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Rattle in 5th Gear
Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 4:57 pm
by Dicey
The car, standard S1 Elise, has a real loud, intrusive rattle (as best as I can describe it) at 2500rpm in 5th gear under load – about 60mph. Lift off at that point and the noise pretty much disappears, you don’t notice it on over-run as it passes through that point either It doesn’t happen at those revs or that speed in any other gear. Any other speed, engine revs or gear is fine.
It’s not the undertray, handbrake cables etc. and it’s got the anti-tizz bracket. Does anyone have suggestions as to what’s going on? I’ve searched SELOC and the MG car forums and there’s plenty about gearbox noise but nothing I can relate to my car… Driving me nuts !
TIA
Mike.
Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 5:47 pm
by Rich H
Is their oil in the gearbox?
Any spots of oil on the inner drive shaft joints, or on the undertray?
My old one was like a washing machine full of nails when the oil level got low.
Box oil change on spec? If will reveal any serious metallic wear as a shower of metallic bits...
Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 8:37 pm
by Dicey
Forgot to say I'd checked the oil.
I hoped it would be low and a top up would sort it, but when I removed the level plug about 50ml ran out, so if anything it was a little overfull. I've bought the correct MG-Rover oil to change it over the winter and will check for swarf, gear teeth etc.
It's always done it in the time I've owned it - about two years - but I've never been able to get to the bottom of it
I wondered if there's a way 5th gear it attached to the shafts that allows the gears to float about. Seems strange it'll do it under load though.
No leaks either.
Mike
Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 9:47 pm
by Scottd
If you don't think it's a gear box problem (cross-gate linkage) and reverse is fine then go through all the rattle areas. There's the classic one's you mentioed but there are many more besides. On these ageing cars the foam stuck to areas to stop rattling is starting to die.
The best forum archive to search (by miles, for S1's anyway) is the BBS technical forum, you have to register to be able to search the full archive. Until a few years ago (so most of the S1's life) it was easily the main UK forum.