Transmission swap

[J. Todd Murie]

Got a used five speed from Herman Lee a little while ago and finally got around to installing installing it.  Everything went well with the help of my old man and the manual except for when I took it out for its first test drive.

It seemed to shift excellently and other than a couple small adjustments to the shifter cables it really seemed perfect just going back and forth in the garage.  Once I took it out onto the street I heard a POP!  and as I picked up speed I could heard a grinding noise.

I figured that I had put too much force on the old CV shaft when the old transmission had come out and promptly replaced that.  I also droped the fluid from the transfer case and it was still full and clean.

I am still getting the same grinding noise directly from the area of the transmission...  I have watched the drive shaft to the rear and listened to the wheel bearing while coasting down the street and everything seems fine.  So I guess my question is, is it possible to have a bad transmission that still seems to shift quite well?

[Vlad Busta]

Drain your tranny fluid and look for metal pieces.

Later, Vlad.

[Jason Harwood]

Yes, it is possible. You could have bad bearings or a diff.

Got a used five speed from Herman Lee a little while ago and finally got around to installing installing it.  Everything went well with the help of my old man and the manual except for when I took it out for its first test drive.

It seemed to shift excellently and other than a couple small adjustments to the shifter cables it really seemed perfect just going back and forth in the garage.  Once I took it out onto the street I heard a POP!  and as I picked up speed I could heard a grinding noise.

I figured that I had put too much force on the old CV shaft when the old transmission had come out and promptly replaced that.  I also droped the fluid from the transfer case and it was still full and clean.

I am still getting the same grinding noise directly from the area of the transmission...  I have watched the drive shaft to the rear and listened to the wheel bearing while coasting down the street and everything seems fine.  So I guess my question is, is it possible to have a bad transmission that still seems to shift quite well?

[Brent Hunter]

Yes this happened to my TSI, you push the clutch in, the sound goes away, the sound is also rpm related,
Just wondering if anyone eles had this problem and how long the tranny lasted after it started doing it.
Thiers no metal shavings in my tranny and I change the fluid every month (redline)

[Chad Giffen]

If the noise is going away when you push in the clutch....     your throw out bearing is probably hooped.


Did you replace it with a new one when you swapped the trans?

[Brent Hunter]

No sure it would be throw out bearing related, my throw out bearing is not even a year old. And the sound continues if the car is rolling and the clutch is in (about 40-50k)

[Chad Giffen]

Hi Brent,

The age of the throw out bearing is irrelevant. In most cases when someone swaps a transmission, special care must be taken when handling the throw-out bearing.

ANY dirt or solid debris contamination will roast that bearing even before 20,000km. I have had a throw out bearing look like it was on it's last leg at 40-50,000km when replacing my clutch. All you have to do is spin it and if you hear any solid debris in there, you have to replace it.

For $50...      you should always replace it.

I'd rather have that sound be a throw-out bearing then a gear shaft bearing any day.


Just my 0.02

[Brent Hunter]

Thanks chad, I'll look into it.

[Bryan Hoytema]

had the same noise in my RS while in neutral, id disengage the clutch and nothing , then re-engage and hear this type of grinding noise only in neutral or 1st gear, kinda figured it was the bearings ,but... When my clutch basicly disintegrated  in my trans I had Mopac replace it (not Cheap) and they put in a new throwout bearing as well and it kept having the same noise , but just like chad said "for 50$" Id just replace that part first to see if that solves anything  , just before you spend the money for tranny rebuild lol , and also that noise last till I got rid of the car which was about a year , and still keep tabs on it and I dont think the new owners have rebuilt the tranny yet.