PUMA Gear Box

[davidgate]

I've had my MY2011 PUMA 110 Wagon for some months now and love it.:D

One thing I'm not sure of is the gear box. Gear changes do not appear all that smooth especially from 1st to 2nd - its as if the gears are not syncing properly. I have to ease it gently into gear to avoid any clunks.

I'm no expert on gear boxes but it doesn't feel right to me. Last time I had it to the dealer, he said there were no problems with it.

Is this normal or is it something I should persue further? :confused: Not a critical problem, just a bit worried - perhaps I've been too used to Jap gear boxes.:twisted:

Thanks for any feedback.

Dave G :)

[justinc]

Sounds pretty like a normal Puma experience; if you have been used to jap transmissions you will be feeling it.:(

I strongly suggest you ask forummembers who may be close to you to drive one of their vehicles, or vice a versa.

thats the best way to tell.

JC

[chook73]

I have had mine for nearly 3 years now and still find it clunky.

Having said that I have both front and rear diffs replaced as well as the transfer case and on all of those occasions I recognised it as more clunky than normal.....

I did come from a pootrol.........

[Naks]

from the time I got my Puma in Feb 2010, I have been complaining to the dealer and LRSA about that gearbox.

Finally, 2 yrs & 30,000km later they decide it needed replacing. The new one clunks less, but if I shift from 5th to 6th between 40-60kmh, it sounds as if the clutch is not in.

That Getrag MT-82 is a p.o.s, just google 'Ford Mustang gearbox issues' and see :angel:

[newhue]

Hi Dave,

funny you mention this because I'm not sure if I'm imaging things or not. It has always clunked, no big deal to me.
However I had the oil changed in it at 30K, and from then, and only time to time, it has been a bit stiff into 1st more so than 2nd. Actually just today was not one it's better days.
It now has 40K on it and I have also noticed after getting home from a long highway run, it cycles from a nice idle to a reverberating faint chopper sound which appears to be coming from the g box. I'm going to try and record it on the phone, but that doesn't help with a stiff first sync.
Perhaps keep a basic record of when it happens, cold, hot, frequency, and what other bits you like. It may provoke LR to pay a bit more attention to your concerns if you have done a bit.

I live at Oxley, be heading up you way mid March if you want to drive another Defer.

[camel_landy]

Take your time... It's not a racing car. ;)

If you try to do a 'fast' change from 1st to 2nd, yeah... the gears will make a noise. However, take your time and it should be silky smooth.

M

[stig0000]

they are a very slow box, sounds normal

[Markvesna]

Hi,yes I know what your talking about mine is the same its a defender thing. best to drive of your revs and take your time changing from 1st to 2nd.:D

[PAT303]

from the time I got my Puma in Feb 2010, I have been complaining to the dealer and LRSA about that gearbox.

Finally, 2 yrs & 30,000km later they decide it needed replacing. The new one clunks less, but if I shift from 5th to 6th between 40-60kmh, it sounds as if the clutch is not in.

That Getrag MT-82 is a p.o.s, just google 'Ford Mustang gearbox issues' and see :angel:

Do you think that driving the thing at 40km/h IN 6TH might be the problem?.I've gone from a TDi to the puma and find the gearbox fine but if you are one of these people who dump the clutch instead of easing it out it will clunk. Pat

[TwoUp]

Naks,
40Km/Hr in 6th?? Probably 3rd!! 60Km/Hr 4th, change up to 5th after 70Km/Hr, cruise at 80 in 5th then up to 6th from 90 or better. Mate, it sounds like you are labouring the motor there.

The gearbox is "chunky" think of BMW bike etc. Take your time in the lower gears. I notice that things get going in 3rd after 2,250 revs, then it is quite sweet after that.

Cheers,
PeterW

[Beckford]

The Puma is definitely a "girl".

You have to be really smooth with your gear changes. Bring the clutch out really slowly. More noticeable when cold going up a steep hill, like the one I live at the bottom of.

I used to drive an automatic Hilux. Took me 6 months with the radio off driving around town to get to know her.....

[Scallops]

My experience of 1st to 2nd change is that when the box is cold, I double de-clutch and do so slowly - no grind, smooth and sweet. Once the oil has warmed up - slow changing, finding neutral on the way through, and it's all good too. :)

[numpty]

The box in my Td5 is the same. As well as changing slowly, a momentary pause in neutral before continuing to second should help. Slow and steady.....a sportscar it's not.;)

[robharvey]

I mostly take off in 2nd if I can. The only time I use 1st is on an upslope. I don't find my gearbox clunky, unless the gear change is too fast. Slow and deliberate, it suits the character of the vehicle.

Naks, are you sure that wasn't a typo? If I drive in 6th at anything below about 80km/h it feels as though I'm about to stall. Changing up into 6th is only done at about 100km/h.

[Loubrey]

No diesel Defender has ever like going too slow in too high a gear...

I've seen people do a lot of damage changing down too late or stalling in a high gear. In fact one of the work Prados snapped his 6th gear clean off when a chap more used to an automatic was too slow with the clutch when stopping.

If you do that regularly it might actually be a contributing factor to the problems you seem to have lately.:(

[Naks]

Naks, are you sure that wasn't a typo? If I drive in 6th at anything below about 80km/h it feels as though I'm about to stall. Changing up into 6th is only done at about 100km/h.


Relax guys, I don't normally shift to 6th until I'm doing 100+kmh!

No, I was testing the new gearbox: at various speeds (40kmh, 60kmh, 80kmh, 100kmh), I put the clutch in and shifted between all the gears. Everything is smooth except for 5th-6th below 60kmh. When changing at speed (100-120kmh), there is no grinding, so it's probably due to the low speed.




The box in my Td5 is the same. As well as changing slowly, a momentary pause in neutral before continuing to second should help. Slow and steady.....a sportscar it's not.;)

Weird, in my Td5 I could trash the gear changes and it was super smooth compared to the Puma!

[Blknight.aus]

to put it in perspective...

its a slow change gearbox, dont race it it wont like you for it and you will burn up the second gear syncro rings and that will get exxy fast.

if your used to driving a series box or a loosened up r380 forget trying to shift that fast. you need about 2/3rds the effort on the shifter for about half a second longer to get the box to shift well. It gets better when its warmed up and the higher gears are easier as well. my advise is to learn to read the traffic and avoid needing to downchange lower than second if you can.

[davidgate]

Thanks for all the feedback. Looks like slow and easy is the go - at least I know its normal behaviour.;)

When I first picked it up from the dealer (a Pom - knew his LRs), he said this is how you drive it: Nice and easy in 1st, floor it it 2nd and 3rd.:twisted:

I normally drive from 2000 to 3000 rpm - gear change at 3000, cruise at 2000.

Thanks

Dave G :)

[rick130]

The box in my Td5 is the same. As well as changing slowly, a momentary pause in neutral before continuing to second should help. Slow and steady.....a sportscar it's not.;)

Isn't it funny, I always ripped the 1>2 change through as quick as I could in the R380, particularly dead cold when Syntrans was my fluid of choice as it always went through like a hot knife through butter (no resistance whatsoever) otherwise it could baulk.

Now I use Motul Gear 300 the change 1>2 is a little slower, possibly as the 'box nears 300,000km too, but the 2>3 change is much better as occasionally Syntrans would allow you to beat the synchro's and the 'dogs would crash a little on engagement.
This would happen even more frequently in low range, which doesn't happen at all anymore.

[Gav110]

I've had exactly the same from dealers every time I've complained. Anyone think a good transmission specialist could improve it? Must say though, I'm pretty used to it and with the VNT turbo giving better low down torque than the old TD5 I had before, I'm now less bothered by it. Even when towing a big load and hill starting, am always impressed by how much off boost torque there is - making fast 1-2 changes less critical.

[firsttimedefender]

Hi Dave,

funny you mention this because I'm not sure if I'm imaging things or not. It has always clunked, no big deal to me.
However I had the oil changed in it at 30K, and from then, and only time to time, it has been a bit stiff into 1st more so than 2nd. Actually just today was not one it's better days.
It now has 40K on it and I have also noticed after getting home from a long highway run, it cycles from a nice idle to a reverberating faint chopper sound which appears to be coming from the g box. I'm going to try and record it on the phone, but that doesn't help with a stiff first sync.
Perhaps keep a basic record of when it happens, cold, hot, frequency, and what other bits you like. It may provoke LR to pay a bit more attention to your concerns if you have done a bit.

I live at Oxley, be heading up you way mid March if you want to drive another Defer.

That slight chopper noise you describe sounds similar to mine. I noticed it @30 and 40K and dealer seemed to think normal. However at 50K it turned into a thrust bearing/clutch issue. When you idle with the clutch depressed there was no noise, but idle with clutch up and gearbox in neutral it eventually got louder and louder clattering noise. Keep an eye on it - LR was good they replaced with new clutch kit under warranty so I'm starting fresh at 50K! Re change from 1st to 2nd - mine the same; slow change or even pause the change. Light pressure on the gear lever and she eases in; heavy handed and you get resistance.

[Blknight.aus]

a run in r380 behind the td5 is great for chop changing, get up off the clutch, get it just past normal idling speed in first(say 900 RPM) smack in the clutch and rip it back into second dumpish on the clutch and mash the noisey pedal...

hold that till the torque curve falls off or you hit the speed limit, whichever comes first then up shift as per normal.