Tranny has gotten a little louder last few days. Took it on a trip to the city today, about 200 miles. On the way back it was getting louder then I got on it in traffic. Now 1,2,3 & 5 make a horrible knocking noise, similar to a rod knocking. I would say flywheel or clutch but it's dead quiet in 4th. I think 4th is 1:1 ratio so I'm sure that has something to do with it. Any guesses on what I tore up now before I tear it apart tomorrow?

 

Start with checking the fluid and pull the inspection plate and check the clutch

 

Fluid level is fine. How would a clutch issue make noise in every gear but 4th? Clutch and flywheel are fairly new

 

SMF or DMF ?

 

Single mass

 

I can't remember what the beating is called someone will chime in with the name, the bearing between the input and output shafts. It is located in the input shaft inside the tranny. While driving that is the only bearing that is not moving in 4th gear because the input and output shaft are coupled together.

I would find it really hard to believe it is a clutch weither smf or dmf with it being dead silent in 4th but really loud in all other gears

 

Is it called the pocket bearing?

 

Pocket bearing sounds right

 

Well pocket bearing is fine. The input shaft gear and 4th gear are chewed up. Debating ordering parts or a different tranny. This one is a S5-42 with a build date of 11/22/89. Would a newer s42 be any better? Would a S47 be a worthwhile upgrade? Or just rebuild mine and go on?

 

S5-47 is somewhat of an upgrade. They have a little bit lower gears except for 4th and OD, and the syncros are a little beefier.

 

Well that would make since but if the input gear and 3rd gear ( you referred to 4th) is chewed up then the counter shaft is probably not in the greatest shape either and probably needs replaced at that point it will probably be cheaper to buy a reman and exchange it.

 

All of the diagrams refer to it as the countershaft 4th gear. The rest of the gears on the countershaft look fine. Why would it need replaced?

 

Is the input gear and 3rd gear damaged from something going threw them or is it pitted. Does the counter shaft look in good condition and no pitting

 

I'm deviating from the initial post, but I have some questions that I can't seem to find the answers to. Maybe some of you experts can educate me. 1) I have a ZF S5-42 tranny hooked up to a BW1356 transfer case. I cannot seem to find a manual shift linkage ANYWHERE for this combination. 2) I had a C-6 in my truck before the ZF. Now I can't figure out how to hook up the backup lights. O'Reilly's and NAPA both gave me a switch that was listed to work in the ZF transmission, but there is no place to install it. Any ideas out there?

 

For the linkage, have you checked with a junk yard? A 87-95 4X4 truck with a ZF5, gas or diesel, should have what you need.
The reverse light switch is located on the drivers side, about 10-12 inches back, towards the top of the tranny. It takes a 2 wire plug/pigtail, which I have purchased from NAPA.