MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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Don't know a great deal about vans. Mine was working fine a few days ago. Tried to move it today, the engine runs, the clutch and gearbox feel normal enough, when I release the clutch the speedo says I'm moving...but I'm not. Any obvious diagnosis/fix? Being a bank holiday weekend doesn't help...I can manage without if for now but need it fixed in the next week or so. It's a vivaro van if that matters. No warning lights are on and there was no sign of trouble at all.
Any noises?
Can you get it moving in any gear? If not I'd say diff failure
Someone raised the wheels of the ground 😯
If the speedo's reading I think the gears must be rotating so maybe it's the driveshaft?
Usually the speedo runs from its own output shaft/sensor off of the gearbox which means that the clutch is engaging the gearbox. As mentioned would suggest that either the drive shaft or the diff. Neither are likely to have gone down quietly though.
Not much in the way of unusual noises, I think it sounds a little different when in and out of gear (with the clutch released) but there's not much in it. I can also sometimes feel a small kick on the gear lever when releasing the clutch, so the motion seems to be getting that far.
Can't get a garage to even look at it until Wednesday or Thursday next week. I've got a couple of essential trips coming up but have worked out that I can manage with trains and van hire so it's no longer such an urgent problem. There was absolutely nothing wrong when I parked it a few days ago after a long drive. Glad it didn't happen before I got home!
Vivaro gearboxes are supposed to be a bit unreliable but this would be an odd way for one to fail. Do differentials or drive shafts ever just fall apart like this seems to have done?
Reminds me of when the pawl spring failed on my bike. Didn't matter how fast I pedalled or what gear I tried, I just didn't go anywhere 🙂
Oh yes, all gears are the same, but my phantom speed changes accordingly. I only first noticed the speedo when I tried it in higher gears.
Must be an early vivaro if its got a speedo sensor in the gearbox, later ones have wheel speed sensors. Sensor is on the diff so diff must be rotating. I'd suspect driveshaft fault, check n/s inner joint 1st, have seen those break up. Need to drain the gearbox oil or at least be prepared for spillage before taking out the 3 10mm head bolts that attach the boot retaining plate to the gearbox.
It's a 2004 vivaro, thanks.
Pre '05ish vivaros did have dodgy boxes but I've never seen one loose drive completely without warning. They suffered bearing failure that would make them jump out of gear & be very noisy. I would still suspect a driveshaft fault. Problem is if that n/s inner tripod joint has broken up it will probably dumped all its needle rollers into the gearbox. Check the shafts haven't popped out of the outer c/v joints - boots may be torn or twisted up if this has happened.
Stripped splines on the drive shaft?
A friends T5 did this last weekend. It was the diff.
Happened outside Euro disney, cost him €1200 at a French VW dealer to fix.