Technical Clunky Gearbox

[Dave Henry]

Hi All

My Y10 is readying itself for a 400 mile round tip this weekend. I have done about 60 miles in it since getting its MOT on Friday to try and iron out any last minute problems.

The gearbox is causing me a little concern as there is quite a whine from it especially when cold. Topped it up this morning with some Castrol Syntrax which has helped a bit but still not the smoothest.

It is a 5 speed unit with about 100,000 miles which isn't great I know.

This might be perfectly normal for a panda gearbox but thought I should ask those in the know. Any advice?

Thanks

Dave

 

[VmanC]

Having my old Fizz back this week reminded me of this problem. The gearbox in it was noisy, like yours, when I bought it nearly four years ago.
I sold it two years ago in the same state, and explained to the new owner that it may need a recon gearbox at some point. Driving it this week I find that it's still on the same gearbox, a little noisier than I remember, with a weaker 3rd gear syncro but still soldiering on.
Only cure really Dave is a recon, or at least new bearings, but as you can see from the previous paragraph it's probably not urgent .

 

[Dave Henry]

Thanks Vernon

3rd does appear to be the weak one in this gearbox too.

If I go for a recon unit, what options are there in terms of ratios and final drive? Higher top speed or faster acceleration?

Thanks

Dave

 

[firstcar-Y10]

still using my Y10 gearbox. The Y10 had around 150000 miles on when it was scrapped and the box was pulled out. now done over 100000 miles in Grumbleweed. Still noisy, 3rd a bit graunchy at times, but still going.
so no hurry

 

[Dave Henry]

The Y10 had around 150000 miles on when it was scrapped

never like seeing the work scrapped and Y10 in the same sentence.

Good to hear that the gearboxes can last, as long as you keep oil in them. I think that was the main issue with my first gearbox :bang:

Thanks

Dave

 

[panda1408]

My gearbox is abit notchy, but only on first and second, third, fourth and fifth are all ok. Second does crunch sometimes aswell and it does grumble abit in neutral. It seems to be worse when changing down rather than up. My car has only done 22K. I've put in Millers Classic 90 oil (which is the same as ZC90) but it seems to be worse, had 75w90 GL4 in before.

I think the last owner of mine drove it with a split driveshaft boot for a little while and used automatic transmission fluid to keep it topped up, so that probably wont have helped.

 

[firstcar-Y10]

never like seeing the work scrapped and Y10 in the same sentence.

Good to hear that the gearboxes can last, as long as you keep oil in them. I think that was the main issue with my first gearbox :bang:

Thanks

Dave

I say it was scrapped, to be fair, most of it had already dissolved and been replaced with fibreglass and hammerite by that stage real lightweight by then though

 

[Dave Henry]

If I go for a recon unit, what options are there in terms of ratios and final drive? Higher top speed or faster acceleration?

Thanks

Dave

Any options spring to anyone's mind?

Thanks

Dave

 

[VmanC]

Any options spring to anyone's mind?

Thanks

Dave

If you've got a Punto 75 engine I'd go for high top speed. The extra power and torque will still give you good acceleration, but you'll also have a more relaxed cruising speed too.
I don't know which gearbox has the tallest gearing, the one in my CLX seems about right, so I'll be keeping it when I fit my engine. Would like to know which option provides the tallest though.

 

[firstcar-Y10]

purely anecdotal I'm afraid but iirc part of the reason father in law kept the Y10 gearbox for the Panda was because it had a slightly higher top gear...

 

[usedtohaveavaldisere]

I have just been busy changing the gearbox oil on my sisley. Went for redline mt90 and included some molyslip gear additive. Have in all my panda 4x4's gearboxes, its absolutely stunning the difference. Was a bit concerned when i first bought my sisley to be honest, but now the gear change is so smooth its like another car. Same with my french 4x4 valdisere, she was a bit younger being a 1994 but the gearbox oil had never been changed, and some new oil and a great german gear additive i bought in france made the world of difference. Normally i don't recommend additives as a decent oil should cover all the bases but with the panda gearboxes it makes so much difference.

Damien.

 

[lewey]

If I go for a recon unit, what options are there in terms of ratios and final drive? Higher top speed or faster acceleration?

You are already running a large wheel / tyre combination, so standard Y10 ratios could be fine. Don't look to go shorter though. It will just annoy you 99% of the time and with the great torque of your chosen engine, you will span speed in each gear rapidly enough. You will probably just want as tall as you can go.

I've been looking into ratios of diffs on ePer for you out of curiosity having owned most of the vehicles that the gearbox spans.

Final ratios:
Y10 FIRE upto 1992- 3.73:1
Y10 GTie upto 1992- 3.87:1
Panda with 999/1108cc 4 speed- 3.73:1
Panda with 999/1108cc 5 speed- 3.87:1
Panda with 750/903cc 4 speed- 4.23:1
Panda with 750/903cc 4 speed- 4.23:1
Panda with 903cc carb only 4 speed- 4.07:1

So Y10s actually had a shorter final drive than Panda 5 speeds. Obviously it doesn't say the whole story because of actual individual gear ratios vary a fair bit, but in Y10s of this period the fifth is the same as Pandas.

 

[Harllequin]

Has anyone had experiance of having their gearbox reconed?

I'd like to get Bex's done some time in the future, but would rather send it to someone that knows what they are doing.

I'm fine with engine stuff but the black art of the gearbox is not a thing I like to do myself.

So anyone got any good contacts or recomendation of who to use to recon yer box

 

[lewey]

Final ratios:
Y10 FIRE upto 1992- 3.73:1
Y10 GTie upto 1992- 3.87:1
Panda with 999/1108cc 4 speed- 3.73:1
Panda with 999/1108cc 5 speed- 3.87:1
Panda with 750/903cc 4 speed- 4.23:1
Panda with 750/903cc 4 speed- 4.23:1
Panda with 903cc carb only 4 speed- 4.07:1

So Y10s actually had a shorter final drive than Panda 5 speeds. Obviously it doesn't say the whole story because of actual individual gear ratios vary a fair bit, but in Y10s of this period the fifth is the same as Pandas.

SO actually, the Y10 does have a longer final drive than all but the 4 speed 999/1108cc Pandas! Muppet that I am. Also the second 750/903cc line was supposed to read "5 speed", but they all had the same ratio as shown.

@Harllequin: I don't know anyone specifically who is good, but I do know that it will cost you dear for a full recon. A compromise of a better second hand box might be a more affordable solution of course.

 

[Dave Henry]

Thanks All

The 500 miles I have now done in the Y10 since getting it MOT'd have certainly helped with some of the noises from the gearbox but there is one that appear to be getting worse.

When it is cold and I pull away all is ok but as i get to 2,500 rpm there is a high pitched squeeling noise that stays until I change gear and the same happens again in the next cog. After 5 minutes when things have warmed up it goes away.

Not the best description I know but anyone got any idea what it can be? And it is likely to signal the gearbox is coming to the end of its life?

Thanks

Dave

 

[lewey]

Not the clutch release bearing?

 

[Dave Henry]

I thought it might be but I have never heard one make that sound. Unfortunately I didn't replace it when I had the chance :doh:

Thanks

Dave