/gears take up slack when you change direction. Same kind of thing.
It was only really apparent whilst cold - whether this is true, or it's just coincidence that in cold weather I often got out to scrape the windscreen and heard it more, I don't know.

With regards to the 2nd gear crunching when cold, I trawled a few other sites and this just seems to be a "feature" of VAG gearboxes.
The Passat (90k miles) is *much* worse when cold than the Ibiza (80k miles) ever was, it's like it was never fitted with any syncros to start with !

 

[micky 32]

My symptoms were exactly the same as yours except for the gear crunching, mine are ok. But to me it doesnt sound right, it only occured since i put in the uprated clutch, but once under way nothing is to be heard.. Has to be gearbox, clutch, flywheel related as when the clutch is pressed it totally disappears. So your noise remained and never got worse?

 

[muddyboots]

I didn't notice it get any worse.

 

[maxcars1]

I had two gearboxes and a whole clutch assembly plus flywheel changed under warranty. The noise that you decsribe is still there and goes away when the clutch is depressed. SEATs answer after much complaint and letter writing was "Its within limits" - this was in a letter written by the Customer Services Director. When challenged, I was told that there was no more help they could give. However, they gave me a freebie 40K service for my convenience.

 

[muddyboots]

Sounds like it's "normal" then....like I said above, I reckon it's just backlash between the gears when the engine's rocking back and forth.

 

[micky 32]

and probably made more pronounced since the uprated clutch went in as it doesnt have dampening springs so more vibration.