Hey guys

Hopefully this is the right area to ask the question, I'll just get straight to the point.

Basically my car (details at end) for the last 3000 miles has been making a whining noise. Its always been fairly noisy inside due to road noise but this is different.

At first I thought it was just tyre noise but it isn't, it also doesn't seem to be wheel bearing (doesn't get louder or dissapear when turning)

The noise is a humming/wuring sound, noticeable starting around 25-30mph (quite faintly) but then gets louder and increases pitch the faster I go. At around 60 its fairly loud, sometimes I have to turn my radio up to here it clearly.

The only way I can really explain the sound is like tyre noise, increasing pitch and noise with speed.

The sound doesn't go away with either clutch in or out.

Noise seems to be coming from behind dash (hard to tell exactly where about)

Sometimes in the morning 3rd gear crunches a little bit, seems to also drop into 3rd gear occasionally too. No problem ever with other gears

So the question is, has anyone had this problem before, or had any experience with this and know the problem?

My concern was whether its something to do with driveshaft.

Car: Vw Polo 6n2 1.4 TDI SE

Mileage: 158,000ish

Thanks in advance

Edited 8 March, 201511 yr by fivepointtwelve

Clutch release bearings or the gearbox is on it's way out...

Get it in the garage and get it checked out!

After 3,000 miles, it's probably too late, but did you check the gear oil level?

Regards

Gear box diff bearings by the sounds of it

Edited 14 March, 201511 yr by rodeater

Thanks for quick replies,

would bearing be easy to replace myself or is it a deffo garage job? Bearing *ha get it* in mind that I've never done this before

also does anyone know the price of what it would cost, roughly

Edited 16 March, 201511 yr by fivepointtwelve

After 3,000 miles, it's probably too late, but did you check the gear oil level?

Regards

thanks I'll check my gear oil level this week as I have a week off.

Does it have a window that you check it through?

Sorry I would normally refer to a Haynes manual but they don't do one for the 6N2 TDI

Edited 16 March, 201511 yr by fivepointtwelve

No viewing window.

To check, you remove the plug on the side, either will happen.

Gear Oil will dribble out - All is good and the level is good

Nothing comes out - top the oil up till it dribbles out.

‒ Remove insulation tray below engine/gearbox, if fitted.



‒ → Remove plug (arrow) to check oil
The oil level is correct when the gearbox is full to the lower edge of the filler hole.

‒ Fit plug (arrow).
When filling with new oil note following:

‒ Remove plug (arrow).
‒ Top up oil to lower edge of filler hole.
‒ Fit plug (arrow).
‒ Start engine, engage gear and allow gearbox to turn for approx. 2 minutes.
‒ Switch off engine and remove plug (arrow).
‒ Top up oil to lower edge of filler hole again.
‒ Fit plug (arrow).

No viewing window.

To check, you remove the plug on the side, either will happen.

Gear Oil will dribble out - All is good and the level is good

Nothing comes out - top the oil up till it dribbles out.

‒ Remove insulation tray below engine/gearbox, if fitted.

‒ → Remove plug (arrow) to check oil 6N2 TDi Gearbox fill level.png

The oil level is correct when the gearbox is full to the lower edge of the filler hole.

‒ Fit plug (arrow).

When filling with new oil note following:

‒ Remove plug (arrow).

‒ Top up oil to lower edge of filler hole.

‒ Fit plug (arrow).

‒ Start engine, engage gear and allow gearbox to turn for approx. 2 minutes.

‒ Switch off engine and remove plug (arrow).

‒ Top up oil to lower edge of filler hole again.

‒ Fit plug (arrow).

Thankyou very much, very helpful.

I will update once I've done it this week (hopefully tomorrow) and let you know outcome and noise etc.

Lets hope it helps!

Well gearbox oil was correct level but changed it anyway.

Noise is still there though, just a constant drone sounding like tyre noise. Still sounding like diff bearings?

What's the cost of this to fix or is it better to find another gearbox?

Sounds like the bearings mate. If so if you keep driving it they will eventually fall to bits and smash the gearbox to bits. So if I was you I'd take to a garage or gearbox specialist to find out what's wrong with it. This recently happened to me and destroyed all my gears. I was quoted £285 to get bearings replaced before they went completely and £485 after they did.

Sounds like the bearings mate. If so if you keep driving it they will eventually fall to bits and smash the gearbox to bits. So if I was you I'd take to a garage or gearbox specialist to find out what's wrong with it. This recently happened to me and destroyed all my gears. I was quoted £285 to get bearings replaced before they went completely and £485 after they did.

Ah okay thanks very much, especially for rough prices. Were these prices with taking the gearbox off yourself and handing it to them?

Yeah those prices were with me removing the gearbox myself. Still fairly expensive though I thought.

Yeah those prices were with me removing the gearbox myself. Still fairly expensive though I thought.

Yea that is quite a lot, well there's a gearbox specialist about 5 miles from me so I'll give them a ring at some point. But before I sort out the gearbox I need to find out what could be causing my engine tempurature start to get hot when going up hills, as it could be expensive (got a post on it here:http://www.clubpolo.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=340111#entry2657624 )

Is the gearbox easy to take off, do you need any specialist tools etc. Am newbie when it comes to dismantaling engine area etc, doesn't help when there's no Haynes manual either.

Also how long did it take before your gearbox blew up. Did you get any other symptoms beforehand apart from the whining sound, etc jumping out of gear etc.

I know sooner is better, but like I said I'm weighing up if its going to be worth fixing my car

Cheers

Mine lasted about 3 weeks after the whining started but my driving style didn't help it either. Taking gearbox off is pretty straigforward really. Just a case of removing anything connected to it and then just undo the ring of 18mm bolts and should just wiggle off. It can be done with basic tools, only thing you may need to buy is the 12 point spline bit to undo the driveshafts. I brought mine from halfrauds.

Ah okay, well mines been doing it since November, and doesn't seem to be getting louder. Only taken until now for 3rd gear to start misbehaving occasionally, mainly first thing in the mornings. But I've started slotting it into gears gentally rather than 'ragging it' lol.

Okay well depending of the outcome and cost of the overheating problem, I'll post back on here if I get gearbox fixed and price etc, that way someone with the same problem can find the post.

Thanks very much for your help.

Edited 19 March, 201511 yr by fivepointtwelve

As for the Haynes manual if you buy the normal one for the petrol 6n2s the gearboxes are the same so removal would be the same.

The TDi uses a totally different gearbox to the petrol engines cars and as such is not covered in the Haynes manual

As for the Haynes manual if you buy the normal one for the petrol 6n2s the gearboxes are the same so removal would be the same.

The TDi uses a totally different gearbox to the petrol engines cars and as such is not covered in the Haynes manual

Thanks!! Could of been £15 down the drain

Would you recommend getting the Haynes book for the polo offer the 6n2 as that one covers diesel and petrol. Would the engine bay be roughly the same?

The Haynes (4150) does not cover the diesel at all! however the rest of the car is the same, so it is useful for bodywork/suspension etc The engine bay layout is totally different to the petrol,

You would be better off getting a copy of ElsaWin from ebay around £15~20 it's a copy of the dealer manual and covers all VAG models from 1995 to date

Sorry meant to say meant to say 'Haynes book for polo after 6n2'

Cheers I'll defo look into that

Yes the 9N (02-05) Haynes does cover your engine & gearbox just seems a waste to buy two manuals £30+ to cover your car, where ElsaWin £20 does all of the Haynes plus so much more :-)