Emergency Advice Needed! Stranded in Dromana with VX Gen 3 with gearbox issue.

[ruredi]

G'day guys, how are we all?

It's been a while since I've been on here.

I have a 2002 VX II Berlina Station Wagon 5.7 GenIII AUTO. It has 158,000kms on the clock. I purchased this car about a year ago from the original owner who owned it from factory. This man was an older mature owner who serviced the car meticulously and maintained it well. It is still till this day the cleanest I've come across. I bought it at about 125,000. The car has never towed. The car has never been abused and since i have owned it, I have never done any burnouts or anything similar. When I purchased it and because I'm ridiculously fussy, I had the car completely gone over pretty much servicing every possible serviceable item including the gearbox. I have never had an issue with this car and my partner and I have throughly enjoyed it this far.

I live in Melton West and at the moment the better half and I are holidaying for our 4 year anniversary in Dromana. I chucked a u-turn on the Nepean and gave the car a quick squirt to match speed of oncoming traffic. As the car went for second, it jolted heavily and I heard a grinding noise. I
Stopped the car and in N and P can hear a winding type sound which disappears once the car is actually in a selected gear. I took off again and noticed that the car will not change into the next gear until it reaches 3,000rpm. The car has no reverse at all! When I switch the car off the winding noise can be heard for a few seconds as if something is still spinning until it slows and stops.

Pushing a V8 wagon out of your car space directly out front of the resturant you just ate at on the main strip in Dromana = NOT FUN!

We have hired a Nissan Micra (ewww)...for the remaining two days. We are going back to Melton on Thursday morning.

Just wondering what you guys think this might be? Please don't tell me it's a blown box!! Could it be the vacum module or torque convertor?

Help and advice is much appreciated in this "Emergency" type situation. I'm 128km from home, would like to know if the car is safe to drive without causing any further damage. Was hoping to nurse it back to Melton because towing costs are quite expensive.

Help and advice is much appreciated as always.

Cheers, Joe

 

[FstStig]

Sorry mate, but it does sound like a blown box. Did you check the colour and level of the transmission fluid? Get a mechanic to drop the oil and if they find any metal shreading in the pan, then get ready to be forking out for a new gearbox. Even if they don't I still think your transmission has seen better days.

 

[ruredi]

Checked oil which is full and is nice and red in colour.

 

[ruredi]

Is this a common thing for VX Gen 3's to blow a box just like that?

 

[VTS5]

Sounds like stripped clutches,,,well,you can try to drive it like "manual" and change the gears manually to prevent high revving and save some fuel,keep your eye on the engine temp too.Check all your fluid levels before the trip.(will be a long one).Good Luck.

 

[ruredi]

Sounds like stripped clutches,,,well,you can try to drive it like "manual" and change the gears manually to prevent high revving and save some fuel,keep your eye on the engine temp too.Check all your fluid levels before the trip.(will be a long one).Good Luck.

Driving it like that does not work. It does not change when using in manual mode. It will not change unless above 3,000rpm regardless of mode driven.

 

[VEQLD]

Does the speedo still work at all?? How long does it take to select the gear from park / neutral?? If any longer than normal!

 

[VEQLD]

Driving it like that does not work. It does not change when using in manual mode. It will not change unless above 3,000rpm regardless of mode driven.[/QUOTE

Mine comes up saying "shift denied"! It's a safety thing to prohibit compression lock or stall / vibration under low revs in too higher gear!!

 

[ruredi]

Does the speedo still work at all?? How long does it take to select the gear from park / neutral?? If any longer than normal!

Speedo still works. Selects gear as normal.

 

[markbaja]

Have you driven it since? I had a vx that did the same thing. Basically, makes the same noises you describe, but it made the worst noise in first and fourth gear. I drove it for a month before the box finally let go, ie no drive. Just stopped dead, like being put in neutral.

This is not saying whether yours may go longer, or less even, so if you plan on driving it home, just baby it I guess.

And don't know if your aware, but when you get to melton, see borgies, he'll fix you up with a gear box, I've gone to him for all my parts and had no dramas.

I'm in melton too, good luck.

Hey, I also sent this from my Galaxy S2 using Tapatalk..