I'm just wondering, what are the risks of buying a used gearbox? Obviously, if the car it's coming from is a breaker or the gearbox is one sat on a shelf, there's not going to be much chance of testing it. I was thinking of getting whatever I buy rebuilt before fitting it anyway. If I did end up unwittingly getting a lemon, what are the likely worst case scenarios cost wise?
Thanks ;D
The cost of a new gearbox! If it breaks then it will be cheaper to buy another gearbox rather than repair it. If the gearbox you are after wasn't trying to put down more than 180hp then it is probably ok. The only think that can go bad with these boxes when used normally is wear on the bearings and you can feel the vibrations they produce long before the bearing breaks.
if you're buying from a company rather than just a person, see if they offer any kind of warranty on the parts. Some do, some don't.
The risk is that the gearbox is useless and not worth a penny and you've essentially got zero come-back.
If you're paying a lot of money, go and look at it first and see if it looks OK, selects all gears and rotates in all gears by hand with no weird noises or anything.
It's always a risk buying a 2nd gearbox especially as they are known for stripping gears - I bought one from a member and spent a shit load buying it and collecting it, did a couple of track days and 5th gear stripped and was money down the drain.
Thanks for the responses. Although my 8p gearbox appears to be in good shape, I'd really love to have slightly longer ratios and possibly an LSD.
Whilst I have my car off the road, I'd like to look into getting an ATV box in there. How interchangeable are the parts between boxes such as an 8p and ATV? Are the important bits mostly the same, or are there lots of differences?