Loud grinding noise when in reverse

Synchros shot? Weird noises while shifting? Not sure what needs to be replaced?
Ron008
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Loud grinding noise when in reverse

Post by Ron008 »

I just bought a 2010 vw golf 5 days ago and I'm new to driving a manual trans. I noticed a loud grinding sound today in reverse when trying to back into a parking spot and the car did not move as I eased off the clutch in reverse, just a loud grinding.

I put the it in neutral and tried again with no issues. And I have not been able to replicate the problem. What do you think could have caused this? Did I do any permanent damage to the transmission?

After parking, I did notice a slight burning smell... Also, I tend to give it some gas and slip the clutch halfway as I reverse, is this the right way to go in reverse? (sorry, I've only been driving a manual for 5 days..)
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Re: Loud grinding noise when in reverse

Post by AHTOXA »

You may not have been in gear fully or the clutch was not depressed fully when you entered the gate.
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Re: Loud grinding noise when in reverse

Post by theholycow »

I agree, you failed to fully engage the gear. I never did it with reverse in my 2008 VW but I did it with 3rd and 5th quite a few times. VW's transmission is so smooth and the throws reasonably short that you can't always tell...to be sure, you might want to be a little more forceful in your shifts.

Does the Golf still have the 2.5L I5 engine? If so, I can assure you that you do not need to use the gas pedal when reversing, just slip the clutch (or fully engage it if you want to go faster).
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Re: Loud grinding noise when in reverse

Post by six »

Hi Ron, and welcome to StandardShift :)

The burning smell you noticed should be normal, as your car is brand new. Everything is still breaking in, including the clutch. Burnt clutch has a real foul smell to it, you'll know it when you smell it. You will probably be smelling this slight burning smell for the next 1000 miles/km or so.
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Ron008
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Re: Loud grinding noise when in reverse

Post by Ron008 »

Thanks for the info. I'll make sure it's in reverse all the way next time before letting out the clutch. The 2010 golfs are still 2.5L I5.

Good to know the burning smell is normal. I thought I was doing some serious damage to my car.
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Re: Loud grinding noise when in reverse

Post by Rope-Pusher »

paul34 wrote:well I mean, if you smell smoke and some flames, that's definitely not normal. DRIVE FASTER!
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Re: Loud grinding noise when in reverse

Post by theholycow »

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Re: Loud grinding noise when in reverse

Post by fa22raptorf22 »

Just a tidbit to add.

Either 1) be more forceful with reverse... so you hear a good clunk when you engage it

or

2) Move toward reverse when stopped, and as you roll back, having force on the shift, it will lock the rest of the way in, when things line up.
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Re: Loud grinding noise when in reverse

Post by Rope-Pusher »

Sumtimes, in transmissions with sliding idler Reverse actuation, the idler gear isn't aligned with both of the other two gears it must mesh with and it blocks engagement of Reverse. If this happens, just feather the clutch so that the input shaft rotates slowly as you continue to put pressure on the shift knob toward the reverse position and it should drop right into gear.
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Re: Loud grinding noise when in reverse

Post by theholycow »

His difficulty is unlikely to be that issue, Rope. That VW transmission just sometimes feels like it's engaged when it's only half-engaged. It doesn't do the gear misalignment thing much or at all.
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Re: Loud grinding noise when in reverse

Post by Rope-Pusher »

theholycow wrote:His difficulty is unlikely to be that issue, Rope. That VW transmission just sometimes feels like it's engaged when it's only half-engaged. It doesn't do the gear misalignment thing much or at all.
Then what is making it feel fully engaged when it isn't? That's precisely the feeling one (or two) would have when the idler doesn't align with one or more of the otter gears. You might actuate the back-up light switch, you might perturb the Reverse detent, you might even get a piece of one of the other gears, but if the last gear blocks rather than aligns with the teeth on the idler, the shift motion stops dead in it's tracks and she says "You can get up off your knee, and put that lame excuse for a ring back into the Cracker-Jack box you found it in, because I won't be marrying you!" and viola, you're not engaged.
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Re: Loud grinding noise when in reverse

Post by theholycow »

Rope-Pusher wrote:the shift motion stops dead in it's tracks and she says "You can get up off your knee, and put that lame excuse for a ring back into the Cracker-Jack box you found it in, because I won't be marrying you!" and viola, you're not engaged.
...but that's what I'm saying is not happening. It's not that it's stopping like it won't go no matter how hard you push it until you first move the input shaft a little. It's not stopping at all, it's just the driver who stopped. If he had pushed harder it would have fully engaged...and if he didn't push hard enough, nothing he did with the clutch would help.

At least, that's been my experience with the VW transmission.
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Re: Loud grinding noise when in reverse

Post by Rope-Pusher »

theholycow wrote:
Rope-Pusher wrote:the shift motion stops dead in it's tracks and she says "You can get up off your knee, and put that lame excuse for a ring back into the Cracker-Jack box you found it in, because I won't be marrying you!" and viola, you're not engaged.
...but that's what I'm saying is not happening. It's not that it's stopping like it won't go no matter how hard you push it until you first move the input shaft a little. It's not stopping at all, it's just the driver who stopped. If he had pushed harder it would have fully engaged...and if he didn't push hard enough, nothing he did with the clutch would help.

At least, that's been my experience with the VW transmission.
Then what DO you think is happening to cause the thing that isn't the thing I was talking about and why don't you think it is the thing I am talking about?

Blocking due to gear misalignment doesn't always result in an impenetrable blockade. If the pointing on the side face of the gear teeth hasn't been dulled and you push hard enough, you can make the idler gear rotate the input shaft until the gear on it aligns with the idler gear.
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Re: Loud grinding noise when in reverse

Post by theholycow »

I don't know, but usually the solution was to shove the shifter rather than to do any fancy footwork. I was guessing some kind of shifter detent or something about the way the synchros engage.
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Re: Loud grinding noise when in reverse

Post by Maggiolone »

VW reverse gears on manual transmissions are quirky.

I've driven both MKI and MKVIs in manual in reverse, and they both act the same. It's best to shift into reverse 2x with those cars before actually driving it, to make sure you won't strip a gear.

It's an annoying sound when you think you pushed down, left and up on the shifter and you'll still hear "wrrrrrrrgh." and you don't move. Happened to me once while pulling up at a mechanic; he wasn't too pleased.
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