Technical Whirring noise in all gears, diff faults?

[steveeub]

Hi all. I have a 2008 bravo T jet 150 sport with the dreaded M32 gearbox fitted.

Over the last month or two I have noticed a whirring noise developing, only faint and in all gears, car even does it if coasting in neutral.

Its defiantly not a wheel bearing nor is it on the brakes, I'm convinced either the diff or driveshft centre bearing is becoming noisy.

Any known faults on either or can anyone offer any other suggestions please?

I called my local gearbox specialist Gear Torque in Bolton lancs but they told me "its Fiats mate, they are ****. There is nothing good about them, it will cost you £1,100 for a recon box plus fitting, I would not bother, the car is not worth it"

Please convince me otherwise!!


Steve

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Hi all. I have a 2008 bravo T jet 150 sport with the dreaded M32 gearbox fitted.
Over the last month or two I have noticed a whirring noise developing, only faint and in all gears, car even does it if coasting in neutral.
Its defiantly not a wheel bearing nor is it on the brakes, I'm convinced either the diff or driveshft centre bearing is becoming noisy.
Any known faults on either or can anyone offer any other suggestions please?
I called my local gearbox specialist Gear Torque in Bolton lancs but they told me "its Fiats mate, they are ****. There is nothing good about them, it will cost you £1,100 for a recon box plus fitting, I would not bother, the car is not worth it"
Please convince me otherwise!!


Steve

He sounds like a moron, it's a Vauxhall gearbox for starters, I'd shop about. Just recently someone on here posted there are M32 gearbox repair kits, about £250 all in iirc.

 

[steveeub]

Cheers, not totally convinced its the box at fault but yes, suspect he is a moron, certainly not the way to get me to spend £1,100 plus with him!!


I would not have touched one of these cars if I had have known its fitted with a Vauxhall gearbox, at risk of sounding like my gearbox specialist but its my opinion Vauxhall is a poor product!

 

[steveeub]

Had it confirmed today it is the gearbox at fault, disappointing to say the least with only 33,000 carefully driven miles on it.
I know its a Vauxhall unit but Fiat have seen the last of my money, its going for a Focus ST, I'd rather take a hit on it at this stage than get any deeper in

 

[T14086]

Drain gearbox oil and get the correct oil from dealership I have cured numerous bravos with gearbox noises in this way. An additive like slick 50 or similar (molyslip I think I have used) helps as well. Certainly worth a go before taking box out.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

its going for a Focus ST

They're not without their faults though, make had the common bonnet release issue, and HID unit failure also on his ST3 Focus

 

[neilshep]

had the common bonnet release issue,

My neighbour drained the engine oil from his Fiesta, put the bonnet down while he went and had his lunch, leaving the oil to drain. When he came back to finish the job........................:devil:

 

[steveeub]

I hear what you are saying but in the last couple of months its had both rear coil springs break, the handbrake calipers fail, and the fuse box replaced as it kept braking down due to a loss of power supply to the fuel pump relay.
I'm fed up with it constantly being off the road with one thing and another and have got to the stage where I have lost confidence in it and Fiat as a product.

We also have a 2012 Panda that has been nothing but trouble, head gasket failure at 10,000 miles!!!!!!

Going to have a think about it over the next few days but feel I'm already stuck in the trap of "this bill will be the last........................"

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I hear what you are saying but in the last couple of months its had both rear coil springs break, the handbrake calipers fail, and the fuse box replaced as it kept braking down due to a loss of power supply to the fuel pump relay.
I'm fed up with it constantly being off the road with one thing and another and have got to the stage where I have lost confidence in it and Fiat as a product.

We also have a 2012 Panda that has been nothing but trouble, head gasket failure at 10,000 miles!!!!!!

Going to have a think about it over the next few days but feel I'm already stuck in the trap of "this bill will be the last........................"

Seems unfortunately you've ended up with 2 sheds, but can see why you feel that way.

 

[T14086]

I hear what you are saying but in the last couple of months its had both rear coil springs break, the handbrake calipers fail, and the fuse box replaced as it kept braking down due to a loss of power supply to the fuel pump relay.
I'm fed up with it constantly being off the road with one thing and another and have got to the stage where I have lost confidence in it and Fiat as a product.

We also have a 2012 Panda that has been nothing but trouble, head gasket failure at 10,000 miles!!!!!!

Going to have a think about it over the next few days but feel I'm already stuck in the trap of "this bill will be the last........................"

Rear springs are unusual, fusebox is normally due to water from rear washer jet spraying over it (there is a join next to the fusebox) , rear callipers.....well Ford are probably the expert at seizing rear callipers anyway it sounds as if you have made up your mind and the fact is the product is not as good as a lot of the competition. IT is your money and your decision but I would think long and hard about what you want and what you can afford to run. No offence but if you cant afford to run a bravo a ST is unlikely to save you money.

 

[steveeub]

No offence taken but nowhere have I said I cannot afford to run my Bravo, my beef is with the off the road time the car has recently suffered from.


Anyway looks like it might be time for a rethink as I've touted the car around today and the best price I've been offered (gearbox fault not declared) is £3,500 against a new Focus ST, one dealer refused point blank to take it at any price! The car is a FSH 2008 T Jet 150 Sport with 33,000 miles on the clock and even if I do say so myself its mint in its rather fetching grey metallic.


I have found another gearbox specialist (Lancashire transmissions of Bolton) who has driven the car this afternoon. He reckons I've caught it in plenty of time as the noise is only very slight and the likelihood is just the pinion bearings will need changing, if I take the box out he will do the job for £350 plus Vat. He did tell me he thinks the M32 box is marvellous as its his main earner at the moment.


I'm now thinking of having it done and then sell the car privately (most people would not hear the noise its that faint but I could not bare the thought of stitching a private Joe up with a dud). Hopefully I should get a better price for it and get a better discount for no P/X.

 

[F123C]

I'm now thinking of having it done and then sell the car privately (most people would not hear the noise its that faint but I could not bare the thought of stitching a private Joe up with a dud). Hopefully I should get a better price for it and get a better discount for no P/X.

Glad to hear there's still some decent thinking people still around !!
Hope it all works out well for you,

Al.

 

[T14086]

No offence taken but nowhere have I said I cannot afford to run my Bravo, my beef is with the off the road time the car has recently suffered from.


Anyway looks like it might be time for a rethink as I've touted the car around today and the best price I've been offered (gearbox fault not declared) is £3,500 against a new Focus ST, one dealer refused point blank to take it at any price! The car is a FSH 2008 T Jet 150 Sport with 33,000 miles on the clock and even if I do say so myself its mint in its rather fetching grey metallic.


I have found another gearbox specialist (Lancashire transmissions of Bolton) who has driven the car this afternoon. He reckons I've caught it in plenty of time as the noise is only very slight and the likelihood is just the pinion bearings will need changing, if I take the box out he will do the job for £350 plus Vat. He did tell me he thinks the M32 box is marvellous as its his main earner at the moment.


I'm now thinking of having it done and then sell the car privately (most people would not hear the noise its that faint but I could not bare the thought of stitching a private Joe up with a dud). Hopefully I should get a better price for it and get a better discount for no P/X.

Yes sorry my error, I mean your frustration with the car. To be honest the bravo isn't a poor car but why did they use so many stilo parts on it...why do Fiat use parts that are not the best on new models as it will only be a year or two down the line before the issues resurface all over again. If Fiat was a person and they had a gun they would shoot themselves in the foot.....5 times!

As F123C says above, it's very decent of you repairing the car before resale...why not advertise it in the forum classifieds

 

[steveeub]

I think I will put it in the classifieds here, also going to do the cambelt while its of the road. Do you reckon five grand is a fair price for it?

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I think I will put it in the classifieds here, also going to do the cambelt while its of the road. Do you reckon five grand is a fair price for it?

About £1500 over priced at £5k unfortunately

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/prices/used/fiat/bravo/hatchback-2007/37743/?yearplate=87

Might be able to hold out for more if the belts have just been done etc and use it as a selling point.

 

[steveeub]

I think I will try it at £4,995 and see how it goes on, after all I can always come down but won't be able to go up!! lol

To be honest I was offered 3.5k as a P/X,that is bang on caps trade in price with 33,000 miles on.

If its looking like its worth less than 4k then I think we will hang on to it for another year or so, it had better start behaving though!!

I have been involved with Fiat since 1986 when I started my apprenticeship with a Fiat main agent and served my time with them, in those days a drove a 127 Sport (black with orange stripes) and there has always been a fiat in the family somewhere, a shame after all these years they have still not got their act together

 

[get]

Is it possible to read any error code according to transsmision/gearbox faults?

 

[steveeub]

The only sensor in the box is the vehicle speed sensor so this fault would not trigger a fault code unless the internal wear gets so bad it starts to effect the performance of the VSS.
Box is now out of the car and away at Lancashire transmissions for repair.

 

[steveeub]