[s-cars] S6 Transmission Noise

[Charlie Smith]

Earlier, Dave Forgie wrote:
> 
> Fred:  I have never hear a transmission sound like that but you are likely
> correct about the 'galled' first gear.  However, I suspect that it wasn't the
> first owner. He apparently was a mid-aged gentlemen who retired from Ontario
> to BC.  Those types are usually not dropping the clutch at 6000 RPM like the
> original road test journalists did. Eh?
> 
> However, since the car is located at a Subaru dealership, I can imagine a
> scenario where some WRX STi test drivers decide they want to test drive the S6
> to see how it compares for 40% of the STi cost:

It doesn't take a dropped clutch at 6000 RPM to lunch 1st gear.  In fact
that might not hurt it.  I can tell you from personal experience how I 
screwed up my '95 S6 1st gear.

When I got the car, the tire tread was sort of thin, and on a wet road
the tires would break loose in 1st gear, just by tromping the gas.  I'd
guess it was probably just a front tire breaking loose.

I thought that was cool, and of course amused myself by doing it from
time to time.  After about a month of ownership, I noticed a clicking 
noise out of 1st gear.  It would only do it the first time I drove off
in 1st.  After shifting to 2nd and then back to 1st, no noise.  This
was winter in Ohio, so the windows were rolled up - limiting my ability
to hear gear noises.  I wasn't concerned yet.  The noise would only
occur at very low car speeds - less than 5 MPH, and only the first
time I drove off after the car had been sitting several hours. 
I figured this was after the gear oil had drained off everything.

Then on a February trip to Naples Florida, I was driving with the windows
down next to a wall, and could hear the 1st gear noise clearly.  With
the windows down it was very pronounced on the first roll away from being 
parked, but I could still hear it in 1st whenever I was in 1st.

At first, it sounded like playing cards in the spokes of a kids bicycle,
click, click, click.   Then later it was like a loud zipper - I'd guess
as more of the mainshaft's 1st gear tooth surface became galled away.

If you can drive the car again, try a very slow roll away with the windows
down.  You may be able to hear individual tooth clicking noises, rather than
just a general "whine".  A 'zing' type whine would sound more like a
ball bearing with a bad race to me.

> 
> Vrrooom, vrroom, WAhaaaaaa - clinkedly, clink.

Vrroom vrroom WAhaaaaaa yerself!

The cheap fix for this really is to put in a 6 speed.  Really.
With the cost of parts and labor, a good used S4tt 6 speed
will be cheaper.

    - Charlie


  Charlie Smith  charlie {at} elektro.cmhnet.org  614-471-1418  
  http://www.elektro.com/~charlie          Columbus Ohio   USA
  http://www.elektro.com/~audi         photos & technical info

  95 S6 Quattro  -  24 PSI, RS2 6 speed, and other features  
  97 Dodge Ram   -  40 PSI, 4x4 w/Cummins turbo diesel