Click, click! From the gearbox?!

[joerg]

Hi folks,

as you already know, I'm pretty new to the C5 (bought my first one back in February) and still need to get some more experience with the vehicle.

I recently noticed a click noise when I press the motor switch. It only happens on the drive away (guess the motor is under heavy load then) when I don't support it with the pedals. It usually clicks 2-3 times (every two seconds or so) and then disappears when reaching a certain speed. When pedaling from the start, the sound doesn't appear.
If you drive the C5 for a few kilometers and the battery voltage has dropped a bit already, the clicking noise is gone.
If the wheel is almost completely blocked (if you forget to release the parking brake for example), the clicking doesn't occur.

Is the gearbox broken? What do you think? And how to fix the problem? Any ideas/suggestions/offers are very welcome. )

Thanks in advance,

Jörg

[PLOD11]

Sounds very much like the belt is slipping ....

Check the tightnes of the belt and make sure it is adjusted correctly and sitting on the plastic shelf and not slipped off.

Have a look through the forum there are many tutorials on this and some pics to explain it.

John

[C5 ENTHUSIAST + RESTORER]

Hi there first of all you should never engage the motor before peddling up to speed ....

It sounds like the gearbox teeth are worn??? or that the motor support is not in place under the gearbox .....Any chance of some photos of the motor/gearbox with the drive wheel off ....

bye Chas

[Karl]

View this link ;

http://c5alive.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,1181.msg15044.html#msg15044

..hopefully this should solve your problem. If not, then you may need to dismantle the gear box and etc and take a look.

Shame you're not a little closer so I could take a look !

[joerg]

Hi all,

thanks for your support so far. I am now working on it and will keep you updated.

I have uploaded some pictures to my webspace:

http://joerg-sawatzki.net/c5/gearbox/

Jörg

[Lancealot]

Hi You will need to strip down the motor / gearbox. There looks like a small crack down one of the vains of the gear cog. Also there is quite a bit of fillings that is due to no greese on drive, axle and gearbox.

Lance

[joerg]

Hi,

yes, there's indeed something that doesn't look very good, you can see it here:


And here are some pictures from the inside of the gearbox:




These pictures and some more can be found here.
http://joerg-sawatzki.net/c5/gearbox2/

Any help would be very appreciated )

Thanks in advance,

Jörg

[C5 ENTHUSIAST + RESTORER]

Hi there great photo's but the one that I would like to see is one that shows the motor shaft to see if the small bearings have broken of  it  ..bye Chas ....Also there seems to be a lot of wear on the belt as if it has been slipping.....

[joerg]

Hi,

here are some more photos:

First of all, another question: The connectors on the outside of the brushes look a bit worn out:



Should I replace the brushes? Where to get a replacement for them?

And here are some more photos as requested by Chas:





And here's the full set of photos:
http://joerg-sawatzki.net/c5/gearbox3/

As far as I can see (keep in mind that I am not very experienced) nothing inside the gearbox looks worn out. Just the gear cog on the outside....But maybe I'm wrong...

Chas, have you still got the gearbox metal insets for sale? Could that help?

Thanks,

Jörg

[radiomarty]

Your output drive cog is damaged as you rightly say - however it is the longer type and looking at your original pictures it seems the belt is sitting clear of the damage -  worth seeing if the belt moves into the damaged area when it is running (prop up the drive wheel and watch operation)- it maybe the case of a damaged belt / incorrectly tensioned belt if not I would pursue the cog replacement from Chas as goldfinger did this with the same amount of minimal damage to the cog (however it was the shorter type)

[marra]

Hi J. As Marty said, could just be as simple as incorrect setting and belt damage. Before you reassemble the gearbox to motor check the 2 small shaft bearings on end are lubed correctly, and pushed down fully. There should not be that gap between the 2, the outer may be spinning on inner collar than the roller itself . thanks m

[Karl]

. There should not be that gap between the 2, the outer may be spinning on inner collar than the roller itself . thanks m

I agree with Marra - there should not be that gap between the two sets of bearings in the end of the armature

[C5 ENTHUSIAST + RESTORER]

Hi there Joerg I have had another look at the photos and I cannot see anything wrong with the gearbox only the small bearing at the end that may have moved when you removed the gearbox also a couple of the teeth are chipped ..The only thing I see is that the belt has worn ,The question is why .What I would suggest is to put  it all back and fit a new belt ..Then try it out ...Then get back to us ...It could be that the large cog has been fitted without the thin washers so when you put the wheel nut on  the there is no play on the large cog ...You should be able to lift up the back of the C5 and turn the wheel backwards very easily if it's tight then you may have to put some more washer between the large cog and the motor mount ...If you Want you can ring me email sent ..Bye Chas

[joerg]

Hi there...
...you are probably right. I have had a closer look at the cogs inside the gearbox and I simply cannot find any cracks or something like that. Just on the outside of the outside cog, but as far as I can see, the belt (it's a 15mm belt) is not really touching that part of the cog.
I had exactly the same loud clicking noise at the beginning when I got the C5 - I turned the motor + gearbox a bit in the motor mount to tighten the belt and it was gone. Now it doesn't want to go away.
I'll try with a new belt, as soon as it stops raining here in good old northern germany

And Chas: Even if the new belt fixes the problem for now, I'll definitely buy two of your metal inserts as soon as you have them available )

Thanks,

Jörg

[C5 ENTHUSIAST + RESTORER]

Hi there I think you will be ok with a new 18mm belt as long as it is not to loose or to tight and the Gearbox/motor is sitting on the lip on the motor mount ...Don't forget  to put a couple of the thin washers on the axle gear slider before fitting the large cog .Snd when the wheel has been fitted just turn it to see that it is not to tight... I left you my phone number if you want to ring me .All the best
Bye Chas