Thread: R380 5th gear

Originally Posted by vnx205

Everything is back together and everything seems good now.

Thanks again for the tips and advice on the forum and the equipment and help Tank provided. I'm sure it is possible to replace a transfer case with one person, but I'm glad I had Tank's help.

For those of you who think the Defender doesn't have much sound proofing, just try driving with nothing at all covering the gearbox.

I drove it to work today without the cover over the gearbox, partly to give me one last chance to check for oil leaks, earths not connected and such things.

I couldn't believe how noisy the Tdi engine was. It was certainly a lot noisier than the petrol engine in the Series III. The gearbox was pretty quiet though.

Just in case someone ever tries to diagnose their gearbox problems by comparing their noises with my description of the sound mine made, I had better add an extra detail.

Now that the bearing has been replaced and everything is quiet, I realise that the bearing started to fail a few months ago.

There was an almost inaudible noise that I could only hear as I came down the driveway and into the carport with my foot off the accelerator in first gear. Any other time other noises drowned it out.

I would describe the noise as the sort of sound I would expect from a shaft flogging around a bit because of a worn bearing.

Well done, there is a huge amount of satisfaction when doing a job like this yourself! (Not to mention hip pocket relief, time = money...)

JC

I guess that sometimes when a component like that layshaft bearing fails it isn't always possible to track down a definite single cause.

However just to put my mind at rest and eliminate one possibility, do people agree that with an oil pump, the R380 gets oil to all the important components more quickly than and older style gearbox that relies entirely on splash lubrication?

My reason for asking is that immediately after leaving my carport I have to back up about 4 or 5 metres up a fairly steep driveway.

If enough people are convinced that it takes more than 10 or 15 seconds to lubricate that bearing I might wait a few seconds more before reversing out of the carport.

I have been idling my defender for 40-60 sec's every morning for the last 11 years and haven't replaced a thing.It is a good practice IMHO. Pat

Originally Posted by vnx205

<snip>

If enough people are convinced that it takes more than 10 or 15 seconds to lubricate that bearing I might wait a few seconds more before reversing out of the carport.

IMO a positive displacement pump like used in the R380 would have the oil to the bearings almost instantly, or at least under several seconds.
IIRC the oil pump is driven off the tail of the layshaft/5th gear, so is the oil pump being driven in neutral ? I don't think it is.....
I have been known to knock the t/case into neutral and run the gearbox in gear for 20 seconds or so on a cold morning before driving off. Call me anal

Also remember there will be a small amount of oil on the bearing surfaces anyway unless the 'box has been sitting for weeks/months, and as the shafts and bearings spin a small hydrodynamic wedge of oil builds up between the surfaces.
This is what supports the shafts and bearings and keeps them apart, positive oil pressure just replenishes that amount that is lost past the edges and pushes the remaining oil out and so stop it from overheating.

I used to run mine with the transfer in neutral as well on cold hunter valley mornings.It was one reason I ran ATF for so long. Pat

Originally Posted by rick130

Call me anal

OK, you're anal. Happy now?

Ian

and I really thought Pat would be the smart arse

Sorry Rick but, really, talk about "leading with the chin"!!!
Ian