Cracks in FWD gearbox.. serious ? pics.

[blakeg]

was checking out stuff on my car thinking my front engine mount had let go. it has however what really disturbs me are these cracks are they big a problem or what ? im stressing fellas its one hit after another with this car its doing my head in

[oldcorollas]

are you sure they are cracks, and not just surface defects from casting?

i dunno how you can easily check for sure.. maybe try tapping a small hammer on either side of the crack and see if it sounds dull (compared to other parts) or different on either side?

if the bellhousing was involved in an accident previously, then it could be cracked.. but if it hasn't, it seems a bti unusual...


if the cracks are only in the bellhousing.. then it is not that much of a pain to change..

[blakeg]

well the front engine mount had let got, but i still needed to get to work so it had been knocking on the bottom and top of the mount on acc and decel ... but i dunno

[oldcorollas]

in that case, it could be farked

if it is cracked, it should sound "dull" when you hit with hammer... or at least duller than the non-cracked areas...

give it a bash (no pun intended)

[Vios-GT_07]

i feel your pain....

is that a ST162 u're talking about?? if it is i have two horror stories, one regarding engine mount, and one regarding a ST162's structure and suspension.. PM me for more details

[LeeRoy]

Maybe pull the rubber dust cover around the clutch fork and see if you can look into the bellhousing and see if these cracks are all the way through. If you cant get a good look then maybe pull the box/bellhousing off to see.

[abently]

Don't bash it with a a hammer and just leave it. Put in good Engine mounts and only pull the gearbox off when chunks of the bell housing fall off. And trust me that maybe in 500,000k's if your unlucky. Remember the saying, don't fix it if it ain't broke, which it isn't yet and won't be till you unbolt the gearbox from the block.

From the pictures it only looks like one major crack, so not two cracks which may form a huge chunk to dislodge etc.......

If you want, take it to someone with a hoist and tig. Put the car up on the hoist, grinds those cracks down 5mm deep and get it welded. Would save pulling the box out and probably be cheap insurance to save the box for the cost of $50-100.

[oldcorollas]

and how much do you think a bellhousing would cost

[Cuzzo]

Im thinking its just from the casting. I have seen marks like that before on cast things.

[swan86]

Without looking at it up close, pics look like casting defect, where the material hasn't flowed evenly into the mold.

[Aust162]

both my s53 and my t50s had similar cracks in the gearbox.. defects in the casting+age is what i thought it was..

[cambelt]

100% normal casting marks , many toyota cast things have those lines om them .
Dave

[toddw]

100% normal casting marks , many toyota cast things have those lines om them .
Dave

I agree. I have seen this on numerous occations. Don't worry as it is normal.

[clubagreenie]

The metallurgist says hit it with a hammer.

The JMBY says don't. Just TIG it for the same price or more than a second hand replacement.

[fandio]

its pretty common, seen a few 4a gear boxes the same. but were only surface cracks from casting