hole in rear housing of gearbox. What to do?

[eriks4]

On a recent drive home I noticed that the Esprit (gearbox) sounded normal, except when in 5th I released the throttle and the wheels drive the box. It made a strange whining sound so I drove to the local Lotus garage. After we put the car on the bridge we saw the following: 

 

 

So the rear housing must have developed a crack at the location of the shaft and a whole chunck of metal broke off (while driving, don't know where and when- the oil spill should tell). 

Any advice is appreciated. Is it possible to obtain the rear-housing separately? what to do/inspect? Does the whole gearbox have to come out? Options?

 

ErikS4 

 

[sailorbob]

The rear casing (part no. A082F6537S, possibly superseded by A082F6553S) is available separately but it is not cheap. It can be removed in-situ.

 

It looks like the nut has partially unwound itself off the shaft. If this is what has happened then I wonder if it's allowed sufficient movement for contact to be made with the casing causing the damage.

Edited November 4, 2014 by sailorbob

[CHANGES]

I Agree lookks like the nut holding 5th was not secure and has unwound punching a

hole through the box.

You can get rear covers and do it in situ. but it will need investigation to what caused it

and what else could have been damaged..

should look like this inside,

 

 

[Dave Freeman]

Never in packed a box before, however you must establish want went wrong before replacing the part.

[Vulcan Grey]

That nut is supposed to have a bent in portion to prevent it from spinning loose.  Lower nut here is the one that punched through your rear housing.

 

 

[ramjet]

What to do?

 

then   then then   then

[sanj]

The hole is almost certainly because the nut came off. This is not the first one I have seen.

 

Assuming no damage to the geartrain, a new nut should be installed per the manual. You should be able to have an aluminum patch welded over the hole.

[Alex Carter]

I got a friend who welds he is amazing if you need help

[CHANGES]

On second look at your pic,,,, its not that clear but that may be the pinion shaft end

nut that has un-wound... 

That would explain why you have not mentioned nasty noises..

The selector fork for fifth will of held the gear in situ, unlike fifth which would normally

try to climb out the back taking everything with it..

If this is the case then you may be fortunate and just have a slightly chewed fork.. 

However if it is the main shaft then you can not weld that section as there is an oil drip feed

to fifth gear in the cover there...

Considering that point and looking at the picture again is what made me think could be the pinion shaft.. 

[eriks4]

It has been over four months now since the nut made a hole in my gearbox. I had hoped to be driving my Esprit again, but still not the case. Here is why:

As Sanj suggested, the Lotus garage has welded a patch over the hole. There was no damage to the geartrain. So far so good!

However, the nut has been in backorder at Lotus now for over 4 months. Would anyone know an alternative source? Is this nut so special? (I know the brake pressure switch is unobtainium, but a nut ??)

 

Thanks

 

Erik

[ramjet]

The nut should be gettable at a gearbox overhaul shop I would think. You are correct. It is nothing out of the ordinary. Get the size and thread correct and you should be right.

[DaveyT]

Are the shaft components likely to vary that much from their Renault origins? Or maybe try Harry (DSVitesse) on here...

4 months fo a nut, blimey! Thats on a par with my 16 years for a respray(and still waiting)!

Good luck

[DanR]

Have you tried Renault themselves? You could also try the DeLorean people in the states. I believe they have a lot of new stuff from when the company was dissolved. I think they're in Texas or one of the other southern states.

[sailorbob]

Nothing special, it's just a stake nut.

[Vulcan Grey]

Have you tried GTO?

http://www.gtoracing.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12&Itemid=112

[sanj]

Your original picture showed the nut still partially on, what happened to it? Is it the primary or the secondary shaft?

[ramjet]

As Sanj has said, able to be corrected so it doesn't happen again.