why me!!!

[Steamyrotter]

Yet another drive train issue!!

After sorting the front prop shaft and driving it nice and carefully (for a change!!)

Driving home tonight to be greeted with a rather dodgy gear change, followed by gearbox slip and Trans fail safe message....
Was not very happy about that..

Monitored gearbox pressure and was dropping from 59psi to 25 / 30 psi (in Failsafe should have been lot higher than that!!)

Nursed it a bit and drive was starting to tail off so parked it.
Whiff of smoke from under car towards front..  Puddle of trans fluid under car and visible trail behind...
Usual thoughts of oh heck what's gone wrong....
thinking that either the cooler pipes have broken or come loose, or my pressure transmitter pipework has gone awol, or casing broken or front seal gone!!!  either way not great!

Phoned recovery and got rest of family transport home whilst i waited.

For the heck of it looked under bonnet and noticed that there were signs of fluid in engine bay and around the alternator / power steering pump area..
Had a good poke around and noticed one of the flexible pipes associated with the secondary oil cooler has split and so ATF was being pumped over side of engine and then under car....

Still not great but better than the box...
Hopefully just a new set of hoses and a top up should sort it out.
Car was still able to move so haven't totally drained the box and therefore lubrication and clutch packs should be protected, esp taking into account didn't drive it too far before parking it up..

Looks like a trip to the local hydraulic hose supplier tomorrow and see what they have that will take the pressure and be compatible with the fluid.
Might see if they have some braided stuff to protect from the engine heat as that might have been a contributory factor in the rather shorter than expected life of those hoses!!  (they are approx 3 1/2 years old and were supplied by a reputable gear box parts / rebuilders

[X5Sport]

That car is sure testing your mettle!!  Fingers crossed that it's no worse than a fluid leak..

R

[Horizon]

You must be the most patient man alive. You have put up with more than your fair share of trouble with your car, to say the least. I would have given up long ago.

[Steamyrotter]

And it gets worse!!!
If that possible....

Replaced hoses (One had delaminated and could see where the leak burst through the braiding.  Got some nice new Hydraulic hose rated at 910psi & >150degrees C. so should be OK??) and re-filled box.  Pressure OK and car moves but noticed a leak on the bottom of the joint between engine & gearbox..  Feared the worst again...

But it turned out to be diesel!!!  No idea where it could have been coming from at the rear of the engine though.. so cant fully test gearbox! until that is sorted..

Whilst trying to find it found a fuel leakoff Tee piece on No1 injector broken.
Not sure if it is the leak, or if i broke it trying to get the inlet manifold off??

Local dealer contacted - Cant get only the Tee piece, need to get the complete leak off setup.
£35 + Vat..  oh and by the way no one in the UK has any and on a 9 day delivery from Germany if they have them!!!  Oh and cant order until Monday anyway..........

now on Ebay ordering a few Tee pieces at £4.50 each del. Tuesday

Scanned the fault memory and i have a glow plug fault aswell..  No 6 cyl open circuit.
Since there are 5 more that are OK think i may leave that for another day ........
Also getting the "fuel rail pressure anomally" on startup..  Might be due to the leak off pipe issue (I hope) but bet its something light and easy like the HP Pump failing!!!

[shadrack]

i think i would go down the local petrol station, fill a can, come home poor generously inside and out of the car and just torch the..... could be the best £7 you ever spent and much cheaper in the long run

[X5Sport]

I second that.....you might even get summat back by breaking it for spares..... :'(

R

[Steamyrotter]

lol

except the insurance wouldn't pay out as its diesel and they would detect the presence of petrol!!!