HI all, just bought a 91 town ace, when changing up through gears, I get a rumble noise from the clutch, the garage guy said it eas the turbo cutting out, was he bull****ing me? it doesent do it when I change down the gears.
Cheers me dears.

- (#6644) whiskas, 2 Jan 03

Shouldn't get a rumble from the turbo just a faint whine. More like a problem with the release bearing or possibly oil on the clutch plate (you did say clutch therefore I assume its manual). Do you get the noise as the clutch engages?

- (#6645) Ian Dunse, 2 Jan 03

not when the clutch engages but as the clutch is depressed when changing up a gear.

- (#6646) whiskas, 2 Jan 03

Clutch linkage, release bearing or pilot bearing then. Certainly not the turbo.

- (#6647) Ian Dunse, 3 Jan 03

Whishas,

I have a 93 manual liteace that does exactly the same and has since I bought it 2 years / 30,000 miles ago. I also had a SAAB turbo that made a similar (all be it much quieter) noise. I have been reliably informed buy 2 independent mechanics that it is the turbo spinning down when changing gear. (I'm not sure I'd call it a rumble but can't think of a better term). Most townie owners won't experience this as it doesn't occur on an auto.
- (#6648) rumbly clutch, 3 Jan 03

Hmm maybe I stand corrected but I would have expected more of a whoosh or change in tone of the whine rather than a rumble if coming from the turbo. Maybe we should start appending audio clips to these messages :-)

- (#6649) Ian Dunse, 3 Jan 03

i'd be surprised to hear more than the pitch of the turbo whine decrease slightly as you change gear.
now on a petrol engined car, well, things are different- the action of easing off the throttle closes the butterfly in the carb, and forces the turbo to "stall" at each gearchange.
that's why boy racers fit blow off valves, and why if you're watching the wrc, the cars sound like they're letting off a blast of compressed air at each gearchange. they are!

- (#6650) david miller, 3 Jan 03

Ian,

The noise did concern me when I first experienced it on the SAAB (it continued after having a new clutch and gearbox rebuild, at the time I was convinced it was the clutch) and liteace. I'm sure the vehicles didn't make this noise when new some must be the result of some ware but it has never got worse. It sounds as though the is a slight vibration from the turbo as it spools down.

I'm now satisfied that this is nothing to worry about, my father-in-law is a qualified diesel engineer and has confirmed the turbo theory but I would be interested to hear others views / experiences.

The audio clips is a superb idea!

- (#6651) Rob Storer, 3 Jan 03

cheers all, I was thinking big garage bills and clutches breaking down on the motorway, im taking the townie to my local garage in the next few days so I will let you all know what he says, allthough im not even sure if he has ever worked on one before, can we find a local townie mechanic on this site?

- (#6652) whiskas, 3 Jan 03

Possibly if you tell us whereabouts you live.

BTW most Townaces have autoboxes so if your man has seen one before its unlikely it was a manual. What would be more appropriate is if your mechanic is an old salt with manual turbo diesels in general, then he will be in a better position to tell you if it is the turbo or something else. As Rob says, they shouldn't be doing this from new but it may be commonplace in "older" vehicles. If your man's seen a few then he should know.

- (#6653) Ian Dunse, 3 Jan 03

My 1988 5sp manual MasterAce has also got that "rumble"
and my mechanic told me was the turbo winding down.
I have never been in a Townie before so have no way in making a comparison!
It is still there on changing down,but not as loud!

Cheers,TAS.

- (#6654) Trev Sutton, 3 Jan 03

Hi whiskas,

May have found cause of your "rumble"?

On the back of the gearbox and front of diff,there is a little tin shield that protects the respective seals
from small stones or whatever, with very little tolerance on the drive-shaft.When you declutch,the drive shaft lifts fractionally and rubs on either of these shields(in my case it is the rear 1!)
Blow out what dust etc there is and give area a squirt
with CRC/WD40 or simular
At worst,you may have to drop the d/shaft and check that all has been removed from within these shields!

Cheers,TAS.

- (#6784) Trev Sutton, 17 Jan 03