It is never enjoyable to perceive a sound on your car that you don’t know where it comes from. You may be thinking what to do when you find a reversing gear noise that persists on your Alfa Romeo 159? Any gearbox trouble can be important, but before making sure, it is better to do a few inspections. Our team has created this content page to support you deal with it. First, we will see what the sources and the different gearbox noises can be on Alfa Romeo 159, and second, what are the solutions available to you.
Classical reverse Alfa Romeo 159 noises and some tips to maintain your gearbox
Why does the reversing of my Alfa Romeo 159 make a different noise from my other speeds?
De facto, integrating all gears, bearings and pinions into a gearbox is a difficult process. The sound created by the reversing of your Alfa Romeo 159 is logical. It can be explained in a fairly simple way. In fact, the gears used for conventional speeds (1st to 5th or 6th) are so-called “helical” gears (oblique gears) . The use of such a pinion makes the noise caused by the gears less strong than with spur gears implemented for the reverse gear.
Tips to reduce wear on your clutch and gearbox
- Don’t give a big boost:
Certainly, if you kick the throttle hard when you are in reverse or when you put the car in the revs, you risk to burn your clutch or gnawing at the gearbox pinions. - Never reverse while the car is in motion or vice versa:
Reversing the direction of operation of the gearbox during operation is a very bad plan. In fact, the pressure you will exert on the gears will be monumental and you will produce a premature wear and tear of the gears. You can even break the gears of your gearbox at speed by doing so. It will therefore be completely normal if you perceive a reverse noise on your Alfa Romeo 159 if you shift gear under these conditions.
Several Alfa Romeo 159 reversing noises and their causes
Finally in this section, we will move on to what you are probably most interested in this content, to learn about the cause of reversing noise on Alfa Romeo 159. Here are the 3 typical noises you may be victim of.
I experience a grinding noise when starting in reverse gear
If you perceive a grinding noise when you start in reverse with your Alfa Romeo 159, it may be the engine mounts that are tired. Certainly, when the engine is in reverse gear, due to the pinions we saw above the vibrations produced by the gearbox are higher and it is therefore possible that due to their wear the silentblocks no longer absorb the engine vibrations well. In this circumstance, do not hesitate to read this content for more info about strut mount noises on Alfa Romeo 159.
An increased reverse knocking noise on Alfa Romeo 159X
If you are subject to a knocking noise when you are in reverse with your Alfa Romeo 159 and this noise tends to increase as you gain speed. It is possible that you are confronting a serious trouble that needs to be solved rather quickly before ruining your entire gearbox. In fact, an intensifying rattling noise means that the gears are damaged. If they are, debris will propagate to the rest of the box and damage other gears in short order. Take your car to your mechanic quickly or browse this article about gearbox noise on Alfa Romeo 159 for more details.
I perceive a noise when I go in reverse
Experiencing a noise when you shift into reverse is normal and relating to the gears and sprockets used in the gearbox. If, on the other hand, you have the feeling that your Alfa Romeo 159 reverse gear makes more noise than before, it is possible that filings have been created and are moving around in it. It is therefore time to empty the box.
