it's always worth it to check the magnetic drain plug for metal stuff.
you don't have to drain the gear oil to do that.
Scott
----- Original Message -----
From: "neil N" <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, October 07, 2008 2:54 PM
Subject: Re: "Clucking" noise from Tranny?

> Another job to do! (change the gear oil)  :)
>
> yah, I had the tranny oil changed to synthetic by a local mechanic a
> few years (low km's) ago.
>
> Like you say, not too much else I can do.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Neil.
>
> On Tue, Oct 7, 2008 at 1:06 PM, Scott Daniel  - Turbovans
> <scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
>> check the magnetic drain plug and see how much metal is on it.......
>> ( a half inch diameter ball of fine metal particles is normal actually )
>> Once in a while you'll see a tiny piece of gear tooth......
>> I had one, high miles working 4 speed........I removed the magnetic drain
>> plug,  it had lots on it........
>> I put it back in, and it grabbed another spoonful of metal pieces !
>> 350K kilometers is over 200,000 miles.
>> Perhaps rebuild it before it's too late ?
> .....
>
>> there's not a lot you can do for a tired transaxle,
>> except change the gear oil, drive it nicely, keep linkage lubed and
>> adjusted,
>> or replace it, or rebuild it.
>> Scott
>> www.turbovans.com
>
>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "neil N" <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>> Sent: Tuesday, October 07, 2008 10:33 AM
>> Subject: "Clucking" noise from Tranny?
>
>
>
>
>>> This is for a stock air cooled tranny likely with high KM's.....
>
> .....
>
>>> When I gear down to 2nd at slower speeds, I hear a soft "cluck cluck
>>> cluck" etc. Not a hard noise but a soft "clucking". Pretty sure it
>>> happens in all forward gears and is relative to engine RPM's.
> .....
>
>>> Any thoughts as to what this sound is from? (i.e. what to anticipate
>>> failing in tranny)