Thread: 230 gear noise diagnosis

check the oil in the Tcase first.

your test method is valid.

Cheers Dave.
Oil level is fine.

now check it for swarf..

if youve got a clean enough bucket and a good oil pump you can reuse it if its good.

Why not put it up on a hoist and run it up while someone listens to each component.
You will soon find whether it is the transfer or diff.

Regards Philip A

Ok, drove without tailshaft....very slightly less noisy, most likely due to driving just the front wheels and the differential locked out but, still too noisy. Will look at oil now.
The workshop tested it by listening with a stethoscope and he reckons the rear diff was howling it's head of....obviously not!
Now I'll put the rear back on and disconnect the front one.

I gather he put it on the hoist and then listened?
If so this is a pretty good indication.
A collapsed carrier bearing would probably make a noise regardless of whether the driveshaft is off as the axles are still turning.
Maybe you could pull the axles and do the test again, after covering the holes.
Regards Philip A

Yes he put it on a hoist to do it.
I couldn't hear the diff over the noise of the transfer box, shaft out or not. You can hear quite clearly that the noise is coming from the centre of the car, even with the windows up.

gotta be careful with noises in landies they tend to move about abit....

if your going to drop the oil, remove the inspection plate and check the gears on the diff part for slop and movement.. IF the Tcase is noisy its typically going to be there OR the idler gearset in the center of the case.