Gearbox Repairs in Ringmore

Ringmore is a small coastal village of narrow lanes, and its walkers and holiday visitors mean you often creep along in a low gear, tucked into a hedge to let someone past. That slow, repeated gear-changing is where a tired manual gearbox begins to complain.

We are Automaster, at Longcombe Cross near Totnes. We repair manual gearboxes, fit replacement units, service gearboxes, diagnose transmission faults and repair differentials, CV joints and driveshafts. People from Ringmore and nearby Bigbury, Kingston, Bantham and Thurlestone bring their cars to us.

My gearbox crunches when I change gear. What is wrong?

Crunching, sometimes called graunching, usually means the synchromesh is not matching the speed of the gears. Causes include worn synchro rings, old or incorrect gearbox oil, worn linkage or a clutch that is not fully releasing. The gear in which it happens gives us strong clues.

Please note whether it happens only when cold, only in one gear, or when you change quickly. Tell us too if the crunch started suddenly or crept in slowly over weeks.

• Crunch in one particular gear
• Worse when the car is cold
• Started suddenly or gradually
• Clutch pedal feels different

Why do I hear whining that follows my speed?

If a whine rises and falls as you accelerate and ease off, and it does not change with a dip of the clutch pedal in the same way as engine noise, the gearbox or differential is a likely source. Worn bearings are a common cause.

Wheel bearings and tyres can sound similar, so we do not guess.

How is a gearbox diagnosed before any work starts?

Diagnosis comes first at Automaster. Only then do we discuss repair or replacement.

This matters because a worn clutch is often mistaken for a gearbox fault. It would be wrong to take out a gearbox that did not need it.

What decides the cost of a gearbox repair?

In words rather than numbers: the biggest factor is the labour needed to remove and refit the gearbox, which varies a lot between vehicles. Next come the parts, which depend on whether a repair or a replacement unit is sensible, and whether the clutch should be renewed at the same time.

We never promise a repair is possible without inspecting the car. When you ask for a quote, give us the make, model, engine, year and symptoms, and we will tell you what we need to see.

Do you look after Ringmore drivers and CV joints too?

We do. Our garage is at Longcombe Cross, Longcombe, Totnes TQ9 6PL, and drivers from the countryside and coast nearby make the trip to us.

Rural lanes mean sharp turns, and sharp turns reveal worn CV joints. A repeating click on full lock is the usual sign, and a split rubber boot is the usual cause. Vibration under power might point to a driveshaft or inner joint. If the car vibrates badly or steers oddly, stop driving it and get it checked.