Thread: Gearbox rattle and limp-home mode

Would a catastrophic catalytic converter failure have something to do with this? It's the exhaust rattling up near the engine, not the gearbox.

You haven`t got a cracked flex plate have you?

Trev.

Remove the inspection cover on bellhousing and look at the
flex plate triangular shaped thing three bolts on tips look
for fractures or damage all over.
You need to turn engine by hand to get a good look.

Pete

Clearly completely unrelated to your gearbox issues, but I just found a tinny rattle that had plagued us for 18 months. It was the washer on the bolt that holds the gearstick shaft in place onto the stick coming out of the box. Only noticed it as i was test driving with all the centre console removed and could source the rattle direct.

Originally Posted by sanbar

... starts as soon as the ignition goes on, so is obviously something electrical...

Do you hear the sound after you turn the key but before you crank and start the engine, or is it only after it's running?

With ignition on, but before the engine cranks.

Originally Posted by winaje

Do you hear the sound after you turn the key but before you crank and start the engine, or is it only after it's running?

Thanks for the reply. If you hear exactly the same noise with the ignition on both before and after you crank and start, then that noise is not caused by anything motor driven in the driveline such as the flexplate cracking (although it's worth checking that anyway). I'd suggest disconnecting, thoroughly cleaning and reconnecting all the electrical connectors that service the transmission.

The rattly noise, with ign but not running, is possibly the little fan that samples the air temp. On the RHS on the steering column, you'll see a small grille. this wole width panel (about 2-3inches) pulls out. Clean the fan and take it apart and apply a SMALL amount of grease to the blade bush.

The rattle with engine running, is it tinny, like someone tapping the edge of a piece of plate steel? Probably the flex plate, common issue. Unless you can find a known good second hand one locally (and even then for < $100-) get one sent from Ashcrofts. Mine was about $50- incl shipping (was with other stuff as well). New local was over $600- and had to come from UK anyway, which from rover is a week or 2, Ashcrofts 2-3 days door to door.