I've seen worse. Those wear particles are somewhat normal. If the box is noisy it is most likely a bearing problem or a housing problem allowing some bearing to move. 

Dennis

From my cheapo HP laptop now running Windows 8!

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of loudmouth_70@yahoo.com
Sent: Friday, October 26, 2012 4:02 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: strange whirrrrrring sound

Finally got the drain plug removed today.  Kind of wishing it wasn't looking so christmassy.  Here's a link.  Let me know how bad this is, I'm going to put in fresh fluid and see how she sounds.  

 http://db.tt/0wLhaprR
 

Steve

From my HTC Sensation 4G on T-Mobile. The first nationwide 4G network

----- Reply message -----
From: "Scott Daniel - Turbovans" <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Subject: strange whirrrrrring sound
Date: Wed, Oct 24, 2012 9:00 pm

Must be the part of the continent I'm in ..
mine are all perfectly spherical.
I probably have a picture somewhere.

On 10/24/2012 4:52 PM, miguel pacheco wrote:
> Scott,  you are way off! They look like garden gnomes, not golf balls......
> Miguel
>