General Gearbox Buggered

[marktaylor063]

Hi,
I purchased a 2008 fiat bravo 1.4 in march 2012 (which 2 weeks after purchasing, the downpipe from the cat/manifold split which the garage paid for goodwill, even though warranty didnt cover it).

6 months down the line it started to get difficult going into 3rd gear, which the garage i bought from said there was nothing wrong. I have reason to believe they never even looked at it.

Then in about January it started rattling its arse off when driving over 30mph, and only stopped when in neutral or clutch was engaged. The garage said they couldn't hear any problems.

2 weeks ago i had the car in the same dealership for its MOT and to listen to the noise, to which they said couldnt hear the noise STILL. The car had a VHC on it and everything was Green and perfect.

However, the rattle has got worse, and the car is now out of warranty and a different garage has said the gearbox is goosed, and the driveshaft oil seal is leaking, which the underneath of the car is COVERED.

The dealership which i bought from have said the warranty has expired so it will cost me to look at it...

Where do I stand, and where would best place for a gearbox..

Thanks for reading guys + gals

 

[850kd]

Maybe someone on the forum can advise if the Stilo 1.4 (or 1.2) gearbox is the same as the Bravo (1.4). The Stilo parts are far more readily available from breakers. The Bravo six speed gearbox has had some poor reports on part of this forum but, in contrast, the Stilo boxes seem to last forever. (in my case over 160k). I dont have the knowledge to explain this but again someone else on the form may be able to.

 

[marktaylor063]

Brilliant, I really appreciate you getting back to me. The car has only done 57930 miles, so I agree they aren't the best lol !

 

[LeighJet150]

Sorry to hear about your gearbox issues. Mine takes a bit of a pounding but has not had any issues, might have been previous owner abuse.

In getting a replacement, if you have a garage and need a part, usually a breaker on ebay will give you a decent price, there are a fair few bravo's there at the moment.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_t...0&_nkw=Fiat+Bravo+Breaking&_sacat=0&_from=R40

Hope you get it sorted

 

[The yorkshire trucker]

Hi buddy, just reading your post here and it sounds as though you, like many people including myself have the six speed M32 vauxhall gearbox?

They are prone for the bearing failing on them.
If you do buy one from eBay, get it checked out before you have it fit. Depending on where you are in the country I can suggest a couple of places that refurb.
One way to check now, set off in first gear, if your gear lever jumps back 10 to 20 mm's then your bearings are on their way out.
Good luck, I'm just gonna drive mine Til it stops. Can't afford £1200 just yet. Lol

Cheers

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Hi buddy, just reading your post here and it sounds as though you, like many people including myself have the six speed M32 vauxhall gearbox?

They are prone for the bearing failing on them.
If you do buy one from eBay, get it checked out before you have it fit. Depending on where you are in the country I can suggest a couple of places that refurb.
One way to check now, set off in first gear, if your gear lever jumps back 10 to 20 mm's then your bearings are on their way out.
Good luck, I'm just gonna drive mine Til it stops. Can't afford £1200 just yet. Lol

Cheers

You've had a Bravo with the M32 box

Almost sure that's only fitted to GPs etc as they share the Corsa platform.

 

[The yorkshire trucker]

GPs? Now you're confusing me, that's what I was told anyway. The engine in mine is same as corsa vxr and the box in mine is the six speed vauxhall. Sounds like an electric cheese grater when I put my foot down.
So come on then, what's the GPs? Lol

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

GPs? Now you're confusing me, that's what I was told anyway. The engine in mine is same as corsa vxr and the box in mine is the six speed vauxhall. Sounds like an electric cheese grater when I put my foot down.
So come on then, what's the GPs? Lol

GP = Grande Punto (GPs Grande Puntos)

 

[The yorkshire trucker]

Lol, now you see if I'd driven a punto, I would have known that.

Cheers.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

So it was a Stilo you had this gearbox fitted to then? I didn't think they used them in the Stilo, only the GP.

 

[The yorkshire trucker]

Mines the 2009 1.4 tjet 150 bravo

 

[JTD_Liam]

My Dads Vauxhall Vivaro 2.0 CDTI started whining in 4th & 6th a couple of months ago. It's the whole lot now, I think he's just waiting to get some time when he can take it in for repair. Bit tricky with a van you use every week day for work.

I don't know for sure if it has the M32 box but given the power from his CDTI is comparable to the Grande Punto Sporting, which has the M32 box, it could well be.

That would mean a few Bravo's could have it as well, thought i'd have thought the 1.4 16v would have the same box as the Alfa MiTo 1.4 16v, which isn't an M32 but does also have problems. In fact it seems most of the 6 speed boxes in Fiats/Alfa's are either prone to fail or just heavy to use. I'd rather have a 6 speed but if I can get an engine I like without one then I will I think.

 

[JTD_Liam]

Hi,
I purchased a 2008 fiat bravo 1.4 in march 2012

Mines the 2009 1.4 tjet 150 bravo

Re-reading the top post it's not totally clear which 1.4 Bravo the OP has, but if it's the T-JET 150 then i'm pretty certain it is the M32 box because the MiTo TB 155 has it.

If it's just the 1.4 16v then it's another box, but as I said, the box used with that engine in the MiTo has been known to go t*ts up as well.

 

[The yorkshire trucker]

Re-reading the top post it's not totally clear which 1.4 Bravo the OP has, but if it's the T-JET 150 then i'm pretty certain it is the M32 box because the MiTo TB 155 has it.

If it's just the 1.4 16v then it's another box, but as I said, the box used with that engine in the MiTo has been known to go t*ts up as well.

Hi Liam, thanks for your input bud, I've spoke to 3 independent gearbox specialists now, mention the car and they all say the same, M32. Mine grinds in every gear now, no loss of power at all, in fact I've just last week had my original mapping put back to 150, it was up at 180 so I thought I'd better take a little stress back off the gears. It'll do Til it goes.
Tc

 

[JTD_Liam]

Hi Liam, thanks for your input bud, I've spoke to 3 independent gearbox specialists now, mention the car and they all say the same, M32. Mine grinds in every gear now, no loss of power at all, in fact I've just last week had my original mapping put back to 150, it was up at 180 so I thought I'd better take a little stress back off the gears. It'll do Til it goes.
Tc

No worries Yeah as soon as you said T-Jet 150 I thought of the TB 155 in the MiTo. It's the other guy I wasn't sure about coz another of the 1.4's in the Bravo could be iffy with its gearboxes. I think it's only the T-Jet 120 that will be fine - it's fitted with a good gearbox in the MiTo.

I'd imagine the remap has caused it to go earlier, as it's not something that's come up a lot on here about the Bravo. Basically Fiat/Alfa have picked gearboxes that are too close to their limits for some of the engines, though judging by the amount of cars Ive heard driving along with gearboxes whining (Peugeots, Renaults, Vauxhalls, Fords) Fiat aren't alone.

On the MiTo the engine's running 155 bhp at they seem to have failed a lot earlier than in the Bravo so i'm guessing if 155bhp is a struggle, at 180hp it was just under too much stress. Makes me even more reluctant to sell the Stilo with all these chocolate gearboxes floating about in new cars

 

[The yorkshire trucker]

For the sake of £25, when I do eventually get the box sorted, I will be going back to quantum tuning and getting it put back up. Massive difference. Plod along at 50 mph, put your foot down and away it went.

It's only £25 because I've already paid for the remap by the way. Lol, it cost £285 from first time.

I am reliably informed that the new gearbox bearings, released in 2012 are now more than capable of doing their job right.

Be good.

 

[T14086]

The car had a VHC on it and everything was Green and perfect.

Visual health check, means nothing i'm afraid and certainly does not cover gearbox operating (it drives) did you take out a aftermarket warranty?

 

[thumper644]

Well, my 120T is having a new gearbox fitted as we speak! The box was getting a bit notchy going down from 5th to 4th, and then it stayed in 4th never to come out again!! Thank god it was covered on the waranty.

The thing that really pi**es me off is the dealer jumped straight to the conclusion that the clutch had gone. I had to show them that the gear lever was jammed in 4th, and even then they pulled and pushed with all their might (with no luck)
Of course they are going to get me in the end, they have now said that the clutch and flywheel are shot anyway. So a waranty job will still cost me a small fortune!!! Its a good job I don't have to pay for the box.

In conclusion, I have six months of waranty left, how much more will it cost me???

 

[850kd]

We had a new clutch on our stilo without any quibble when the car was 1 year and 362 days old. I should hang out for the clutch as well. (I'm assuming this is a fiat warranty?)

 

[Bravo 2 Ireland]

A gearbox can go on any car at any time. My wife's Mini (BMW) went at 40,000 miles.
I've never had any problems with any gearbox in any of my Fiat or
Alfa's (two Uno's, three Punto's, Bravo 1, Bravo 2 and a 156).
The secret - don't rush any gearbox and change the gearbox oil at every other service.