transmission judder getting real bad

[redben101]

Hi

I drove upto Billing Show on saturday in my 90 2.5turbo and it drove up there happily with no problems or noises. When it came to coming home when i pulled away and the engine start revving the whole transmission juddered and this kept coming and going but when i accelerated hard it would disppear for abit. I ended up creeping home in 3rd gr with as little revs as possible to limit the vibrating. When it came to slowing and i tried just coasting out of gear it vibrated just as much, possibly more.

From looking underneath it there is alot of play in the front propshaft ( about 1/4 of a turn) and there also seems to be a fair covering of oil around the transfer box plate and drain bolt on the bottom.

Would this be solved with new seals on the transfer box and a fill with new oil or is it that my transfer box is finally giving up on me?

P.S truck has only done 110 000 miles

Any thoughts on this would be much appreciated?

Cheers

Ben

[BogMonster]

Check to make sure the handbrake drum isn't binding. More often than not the handbrake drum isn't perfectly round, and if it is binding a little bit then you get a horrible judder right through the transmission.

[simonb]

Check all 4 propshaft UJs are ok and not seized, you may have to drop 1 end of ech shaft to check. Check also sliding joints are free. Also check all propshaft flange bolts are tight.

Check transfer oil level, and check diff lock is disengaged. Do this by leaving 1 axle on ground, jack 1 wheel on other axle off ground. You should be able to rotate the jacked wheel by hand (transfer in gear, main in neutral). If you jack a rear wheel, take handbrake off to do the test. If you cant rotate wheel diff lock is in or u have a diff problem on the jacked axle.

Jetwash/degrease underside of gearbox to clean crud off. When its cleanish, you will be able to see which seal is leaking by checking again after a drive.

[redben101]

Check to make sure the handbrake drum isn't binding. More often than not the handbrake drum isn't perfectly round, and if it is binding a little bit then you get a horrible judder right through the transmission.

Sounds really basic but when you mean binding? is that when the drum turns but on every turn it catchs and thats why it is more apparent at certain rev ranges?

[redben101]

Check to make sure the handbrake drum isn't binding. More often than not the handbrake drum isn't perfectly round, and if it is binding a little bit then you get a horrible judder right through the transmission.

Sounds really basic but when you mean binding? is that when the drum turns but on every turn it catchs and thats why it is more apparent at certain rev ranges?

[BogMonster]

Yes, what I mean is that due to a sticky cable or expander it doesn't release completely. On each revolution of the drum, the shoes catch on the "high point" on the drum (if it is one where the drum is not completely round) and causes a "snatch" effect through the transmission, which is most unpleasant!

It may well not be that, but its not an uncommon fault.

[white90]

more likley a propshaft/UJ problem than a transfer box issue.

and worry not as they all leak. doesn't sound like a transfer box to me personally.

if you can't do it yourself I can recommenda superb bloke in Taunton that will sort it at reasonable rates and no rip offs.

[Orgasmic Farmer]

Sounds very much like a prop UJ to me.. Very rarely vibrate under load but only at certain speeds or on over-run. Park the car on a flat surface, chock the wheels and, very important, make sure it is in neutral and the handbrake is off. Then lie underneath and give the shafts a wiggle, any play should be immediately obvious. If there appears to be no play, jack one wheel on an axles and try to ratate the prop (spin wheel) and see if it feels OK. Liike White90 said, transfer boxes all leak and they are pretty reliable. Would be very surprised if that was the problem. Remember UJs are consumables like tyres and exhausts.