Technical M32 Gearbox Bearing

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Technical M32 Gearbox Bearing

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Hi,

Now I know there are lots of threads on this topic but I couldn't find what I was looking for.

I know my lower shaft main bearing has decided it has had enough and been whining for a while now, as well as a very sloppy gear stick. As annoying as this was I was ignoring it for a while, but now I have to do a 180 mile round trip to work every day it has become something of an urgency to fix.

Now from all of the Vauxhall threads I have read I have gone ahead and ordered and received the bearing. Looking at the bearing in the packet is has a film of oil covering it, essentially my question is, is it worthwhile pre-greasing the bearing like you would with a wheel bearing? Or should I just pre-oil it with gearbox oil and put it all together?

Also, has anyone had any experience of doing this? I have read it is possible to do this whilst the gear bag is in situ on the Astra without removing the subframe and dropping the 'box. However, the Punto has a lot tighter engine bay, is it possible to remove the gearbox end cap and replace the bearing with it in place, or am I going have to drop everything off the car?

Thanks in advance

Adam
 
I know that when mine was done I went and saw it at the garage sitting outside waiting for a part. The gearbox was removed and the right side of the engine held up with rope.

The delay on getting mine fixed was that it needed a specialist tool for the baarings to get them back in, the garage had to borrow this tool from a gearbox specialist in Derby.
 
I think you may find the one bearing won't cure.

Mine needed bearings on 5th and 6th, main shaft, and both diff bearings.

Fiat main dealer didn't even have special tools, they just swappedy box , first time for recon, 2nd time for a new one as recon lasted less than 6months
 
I can confirm replacing the lower main shaft bearing has cured the whine and upon inspection is the only bearing with severe wear as described from all the Vauxhall threads. The gearbox is now very quite but 3rd and 4th still vibrate slightly when your hand is on the gearstick, which is fine for now until I can be bothered to do the other bearings. The gearbox no longer throws the gearstick backwards when you lift the clutch up in first gear and the slack has been taken out of the throw of the gearstick. Bit of a 'mare of a job but you only have to take the battery and battery tray out, gearbox mount off and then release all the nuts securing the gearbox end cap to the bell housing. Dropping the engine slightly makes access a lot easier.

Remove the circlip from the bearing and using a puller, pull 6th gear out a good 10 mill which in turn forces the bearing towards the end of the shaft. Then slide the 6th gear back to its original position and use the puller on the bearing itself. (This did require a bit of heat to get it to come off)

Push the new bearing on with the puller (used in reverse) refit the circlip. refit and fill with gearbox oil.

Job Done.

Just make sure 6th is on its synchro properly.

£47 repair v £1000 recon box :)
 
If it is in the first four gears I would suspect the diff bearings or input shaft bearing. The most common to go is the lower shaft main bearing, like mine. It is the smallest main bearing in the 'box and carries 1st 2nd and 6th, (possibly 5th too but I can't remember off the top of my head) and hence gets a lot of use. Stupid design :/ some Vauxhall boys have even gone to the length of putting a gearbox cooler next to the intercooler :/
 
Awesome. I thought mine was a gonner too. But I have no symptoms EXCEPT a whurring noise in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and a little bit in 4th. It's not a whine.

I'm confused and so is the Evans Halshaw that sold me it lol.

I have the exact same symptoms, took it back to fiat and they couldn't tell me what it was!
 
I took it to a private independent fiat specialist and he said he's 90% sure it was diff bearings, due to it being a wurring rather than a whine.

I guess I'll just book it in again and try and be persistent to get a fix with the 8months left I have of my warranty :eek:. Hopefully a recon box I don't see them doing the work themselves unless they have a Evans Halshaw vauxhall near by lol.

And would a gearbox oil cooler really help with the longevity of the gearbox? :eek:
 
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Due to the very small bearing used on the most used shaft in the box, in theory it would help reduce built up heat and protect the bearing. Although the old bearing is always pitted and very worn which I would suggest is due to the design of the box not the heat induced. Vauxhall boxes are always notchy and this is no exception. I added some molyslip and it feels a lot smoother. Although i was being very gentle with the gear stick :)
 
I took it to a private independent fiat specialist and he said he's 90% sure it was diff bearings, due to it being a wurring rather than a whine.

I guess I'll just book it in again and try and be persistent to get a fix with the 8months left I have of my warranty :eek:. Hopefully a recon box I don't see them doing the work themselves unless they have a Evans Halshaw vauxhall near by lol.

And would a gearbox oil cooler really help with the longevity of the gearbox? :eek:

Hope you paid the deposit for the car on your Credit card ;) :D
 
Just a thought for those of us who are fortunate enough not to have any symptoms or drive with the radio too loud, would it be worth adding some of this monoslip stuff
if so how is it done and could it cause damage
Thanks
 
After reading thread after thread about sporting gearbox issues so glad I parted company with mine. Although have to say after over 30k miles,even after a remap the clutch and gearbox were faultless... Maybe it's the "component" connecting the steering wheel to the pedals that causes the problems.
:)
 
After reading thread after thread about sporting gearbox issues so glad I parted company with mine. Although have to say after over 30k miles,even after a remap the clutch and gearbox were faultless... Maybe it's the "component" connecting the steering wheel to the pedals that causes the problems.
:)

It most certainly is not! Mine is on 80,000 miles and has been whining for about 10k of that. It is a severe and well documented design fault.

Molyslop will not damage your box, just open the plug at the top and pour it in, would be worth doing an oil change at the same time though. Do some research on oils. I was going to go for redline performance oil but at 22quid a quart I went for a cheaper alternative as i am selling up anyway.
 
Had a look under the bonnet, can't see an obvious filler cap, is it similar to the guide a hex nut thingy? is there any chance of a description .. please ..
 
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