No Drive '98 Alhambra 110tdi

[Simon Burke]

I am really loosing faith in the whole shalambraxy car.....

I have a '98 110tdi alhambra with the AHU engine... The wife was driving home from the school run... Now, so she says.... "I was at the lights, went to get first the car just juddered then died..."

I examined the car where it lay... the footpath was covered in gearbox oil... It seemed to be leaking from the diff...

So, I am assuming that there's a problem with the driveshaft... I tried to start the engine, but it wouldn't... All the electrics worked, but it wouldnt start.. so I went under the bonnet, and a bolt from the gearbox had sheared off... but this bolt had the earth ontop of it... so, the engine wasn't getting an earth... So, I put the bolt in the hole, and pressed it in with a rubber handled screwdriver..

But it sounds rough.... When I depress the clutch, it's reasonably smooth, but when the clutch is out, it's like a massey ferguson..

So, this is what I would like to ask

(1) Do you think the splines on the driveshaft are knackered, hence leaking all the oil??

(2) If it is the splines on one of the shafts, would I be correct in thinking that, if one driveshaft is ok, and the other one isn't, the gearbox is trying to get grip on both shafts, but since one is sheared, and I dont have a diff-locker, it was just spinning the one with less friction???

(3) Why did the bolt shear off the gearbox?? could it be because of the vibration of the gearbox and the buggered shaft???

 

I know I was a bit snotty in previous posts, but I am really sorry.. I was just having a bad patch in life...

 

Thanks

[octo0072000]

without getting it up in the air and the belly pan off

it's the how long is a bit of string thing could be a collapsed CV joint allowing drive shaft to come out of gear box could be clutch flywheel related or diff broke is the case broke you need to have a better look first then report back pref with pictures

Edited May 16, 2012 by octo0072000

[Simon Burke]

I'll get under it with the camera tomorrow... thanks :o

[a18nkd]

The last car i had that done a similar thing it turned out to be a bearing had completly collapsed sent a shaft out of alignement broke a tooth and spat the tooth throu the side of the gear box was cheaper and easier to put a second hand gear box in than get this one fixed.

are you sure it was gearbox oil on the floor (did it smell like cat wee)

is any other bolts loose/broken

pics would help make is easier to help you

[Simon Burke]

hi guys..

ok, I was asked by my bro in law to jack the car up, having the front wheels in the air, and pick a gear...

That I did, and none of the wheels moved.....

There was fluid coming out of between the gearbox and the engine...

The fluid wasn't brake fluid.... so I am assuming it's gear oil... and if I am assuming correctly, if there's gear oil coming out from between the engine block and the gearbox bell housing, there's a hole in me gearbox???

Can someone either confirm or correct me??

Thanks

[a18nkd]

yes for fluid to come out there then the bearing/seal on gearbox will probably have gone or a hole in the bell housing it's self and to tell the differance then take the dipstick out smell it if the oil smells the same as the fluid = engine oil if it smells like cats wee ish it's gearbox oil and are you sure it's not brake/clutch fluid as i think the clutch is hydraulic and uses the brake fluid?? hope it helps Edited May 22, 2012 by a18nkd

[octo0072000]

only thing you can do is remove the gearbox and inspect

if you jack both wheels off the ground and put in gear one wheel should go forwards one wheel back on a open diff with engine off

the clutch /flywheel could have broke up and jammed breaking gearbox case

[Simon Burke]

Thanks guys....

I havent taken it apart yet, but I got a donor car, a mk1 VW sharan... I am gonna strip this car to use as bits for my alhambra..

When I am stripping both cars, I will take a shyte load of pictures and put them onto a site to help anyone I can....

Thanks again