TheScarletPimpernel

In time I'm going to do a proper post motorm on the gearbox, I've seen videos on YouTube of a shaft that breaks inside the gearbox or strips its teeth and leaves the sump full of metal as mine was.

Hi mike, I actually thought I'd posted somewhere silly and nobody had seen this post. I do understand that I was after specific information regarding my problem. The fact is that eBay is full of cheap voyagers with the same fault as mine and I'm obviously not the first to encounter this problem. The cheapest quote I received for a rebuild was £1900! I ended up working blind with very little information because I still haven't found a "Haynes manual" or similar specifically for my diesel auto model. It was very disappointing to post as a newbie on any forum and wait over 3 weeks for any kind of response or information from anyone. I've been on Toyota/Bmw/Mazda/Volvo and Renault forums in the past and the responses are instant from people who have been there and done that. Regarding the amount of oil in the auto box I lost everything mainly from tipping it up to service it through the differential on the bench. Once it was reunited with the car I then ran it after first putting in 5 litres and seeing it on the dipstick + measuring what came out of the oil cooler return pipe (the closest one to the bell housing) until I saw clean oil, I then reconnected it up and continued topping up after test drives to get it up to temperature (85deg) . I'd bought 10litres of oil and I've around 1 left. I believe that people are over stressing the gearboxes of these cars by towing big caravans and filling them with people and luggage simply because they are a large vehicle with a big engine and they believe they can take this punishment which they obviously can't. Hopefully this one lasts a long time if it's treated well and serviced often. Best regards TheScarletPimpernel

Finally a reply! Thanks Mike, well just to update the original post I have my car sorted. I bought a 2nd hand box and torque converter for £350 from the scrapyard from a vehicle with a wrecked engine. It was a gamble due to being unable to test the transmission, but I took a chance. I changed the transmission in the driveway by myself using large axle stands various blocks of wood and 3 jacks. It wasn't as hard as expected and took a day and a half from start to finish. I changed the filter in the new box and bought the correct atf+4 fluid, also on initial start up I took off the oil return pipe from the oil cooler and put it in a jug to clean it out as I was concerned metal fragments had got into it, and ran it until I saw clean oil come through whilst topping up. It took a long time to get the level correct and in the end I think it took in total 9 litres. The car flew through mot and a new timing belt and tensioner kit has just arrived (£110) including locking tools. While looking for a gearbox I was told that a manual conversion could be done with the gearbox flyweel and clutch from a 2.5 diesel and if I wasn't lucky enough to get a good gearbox that was the route I was going down as they are in plentiful supply and cheap. I'm very pleased with myself and I've ended up with a cracking low mileage car for under a £1000 including everything. This forum has been absolutely no help whatsoever unfortunately and I really don't see much point in ever posting again tbh. Kind regards TheScarletPimpernel

Hi, new to this forum and any advice/info greatly appreciated. I've just purchased a 2007 2.8 crd auto voyager with 60k with no reverse and only 1 forward gear. On removal of sump pan and filter I've found significant fragments of metal, I've resigned myself to the fact that the box is scrap. Now searching for a 2nd hand gearbox I've encountered problems, does anyone know if the 2.5 box is the same? And one scrapyard told me that the Kia Sedona uses the same box? I think mine is a 4 speed and that the problems started with the shift solenoids and it was revved hard killing the clutches, only identifying marks I've found on my gearbox are : 966-23 AE , this is stamped into the casing. Thanks in advance all