OK 2 months ago my cylinder head had a spark plug that jumped out and stripped the head. After so work and sending the head out to be repaired I got the engine back together and drove the puppy to the body shop to have the bonnet and door painter (Chips and scratched) and at the same time to paint my inside plastics the same color (Chili Red) to match the exterior.

On my way I heard a notice like a puttering or gear noise from under the bonnet. I thought it was just a gasket leak from the exhaust system or maybe an intake leak after the entire engine was all apart. It only makes this sound when in gear and under torque going up hill and at high speeds it sounds more like a high pitch whine. So I go to the dealer and the techs seem a little puzzled and then they tell me that my gearbox is where the noise is coming from.

Before my plug pop and my long repair my gearbox never made a peep.

So when I came home I tested a theory, I started the car and went down hill in gear hearing the noise I stopped the engine while holding the clutch in a bit and sure enough I hear the noise even louder now.

Could it be that I have a bad clutch? Or am I doomed with the purchase of a refurbished gearbox.

Any ideas are highly appreciated.
Lou[FONT=Arial][/FONT]

 

Hey Lou,

I think I've got a similar thing. Shortly after break-in--say at about 1500 miles--I started hearing a whistle or ringing type noise at 2800 - 3300 rpm. At first I thought it sounded like the ringing of an old telephone (the sound they used to have back when they had actual bells for ringers). After analyzing it more, though, it now sounds more like a whistling. It's much higher-pitched and quieter than the supercharger whine.

At first I thought it might be a pressure leak, but it only happens in gear and under load. If I sit with the cluch disengaged and rev the motor up the noise never appears. That seems to point to the clutch or transmission to me.

Now this is on top of the fact that I have sporadic troubles getting the car into first gear. That's something I plan to have addressed, but since mine is so new (July 2006), I figured I'd put a few more miles on it and see if things with the shifting improve, or if I can at least replicate the issue with any regularity before I take it in.

The whistling noise is a constant though. I hear it now every time I'm in the right rev range and in every gear. It's less pronounced at lighter throttle, but still there.

Is this the same thing you're hearing?

-James

 

I get a whine at high speeds and more of a puttering sound on lower speeds. I am going to try the cheaper route and toss in a new clutch since I am at 85k miles and hope that my gearbox is in not the issue. I was shocked at the prices the dealer gave me for a gearbox replacement with a clutch, 3G's is a heavy price to put on a 2002.

Lou