Noisy UrS4 CBL gearbox

[2226]

I baught a '94 UrS4 the weekend, my ABY S2 needs some work also, so my solution is to buy another I5 quattro needing TLC.....

The car is generally in good nick except for some suspension groans up front and a rattle on the right rear shock top mounting.

The clutch was recently replaced by previous owner. The gearbox has a distinctive whine that picks up with speed under load, more pronounced in 3rd and 4th.

Will it fail?

[Knight Rider S4]

I would check the oil level in gearbox first and maybe change over to see if that helps....

[2226]

Thanx

[S2central.net]

Gearboxes are tough alright... check oil as suggested. You may have this whine for years of motoring without any other problem... Or the box may just give up on you. I know one S4 with a 1st gear that sounds just about ready to explode - but it has been driven like that for ~2yrs without any other problems - including lots of hard launches. Seems wrong of course, but maybe OK to live with the whine unless it really sounds very bad.

[mcandmar]

As Paul says it all depends if it gets louder. My avant had the same issue when i bought it and after a few days abuse it was noticably getting louder under load. Interestingly the clutch had been changed on my car a few thousend miles before hand, hmmmm.

[saltinot]

The whine is most likely the bearings on the main shaft, which is a known problem they sometimes have. The bearing races are built onto the main shaft so the only fix is to have the gearbox rebuilt with a new main shaft. I went through the same problem in 1996, had my gearbox rebuilt at Audi to the tune of 5000USD only to have the first gear galling problem about 5 years later. I dropped in a late 6spd and have had no problems since.

If it does not bother you, it would me, just drive and enjoy. A little louder with the tunes maybe?

[2226]

Thanks for the input Gents.

I had the oil level checked today and the level was OK. I would preferably like to have the box rebuilt if feasable . Would a CGR box of an S2 fit - if I can find one?

Also, I can't seem to gain access to the UrS4.com site, what sites would you recommend for info on the C4?

[merlin's S4]

Also, I can't seem to gain access to the UrS4.com site, what sites would you recommend for info on the C4?

urS4.com is no more but most of it is archived on www.s-cars.org

Also look here... http://forums.audiworld.com/showthread.php?p=23756978
and here... http://www.sjmautotechnik.com/troubl...g/trouble.html

There's a good few of us on this site with C4 S4s and S6s so you may find a lot of info by searching on here, and if you don't find what you're after you can always try asking!

[2226]

Big Trouble

I took my '94 UrS4 I baught recently to a gearbox specialist to have the noise under power checked out. It turns out the bearings on the main shaft is done for.... I am in BIG trouble now, the repair costs is almost what I paid for the car and there are no second hand CBL boxes in South Africa.

I can get a second hand 5 speed AES / 016 quattro gearbox but I am not sure whether it will be compatible with the dual mass fly wheel, hydraulic clutch fittings, front side shafts, propshaft, rear diff ratio, and speedo pickup.

Until I can find a CBL box, which front wheel drive box could I use to get me mobile again?