Broken R7ME gearbox?

Hello, I am new to this forum and looking for some help!

My 2002 Suzuki Jimny with about 190 000 km, M13A engine and manual 4wd transfer case lever is making some weird sounds from the gearbox (I think). I am assuming that I have the R7ME gearbox, since it´s a pre 2005 model with the “4wd stick”?  When in 3rd and 5th gear you can hear a metal grinding noise, almost the same noise as when a brake shield is slightly touching the rotors, and there is also a whining/whistling noise. If you take a stethoscope and put it on the gear lever you can clearly hear the whistling noise when in 3rd or 5th gear. Also when at a standstill in neutral you can hear a whining noise that disappears when pressing down the clutch pedal. I haven’t been able to find anyone who’s had problems with the R7ME gearbox so I really don’t have anything to read about this. I have not been able to confirm though that my gearbox is an R7ME, I haven’t found any numbers or anything on the gearbox that confirms the model.

So my first thought was to drain the oil and inspect to make sure it wasn’t empty and to look for any metal shavings etc. The problem though is that the filler plug is stuck and rounded. Yes I have tried to get it loose with the correct 10mm square socket but to no success. I’m guessing my only option is to try and weld a nut onto the plug, but I am not sure if I’ll be able to fit the welder in between the gearbox and the floor of the car. Any suggestions?

If I manage to get the plug off and change the oil in the gearbox, but it doesn’t solve anything - has anyone done and documented a rebuild of the R7ME gearbox?

Appreciate any help I can get!

 

Hi, yes you have the R7ME box. They are not too expensive to replace if you can get a known good one. Bit of a pain, but an be changed on the driveway if needed.

Hi, and thanks for your answer.

Yeah, I guess that might happen, I’ll investigate further and see. You don’t know of anyone who has rebuilt an R7ME gearbox? They are a bit hard to get a hold of here in Sweden, and shipping from somewhere like the uk is sometimes almost as much as the gearbox itself….

Didn't realise your location. I am sure someone will be on here soon regarding a rebuild, hope you sort it.

If you are careful you can make an access panel for your filler with an angry grinder in the transmission tunnel.

Has Lambert says but use a holesaw and fit a blanking grommet have you also checked the rear engine mount found on the gearbox and the 2 little rubber mounts these are found on gearstick linkage... These can be replaced with Austin mini exhaust bobbins. 
While you're underneath checking out the above look at the transfer box mounting arms. Made from Cast aluminium and break and one more thing look too see if the propshaft coming from gearbox is not catching on it's balance weight. 

I did see a thread about that the other day! It will probably happen in the future if i get the gearbox sorted out... Gonna get the welder out and see if i can get the filler nut off when it stops pouring down rain outside...

Hm didnt quite understand. Are you saying that the mounting arms or propshaft could be the cause of the noise, or is it something i should have a look at if i take out the gearbox?

The standard mount for the transfer box are 2 aluminium arms and they can crack without much provoking which then causes all manner of noises.

I changed all the bearings & seals in the R7ME in my 2001 Jimny really easily, I can't remember if there was a picture guide somewhere or I just followed the workshop manual. The hardest part is getting the gearbox off the car! The main gearbox is horizontally split so it is a doddle to lift the mainshaft out.

You need some bearing pullers and a way to press the new bearings on. The bearings & seals come as a kit from a specialist on eBay.

Provided that you haven't had a bearing collapse and cause the gear teeth to wear oddly new bearings will fix 90% of the noise- the whirring in neutral is the input bearing and/or the needle roller at the front of the mainshaft. I can't remember if the kit comes with new needle bearings or not, they don't wear much unless you have run the gearbox dry, or towed the car long distances with the engine stopped.


The rear gearbox mount is always gone, the transfer box mounts crack out because the arms are made of aloominums, which is the absolute worst thing that you can bolt onto steel- aluminium oxide builds up between the mounting surfaces and shatters the mount.

I changed mine and re-lacquered the aluminium- the once flat surface of the mounts were nearly circular from the pressure.

Hmm interesting. That could be the cause of the metallic scraping noise I am hearing, sounds almost like steel wool or tinfoil rattling against something. Seems like the rain is gonna stop this afternoon so i might have a go at the refill nut and see if I can empty the gearbox and inspect the oil. Fingers crossed and the sounds are something else…

Thank you!! Finally someone who has done it!! The workshop manual, is it a Haynes repair manual or something else? Haynes is the only one I seem to find after a quick google search, haven’t dug that deep though.

The gearbox is actually a little bit wet underneath, around the area of the emptying plug. Any gaskets that could cause it to leak around that area? I can take a picture today after work. So it’s not impossible it’s been running dry. I recently bought the car, and there was a big hole in the muffler so I couldn’t really hear any noise from the transmission while test driving it, and it was running fine so yeah… But after welding and fixing the muffler i can now hear what sounds like some bad gearbox bearings haha, so yeah last owner might have run it dry for a while….