Slight Gearbox Noise on Idle when cold

2003 GU Td42ti Manual with 182 000kms

Only when cold I notice the sound
Press clutch pedal 1/3rd way down and the noise goes away.

I dont think its Thrust Bearing
I dont think its Input shaft Bearing


From googling and forum searching and with quite a few people who have it with different varying degrees
What seems to be the case is the exedy heavy duty clutch with the torsion springs used.
They get worn over time with the clutch usage.

From reading a few guys have changed clutch and its good again.
Even from this forum link. This guy had Nissan confirm it
http://www.patrol4x4.com/forum/nissa...d-noise-48808/

Car drives fine and shifts fine. No noise besides the gearbox chatter on low 1st and 2nd which is standard Patrol behaviour lol

Though with all this anecdotal evidence and reading I would still like you guys and your very informative input.

Im not concerned but i guess a discussion and ideas would be good

Thank you in Advance :)

Hey mate.
Since owning a 4.2, this has become almost a norm to me... Just about all 4.2's out there I have personally heard or driven have this in varying degrees of "noise". Some you can just hear it and some are absolutely horrendously loud.... Mine was pretty extreme.
I've heard people calling it gear rollover noise, gear chatter, gear dancing, thrust bearing noise.. etc...

Mine was pretty bad. Especially during winter months.
However, I swapped my clutch out for a new upgraded one, and the noise went away 99%.
It's now been probably a year since clutch job, and the noise has returned ever so slightly, I can just barely hear it at minimum.

Have you got the right oil? I have a different gearbox to you but Nissan recommend API GL4 for it too. I found the GL5 is too sticky, especially when cold. The gearbox would make weird noises until it warmed up.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hodge

Hey mate.
Since owning a 4.2, this has become almost a norm to me... Just about all 4.2's out there I have personally heard or driven have this in varying degrees of "noise". Some you can just hear it and some are absolutely horrendously loud.... Mine was pretty extreme.
I've heard people calling it gear rollover noise, gear chatter, gear dancing, thrust bearing noise.. etc...

Mine was pretty bad. Especially during winter months.
However, I swapped my clutch out for a new upgraded one, and the noise went away 99%.
It's now been probably a year since clutch job, and the noise has returned ever so slightly, I can just barely hear it at minimum.

---

Cheers for the reply
Yeah they are noisy buggers. Im use to it now lol

I did a gearbox oil drain two days ago.
Fluid was immaculate and clear.

Filled up with the Castrol VMX-M and shoved in the Nulon Smooth additive.

To be honest I love this damn car. Proud to own a TD42T. Way better than my 2005 Prado v6 GXL.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mudnut

Have you got the right oil? I have a different gearbox to you but Nissan recommend API GL4 for it too. I found the GL5 is too sticky, especially when cold. The gearbox would make weird noises until it warmed up.

---

Yes. Gl4 Castrol VMX M.

I dont mind the noise. Definately nothing sinister.

Drained the fluid and it was clean as.

Now to do the glow plugs next.

Would you recommend Bosch or NGK? They both similar pricing

@mudski, or @MudRunnerTD or @nissannewby Should point you in the right direction for the glow plugs.

In most cases this will be your thrust bearing mate. If it is mildly worn it makes a noise. Touch the pedal and you take up the slack, noise stops. It is no biggie other than being a pain in the but.
In this case it would have started softly and then got gradually louder.
Now that being said, if you got bogged (not that Patrols get bogged), and you hammered the hell out of it getting out, like I did 80 north of Eucla towing a camper trailer up as sand dune, and the noise started from that point on, you have another issue.
The GU 2003 came out with a Dual mass clutch. Great clutch if you want your beast to feel smoother than the proverbial baby's bottom to drive. But pretty crap if you are towing a camper trailer across the Nullabor and using every dirt / sand road you can find. The guts of the clutch plate has a series of heavy springs that absorb the vibrations, hence smoothing the ride. Eventually, the springs wear and break, or the inner ring that they are attached to snap. If only one breaks you can still drive. I broke 2 and managed to do another 1200km of hard 4WDing to get home. It will however make a louder noise than the thrust bearing, and it will eventually snap and leave you stranded.
So, my advice is change the clutch plate before you do your next long of road drive, thus avoiding being towed home by some smart arse Toyota driver, or even worse, a Vajero or Pagina (Pajero). Hope that makes sense and helps.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by drgtr

Yes. Gl4 Castrol VMX M.

I dont mind the noise. Definately nothing sinister.

Drained the fluid and it was clean as.

Now to do the glow plugs next.

Would you recommend Bosch or NGK? They both similar pricing

---

Bosch and NGK are both top brands. Cant go wrong with either...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by drgtr

2003 GU Td42ti Manual with 182 000kms

Only when cold I notice the sound
Press clutch pedal 1/3rd way down and the noise goes away.

I dont think its Thrust Bearing
I dont think its Input shaft Bearing


From googling and forum searching and with quite a few people who have it with different varying degrees
What seems to be the case is the exedy heavy duty clutch with the torsion springs used.
They get worn over time with the clutch usage.

From reading a few guys have changed clutch and its good again.
Even from this forum link. This guy had Nissan confirm it
http://www.patrol4x4.com/forum/nissa...d-noise-48808/

Car drives fine and shifts fine. No noise besides the gearbox chatter on low 1st and 2nd which is standard Patrol behaviour lol

Though with all this anecdotal evidence and reading I would still like you guys and your very informative input.

Im not concerned but i guess a discussion and ideas would be good

Thank you in Advance :)

---

just cause ya don't think it's a thrust bearing doesn't mean it aint

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by the godfather

In most cases this will be your thrust bearing mate. If it is mildly worn it makes a noise. Touch the pedal and you take up the slack, noise stops. It is no biggie other than being a pain in the but.
In this case it would have started softly and then got gradually louder.
Now that being said, if you got bogged (not that Patrols get bogged), and you hammered the hell out of it getting out, like I did 80 north of Eucla towing a camper trailer up as sand dune, and the noise started from that point on, you have another issue.
The GU 2003 came out with a Dual mass clutch. Great clutch if you want your beast to feel smoother than the proverbial baby's bottom to drive. But pretty crap if you are towing a camper trailer across the Nullabor and using every dirt / sand road you can find. The guts of the clutch plate has a series of heavy springs that absorb the vibrations, hence smoothing the ride. Eventually, the springs wear and break, or the inner ring that they are attached to snap. If only one breaks you can still drive. I broke 2 and managed to do another 1200km of hard 4WDing to get home. It will however make a louder noise than the thrust bearing, and it will eventually snap and leave you stranded.
So, my advice is change the clutch plate before you do your next long of road drive, thus avoiding being towed home by some smart arse Toyota driver, or even worse, a Vajero or Pagina (Pajero). Hope that makes sense and helps.

---

lol. Very informative mate. Thankyou . :D

In regards to the trust bearing.
Only happens on colder mornings?

I can actually hear the sound stop virtually after less than a minute.
Interesting though.

Oh by the way. Nulon G70 Gearbox additive. Wow what a difference that makes. Damn smooth shifting. Never thought it was possible