It is never pleasant to notice 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 continues on your Mini Mini 3? Any gearbox issue can be severe, but before making sure, it is better to do a few inspections. Our team has made this paper to help you solve it. First, we will see what the origins and the different gearbox noises can be on Mini Mini 3, and second, what are the solutions available to you.
Classical reverse Mini Mini 3 noises and some tips to look after your gearbox
Why does the reversing of my Mini Mini 3 make a different noise from my other speeds?
De facto, adding all gears, bearings and pinions into a gearbox is a difficult exercise. The noise made by the reversing of your Mini Mini 3 is logical. It can be explained in a fairly simple way. Indeed, 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 more quiet than with spur gears used for the reverse gear.
Tips to reduce wear on your clutch and gearbox
- Don’t give a big boost:
In fact, 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. Indeed, 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 listen to a reverse noise on your Mini Mini 3 if you shift gear under these conditions.
Different Mini Mini 3 reversing noises and their origins
Finally in this section, we will move on to what you are probably most interested in this document, to find out about the origin of reversing noise on Mini Mini 3. Here are the 3 typical sounds you may be victim of.
I find out a grinding noise when starting in reverse gear
If you notice a grinding noise when you start in reverse with your Mini Mini 3, 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 generated by the gearbox are higher and it is therefore plausible that due to their wear the silentblocks no longer absorb the engine vibrations well. In this circumstance, do not hesitate to check this content for more information about strut mount noises on Mini Mini 3.
An increased reverse knocking noise on Mini Mini 3X
If you are subject to a knocking noise when you are in reverse with your Mini Mini 3 and this noise tends to increase as you gain speed. It is plausible that you are confronting a serious issue that needs to be solved rather quickly before wrecking your entire gearbox. Indeed, an intensifying rattling noise means that the gears are damaged. If they are, debris will spread to the rest of the box and damage other gears quickly. Take your car to your repair shop quickly or check out this content about gearbox noise on Mini Mini 3 for more details.
I notice 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 Mini Mini 3 reverse gear makes more noise than before, it is plausible that filings have been produced and are moving around in it. It is therefore time to empty the box.
