This is my first post so I apologise that it's asking for help! I have searched far and wide on this forum and others to try and find answers before writing this!

My 2003 L322 4.4 V8 (100k) has developed a whining sound that can be heard mainly from cold when changing from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd, around the 2000rpm mark. If you accelerate gently and it doesn't hit that rpm it either can't be heard or is very faint. It builds up just before the gear change and goes after changing, almost like a pressure build up. I can't hear the noise if I rev the engine in neutral, nor can I hear it at idle or in park.

I've had my local garage take a look and could only hear the noise under load and not when going through gears with it on the ramp free wheeling. They have also done a gearbox service with genuine ZF parts and oil, and the noise is still present. I changed the transfer box oil today and still the same noise.

Now, they're not 100% sure it's the gearbox, but they aren't gearbox specialists, and I can't see why the noise would only be on gear changes if it wasn't.

Any help/advise would really be appreciated! Hopefully RRPhil will see this as I've noticed he's a bit of a gearbox guru!

I do have a video with the sound but can only seem to post photos.

Has nobody had any similar symptoms?

Having had a gearbox specialist look over this, they have said that it's definitely the gear set on its way out and it needs a full rebuild.

The car drives perfectly, shifts perfectly and doesn't slip at all. Just this whine for the first 20 minutes of driving until it's warmed up. If I'm gentle with the throttle and it changes gear at about 1200 rpm, it doesn't make the sound, only at around 2500-3000 rpm.

I'm not convinced this needs a full rebuild, the bloke just drove it for 10 minutes and said it was 'definitely' what it is, even though when I described the symptoms over the phone, he had no clue.

Has anyone had the same symptoms? Is RRPhil able to give any advice if you see this?

Thanks

Hi mate, did you ever get to the bottom of this? Sounds like I have the same issue on my 04 L322!

It was the gearbox unfortunately mate. Had to have a full rebuild.

Not so Happy New Year to me then!! Lol!! Thanks for getting back to me mate

Did you get a diagnosis as to why or what was the cause of the whine?

IF you can get the gbox dropped out then get it up to rrphil. He is the top guru for this gearbox and also very competitively priced.

You will then have a car that is good for another 100,000 miles +!

Yes - RRPhil really knows these gearboxes inside out, I've read many of his posts.

Thanks Dolphinboy but I have no way of getting the gearbox out and haven't the time or money to take it up north to be repaired by the guru himself.

This is a step too far now, I'll check the oil level in the box and if that doesn't change anything then time to move it on I'm afraid.

Anyone wanna buy a 04 Carins Blue L322 4.4 V8 with Prins let me know LOL!!

It will only cost a coupla hundred quid to get the box out, then pallet it to rrphil. If the box is all that’s wrong with yours, then you will have a great FFRR with no worries for anthe 100,00 + miles. Would be well worth it I reckon.

as DB has said , cheaper to have it repaired than lose heaps selling the car with a fubard gear box pal