Strega(UK)

That is exactly what happened to mine and what I tried to explain in my post, the planet gears are made to order in Germany hence the huge price! I bought a second hand gearbox in the end and took the front diff off and and put it on mine as I knew my gearbox had no other faults.

Hope it goes well.

klr10

Funny that... looking at second hand gearboxes as we speak. I can probably buy the whole box for around the same cost! Let you know how it goes, thanks to all those who've read my tale of woe...

klr10

Hi Strega did you keep the rest of the box or sell it on? I guess it's never a bad thing to have a spare, big old lump to store tho, knowing my luck if I got rid, I'd need the blimin' thing! Were you gunning it when it broke? I was only poodling along at about 30-40mph.

klr10

Found a '91 gearbox with 61,000 miles and negotiated at £1250 cash with a copy of the car's history and a guarantee that it is OK. Does this seem like a better solution/good deal? I guess that will leave me with a spare gearbox to either sell or store (just in case).

Strega(UK)

That sounds the ticket. I paid about the same when mine went but have since managed to buy another spare for £400 which I am hanging onto just in case!!

My car had been making a few graunching noises for about 20 miles then just 40 feet and at about 10mph from my mechs garage it just suddenly went, throwing the gearstick out of my hand! The rest you now know about!!

Good luck

klr10

Box delivered this morning. Drove it up to Sean at Two Counties, have decided to have the engine sorted while it's out (rings,valves,etc,etc). In for a penny in for a pound.. (wel several thousand of those...). It's a keeper so I may as well do it now. I'd love to wide body it as well but I think that may have to wait a while. In the market for wings, driveshafts, etc if anyone's selling (UK only now that the pound's worth diddly squat). Thanks to all for advice and sympathy!

Wachuko

Glad to hear that it will be back on the road shortly. Thank you for the updates. Cheers!

klr10

Here is the latest updates from my mechanic (quoted from last two emails)

25/10/08
I carried out a compression check this morning. 4 of the cylinders are between 20% and 35% loss which is very good, but cylinders 3 and 6 (the rear cylinders) are both 50 - 55% loss which isn't great but borderline. The compression loss is going past the rings.

The clutch has been slipping, recommend a new centre plate at least.


31/10/08
Engine is coming on well. A major overhaul isn't needed, main problem was that the piston rings where in line causing a compression loss.
I have had a look though the old invoices etc, it's had alot of money spent on it, including the same gear box fault and new cam shaft and valve guides 33,000miles ago. Its had two clutches since 1999. I suppose that its good that what ever repair has been needed to be done on the car has been done.if that make sense.
Haven't worked out yet what needs to be spent on the car, I will try and have a figure this afternoon. I'll probably get the parts from the UK as the states take a long time to arrive and they're not such a bargain price now.

klr10

So, between myself and Strega(UK) that'll be THREE busted planet gears! Maybe I should have got a C2

Any comments on C4 centre diff planet gears?

Have to say I'm not impressed to say the least!

Wachuko

I better not let my car read this thread...

Rocket Rob

My C4 has been very reliable (knock on wood).

Kahdmus

My C4 was a rock. I drove the new C2 in the rain for the first time today and it did not inspire confidence.

klr10

Thanks guys! Just need a little reassurance, we get a lot of bad weather here in London (as you know) I love the way my C4 handles, hopefully I've just been unlucky. I'm considering getting my mechanic to rebuild my old diff and keep it as a spare (just in case). Don't want to start driving like 'Miss Daisy'!

elbeee964

Occam's razor

man, this tranny thread was a bummer. not something you hear of everyday.
Good to hear of replacement tranny. (Hard to ever say whether any little stray bits have taken a hiding only to resurface sometime next year...)

klr10

Just to put this in perspective, although this was a deeply upsetting experience more akin to having a close friend fall ill than a vehicle failure. It is still a much cheaper deal than my last car. Paid £13K for a '01 Jeep Grand V8 then £2K to convert to gas (LPG), sold three years later for well under £4K after spending well over £1K per year on servicing and repairs. My 964 is still worth the £13K I paid over a year ago and the smile factor is a million times higher. Just as well my '01 Ho*da Acc*rd 3.0 V6 Coupe VTEC (£2K) never breaks!

The only thing I would swap my 964 for would be another one (but maybe a wide body or a turbo!)

Going on vacation to Canada on Thursday for two weeks, hope to have some better news about my little teenage buddy when I get back.