OK, as the continuing saga well..continues (see my other longer threads that I started if interested), I finally decided to go all in and pull the gearbox on my 2011 Base. My mechanic brother was pretty adamant that the noises I am experiencing are coming from the gearbox. I do agree they do sound like bearings and don't fully disagree they may be in the transmission; however, I am less convinced they are now unless they are the outside gear and counter shaft bearings since I cannot see those and I just honestly have no interest in pulling it apart that much. I was hopeful that I'd find something that was definitive. What I found instead was one of the cleanest gearboxes I have ever seen. Everything looks pristine (except for one maybe I'll get to in a minute). In fact, I took the magnet out and wiped a shop towel across it and there was literally no shavings whatsoever. I haven't a clue how that is possible, but it is. This is my DD and it has 140k miles on it. I am pretty easy on the clutch and transmission so maybe that explains it. I dunno.

In any event, I really don't see a thing. Considering costs and time, I decided that I was going to just change the rear main seal (only a teeny tiny bit of leak at the bottom), clutch, and button it all back up and see what happens. I am pretty sure my noise will be there, but figure maybe just give it the old turn up the radio fix and run it till it catastrophically goes or lasts friggin forever, taunting me with the hidden problem that I just could not figure out. Just before I started on the re-installation portion, I decided to get a magnifying headset and lamp and closely inspect all of the bearings, gears, synchros, etc. Everything still looked fantastic. Then I saw something on the input shaft roller bearing. Cannot tell if just dirty or what it is, but (from the picture below only) my mechanic brother swears it is scoring and is shot. Thing is, I can use a small pick and pull it up and down the roller and it catches on nothing, feels smooth as silk so I definitely don't think it is scoring. However, he did have a logical point - what's the harm in replacing all the bearings I can get at since I am in there.

Logically, I couldn't argue with that; however, now that I am looking around for bearings, I literally cannot find ANY. None whatsoever. None of the plastic caged rollers, none of the tapers for the differential, nothing. So, my conclusion can only be that these 6 speed Getrag's simply are that rock solid and this is never an issue, guys generally don't need to or don't want to rebuild and just replace with a used, or I am not looking in the correct place.

So a few questions - is there a right place? I really don't want any bearings except for the differential tapers and the input shaft plastic-caged rollers. I thought that if anything, the issue would be the diff bearings (one side or the other) but nope, these look great except for the tiniest bit of play which I think is built in as both sides have identical play. They spin super smooth.

Take sides - based on the picture and my description. Who is more likely right? My brother or me?

I feel like the logical thing/cheapest thing here is my original plan - clean it all, put it back together, hope by some miracle the noise has something to do with the clutch, and, if not, just let it go till whatever end it seems fitting and replace with a lower mileage gearbox. What would you guys do? Probably important to mention that I am doing all of the work myself, it is in a small garage, and not my only vehicle so if I have to pull it all apart again, while time consuming, it isn't that bad. Can't do it as fast as ModMini, but can do it in general, which is the most important part, I guess. Ramble over. Thanks!

 

@shelzmike ,

Question, When does the noise occur, while coasting(neutral)? did you check the condition of the release bearing?

 

No this bearing seems to be pretty good. It's not the usual suspects, so to speak. One reason I don't think it's this is because the noise is like a vibration that is present I think through all gears but gets louder the higher the gears I go especially once I get into third gear but I think that's just cuz the wheel speed is starting to ramp up. It tracks with wheel speed more than anything. Case in point, I can sit at the top of a hill fully stopped. I can have it in neutral and start to coast and the faster I get I can hear the noise. I've already replaced the wheel bearings on both sides on the front and it made very little difference. This is either going to be fixed by the work that I've done now. Or maybe in the future I'll find out it's something totally totally unrelated. On one hand all I care about is that it drives around, but on the other hand I really want to figure out and fix the problem just for posterity more than anything. And any event my clutch kit came with a new bearing so I will be replacing it. Hopefully that is it!

 

Ok well search engines matter. I generally don't use Chrome but use Brave instead for came up with nothing. I switched up to Google search and found exactly what I was looking for on eBay.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/183665367239

Price is OK, but I'm trying not to parts canon this. I really don't have a lot of visible or physical evidence to suggest a rebuild is necessary at this point. I'm fact I have probably none at all really. So because of that, I'm going to button it all back up. To see if I locked out and it had something to do with the clutch or pressure plate (not likely, but possible). If not I may decide to go ahead and do this at that point if for nothing more to see if that was the problem. However I do plan on maybe selling this sometime soon so it may not make sense for me to do all that. Of course, I plan on getting another mini just not sure what yet. Maybe the old 100 mile electric, a? 🤣 Totally kidding. I live out in the country that would barely get me to work and back on monday.