Self-machining Quaife?! (shoot me, part II)

["Bradley Peet" <btpeet@effervescent.com>]

This is minor update to my previous message about my latest transmission
woes.

I pulled the plug and drained the fluid into a clear container.  NOT a
pretty site.  I tell ya, gear-lube looks kinda spooky with all that
pulverized (powered) aluminum floatin' in it!  All this talk about the
dreaded self-machining syndrome really makes me wonder what could have gone
wrong with mine, considering the Quaife is joined to the ring gear with
bolts and not rivets.  Anyway...  worse yet, the magnet on the drain plug
has numerous bits of chewed gear teeth stuck to it -- one piece looks like
about half of a ring or pinion shaft tooth!

(All this 2 1/2 years and probably 20,000 miles (or less) since the last
rebuild.  Been using Mobil 1 synthetic gear oil the whole time.)

So, while I do know I need a new gearbox (this one is probably beyond a
rebuild), I do not know what condition the Quaife is in.  I will probably
have to have the tranny torn down and inspected before I can think about
selling it to any of you greedy vultures out there -- I can't accept money
for something I don't even know is in decent working order.  Also, I'd like
to know the extent of the destruction and really want to salvage the .80
fifth gear set.

I'll post again once the thing has been removed from the car and goes "under
the knife" for exploratory surgery.  (I can't say for sure if I'll be
selling the Quaife.)

- -Bradley
1986 S 16V 2.0 (now with more crunchy gear bits in every box!)
http://effervescent.com/vw/


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