V70 G/box: 2WD: autobox rip??

[Kevin_L]

so ok, i have a 54 plate 2005 model petrol V70 2.5 without turbo....and now it seems without a working auto gearbox....

Two days ago all of a sudden it sounded like something had got caught up with a drive shaft - a carrier bag maybe? I was going very slowly down a hill - there was no apparent loss of drive - I selected N and the car rolled with the same noise which then went - carrier bag I thought!!

I drove maybe 30 miles afterwards - the next day (yesterday) I checked the auto box oil all ok and no carrier bags present - car drove perfectly, and as always shifted perfectly

However, in a traffic jam I was just stopped, went to move off and that was it, no drive accompanied by a dreadful whirring noise and when I selected Park the car rolled back!!

Nothing, no drive at all, was pushed into a space and a bit later I re-started, and it selected D seemingly ok, moved 2 feet and 'bang' (not loud) no drive - almost as if the drive shafts had fallen out or the splines on them had stripped (which I thought explained the whirring clicking grating noise which was now there)

I was towed (in N) for one mile, and things changed - loud screeching noise, clicking and Transmission Service Required message.....

When stopped noted there was no Park - it wouldn't lock the box

So....after some texts to a guru I know who pronounced 'terminal' id imagine that is correct

Could be diff crown wheel? And it had never given any problems and has only done 123k miles

Is it new box time? As if I don't know the answer!!!

[ThomasG]

A 2.5 non-turbo? O_O

I'd start with the simplest thing here- check both CV joints. Lift the front, try rotating wheels by hand , observe does the shaft turn as well. Try to hold the shaft (pig plumbing grips?), and turning the wheel. And hope that IT IS CV joint.. With the cost of replacement gearbox, even second hand, its a write-off.

[ThomasG]

I meant "BIG plumbing grips" friggin phone keyboard...

[ThomasG]

On the second thought...
Please someone correct me if my thinking's wrong:

Even if it was only CV, you might have killed box by towing...
With one CV gone, the other wheel would turn the crown in reverse direction even if car was moving forward.
These boxes were not to be towed in reverse, under any circumstances.
That might explain error codes AFTER towing..
Just a thought.. Anyone to confirm?

[BarryCambs]

It doesn't sound good. If the driveshafts are ok, then I'd drain the oil from the box and see what's in it. If it looks like metalic silver paint (as mine did) or there are bits of gearbox in it, then there's no point looking any further.

[Simon Jones]

Generally, if you follow instructions in the manual, you can tow an auto at reduced speed without damage. Of course if there was a mechanical problem with the drivetrain, then continuing to move the vehicle may make things worse.

[Kevin_L]

gold star to ThomasG!!!

When id calmed down (a week later!) I jacked it up and....when in Park the nearside wheel span freely - however the driveshaft was still and the wheel span and the drive shaft rattled in the CVJ like a you know what in a bucket....

The offside was ok - so suspension disassembled accordingly and driveshaft ready to come off - notwithstanding the fact that the gearbox end of the drive shaft was stuck solid so I had to in the end after 3 ft long prybars and hammers etc failed - I split the shaft to remove

upon inspection one of the bearings in the outer CVJ had popped out - and it seems the snap ring holding the CVJ to the shaft had 'given way' or the movement of the CVJ had pulled it down the shaft? The cage holding the bearing wasn't broken or cracked?? And I put the bearing back in and the joint even seemed to feel fine??

Bottom line is a new CVJ fitted and all perfect!! And after a couple of cycles even the Transmission Service Required message went away.....

Not what I was expecting but am I glad!! I think prior experience from 850s on with theses boxes made me jump in at the deep end....though the CV didn't appear to have ever shown any prior signs of failure??

So ThomasG here's your gold star

ps and thanks to Anthony too as always

[ThomasG]

Glad to be of help...
strangely... it will be first time outside of fields of electrics and IT..

Sooo glad to be of help

[Kevin_L]

and it's a lesson in back to basics.....and a proper systematic check - doh!!

I ran off thinking box and loads a money.....

[ThomasG]

Well.. I'm guilty of same... I was running in circles thinking valve rods, maybe even as bad as crank bearings or worse still torque converter..

They should be fitting my new water pump this afternoon.