Burnt Oil!

[Guest Blubert]

I need some advice on interpreting my local Ford dealer.

 

For about a month my wife has been complaining about our Galaxy over reving when changing up gears ( it's a 1999 1.9 tdi auto Zetec), eventually she booked in into the garage (where we bought and get the car serviced).

 

After two days they have come back to me saying "the oil in the gearbox is burnt" and they need to replace a gasket and the oil. Total cost

[Guest EVSS]

are you sure its burnt?, was it smelling?. it sounds more likely to be low on oil maybe leaking from a gasket. .

[Guest Blubert]

They used the term "burnt", I feel if they ment low they would of said that :rolleyes:, instead of trying to complicate the matter!?

[Guest MATT]

Have you been towing anything with it - if so what weight

[Guest Blubert]

Never towed anything with it - not even got a tow bar!

Should have said - there wasn't a smell, it just seemed to not change gear properly. The garage are going to replace a gasket, but they wont get the part till friday.

[johnb80]

Sounds to me like the brake bands are slipping due to wear / incorrect adjustment. In this state when a gearchange occurs it doesn't stop the outer ring of the planetary gear from turning and therefore you have a partial gearchange (a bit like a slipping clutch) but more importantly the brake band will get very hot, very quick and burn the oil. Normall there's a distinctive smell and the oil changes from red to brown. This is a sure sign that damage has been done. I would challenge the garage about the bill and insist on a replacement gearbox.

 

Regards - john

[Guest Blubert]

Thanks for that. I've already told the garage I want a new gear box, but wasnt sure that i was being reasonable (?). Since we bought a warranty with the car, this will be covered by the warranty. The garage reckon that the warranty people will want to replace a gasket first, so that's the state of play at the moment.

[johnb80]

I would be asking the garage how replacing the gasket would solve the gearchange problem, how did the oil manage to become burnt in the firstplace and if you're close to the end of the warranty a guarantee in writing that there's nothing wrong with the box if thats what they're stating.

 

Regards - John

[Guest Blubert]

Car is Fixed!! :ph34r:

 

Or so they say! They have only replaced the oil and gasket.

 

I am picking it up tomorrow and will be asking a few probing questions.

(now that I am armed with some useful knowledge)

 

Will let you know how I get on.

 

Thanks for your help so far.

[seatkid]

maybe it was low on oil, leaking from a gasket?

 

In that case maybe longer term damage has already been done (worn bands) leading to a short life.

[Guest Blubert]

That's what I was thinking Seatkid!

 

Just collected it.

 

 

[Guest bluecow]

Hi blubert, this happened to me too. There seems to be an inherent weakness in the Galaxy auto geaboxes (notice they don't put them in the really high powered engines...) . My gearbox totally failed in early Jan. I still haven't got my car back. Johnb80 (thanks, for your help, gave me some confidence dealing with the garage) suggested repair rather than the replacement the garage were suggesting which is half the cost. Ford took out the gearbox and sent it to a repair workshop, who fixed the gearbox & replaced several other parts outside as well. Unfortunately the new parts are apparently 'not compatible' with my car which is odd as the parts have not changed in design since it was built. It is still 'under discussion' between the workshop and Ford. The 'burnt oil' is exactly what the mechanic told me. He said the gearbox overheated, the oil burnt which destroyed the seal, so the oil pressure dropped and the parts disintegrated. When I asked why it overheated he didn't know and could not promise that it will not happen again. Anyway, the upshot is, I will be selling my Galaxy as soon as I get it back and will not be buying a Ford automatic ever again. Which is a real pity, the car has been brilliant until this.

[Ivor_E_Tower]

Anyone know for sure what gearbox is in the 2.3 version? The diesels use a Jatco (japanese) built gearbox designed to VW specs for the TDI engine - it appears that some of the design parameters may be marginal.

IIRC the first generation Galaxys used a Ford unit (A4LD ?) with the 2.0 litre engine, but I've lost track of what happened after the facelift.

[johnb80]

I would assume that the 2.3 uses the same box as fitted in the Ultima which I think is the electronically controlled A4LD. If it is that box you should worry little, very reliable and can do mega miles, wifeys ultima currently on 140,000 +

 

Regards - John

[GSMGuy]

Ultima box is completeley different to that fitted to the Gal - Ultima's is designed for a longitudional installation, and is therefore quite long, and narrow in order to fit into the trans tunnel. Also obviously the ultima is RWD, as opposed to the Gal's FWD - they may share some internal components however.

 

And yes, Ultima box is reliable - a friend has a 99 Ultima with over 400,000 iles on it!!!! Still runs like a dream!

 

Mike

[johnb80]

As I understand it the internals are the same it's only the casing to include the transaxle that makes it different. The point I was trying to make IF it is the same internals once sorted it should be fine or indeed don't write off Ford Auto's because theyre good.

 

Regards - John

[Guest Blubert]

So I take it my 1999 TDi has a Jatco box? And shouldn't break!? :o

[seatkid]

AFAIK all galaxy autos are bought in Jatco's.

 

Just because it's japanese doesn't mean its reliable...

 

IMO Major item sourced from third parties always tend to be less reliable as there is little incentive to fix problems...manufactureres just argue about whos fault it is....

[Guest EVSS]

it more likely to be a fault in the autobox ecu or external wiring, we had a new box ecu and wiring when we first had ours and 95% of the time its fine. we spend all week around town and at weekends occasionally go further afield. we find that at weekends for the first couple of miles it does hold the gears longer, as the v/w dealer told us (note not ford dealer..) the box is auto learning, ie you spend five days in town and dont go above 30mph, then you go for a blast at the weekend, it takes a little while to come out of town mode. gone are the nice straightforward boxes, the little devils will have artificial inteligence soon.....(i now the dealers need some) :o

 

by the way we had exactly the same when we had a sharan vr6, but i recollect that actually gave a similar explanation as to the self learning box in the handbook , it can tell between normal and speed driving and kickdown in either.

[Guest MyPerfectVehicle]

just out of intrest anyone know who makes the 2.8 v6 engine and what autobox it uses?

 

:P

[Guest vr6galaxy]

The 2.8 VR6 is pure VW :P the gear box ? rumour has it they are jatco's?

[Dally]

Replacement gearbox that went in mine last year had jatco writteh all over it - even the ecu label says jatco.

[Guest MyPerfectVehicle]

so how much did that cost to repair/replace?

[Ivor_E_Tower]

Dally's was done under warranty but I can assure you that they don't come cheap !

[Dally]

The bill to Ford uk was about