The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Some of you may remember the photo I posted just before Christmas with the picture of my sprints gbox mag plug. It looked very festive, almost like a christmas tree, and the advice was to stick it back in, refill the oil, and see how it went.

Fast forward three weeks, 2000 miles and here we are (will post more phtos later). The whining got even more severe, it became hard to engage gears (particularly third and second), and when coming off power, an awful shuddering appeared. Car is now basically undriveable. Pulled the mag plug again and another christmas tree has appeared, shards of metal even in the oil.

So it looks like I am needing a new gearbox. Anyone happen to have one? I am working in Reading at the moment, but am travelling to Yorkshire every weekend, so I can probably pick it up from anywhere between London, Birmingham and Newcastle. Cash waiting of course.

p155 right off, because apart from this, the car has been performing faultlessly, coping well with the M25 rush hour and the twice-weekly wacky racers up and down the M1.

I have one, though I might look at your clutch first. Can you do clutchless changes with the revs OK? What is gearchange like when engine not running?

If the gearbox was causing the shudder it would have to be something like the layshaft wallowing around in which case there'd be much noise...

And to think we said to Richie, Drain and Refill, any undue transmission noise can be eliminated by fine adjustment of the fitted radio volume control.

Mechanical noises rarely fix themselves, we should know better chaps.

richie have sent you my number in a pm

As promised, here are some pictures:

This was the plug when I dropped the oil, week before christmas



So I cleaned the probe up, refitted and put fresh oil in.



This is after a further 1800 miles....not good.

and with a quick swish around with my magnetic stick in the oil....that came up covered too.



I think the word is FUBAR...

Some of those bits stuck to the magnet look important

OK, optimism declines a little!

Does the overdrive still work? If so the magnet and filter are doing their job!

Looking at it again those bits look suspiciously like rollers from bearings. Maybe one is breaking up somewhere!

Aye, the overdrive still works. In neutral, out of gear, the thrust bearing does sound noisy, but I'm not sure if thats only because I am listening for it now. I've spoken to Tony, and am gonna have that gearbox off him at the Triumph spares day.

My dad has loaned me his Merc 420SE to run around in until I get the Dolly fixed, so at least I have a classic to run about in. I'm not sure if I feel like Adolf Hitler or the Ayatolla in it though. Nice V8 sound anyway

You have some significant bits of gearbox bearings or teeth on that magnetic plug.

Its time to strip and rebuild it or replace it.

Jonners

So did he beat me on price alone or distance?

xvivalve wrote:So did he beat me on price alone or distance?

Well, in fairness I had already asked him before you offered.

Unless you also offer a fitting service?

ritchie if alun,s is closer or cheaper then i have no problem with you going 4 his 1 its no problem mate.

No no, first come first served; never rub another man's rhubarb and all that...

...anyway, I doubt I'd be cheaper!