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My GT is in with the Indie at present for a couple of jobs.
One of the faults is that the paddle shift became intermittent.
My Indie has checked everything, including running jump wires from the paddle shift to the gearbox to eliminate a broken wire being the cause.
It turns out that the Mechatronic unit within the gearbox had failed. They look like this;
The rub is that they are £1,800 from Bentley, plus £1,800 refundable deposit on return of the old unit.
There is a company in Sussex that supply recon' units for £925 with a £250 deposit, but they can't guarantee to have one before I go over to France in a week or so. Can't delay the visit either or I would wait.
Catch 22 then. I am once again a victim of Bentley prices.
They are easy to replace and I was having a trans' fluid change anyway, but to fail at around 60K miles is a bit of a joke.
Being optimistic, I have to think that there can't be much else to go wrong!
I reckon most of my buddies are too busy on the circuit in the Middle East.
The thought does cross ones mind from time to time though!
Oddly enough, talking to my Indie last week, he was saying that they have a few customers with GT's that have covered over 140K miles. I must have just been unlucky, or I drive it too hard. I just love those paddle shifts.
.......... There is a company in Sussex that supply recon' units for £925 with a £250 deposit, but they can't guarantee to have one before I go over to France in a week or so. Can't delay the visit either or I would wait. ..........
Try www.mackie-transmission.com/ in Glasgow for an exchange Mechatronic unit. they may be able to supply or do a faster turnaround on recon of your own.
We had an IB jaguarforums meeting there last year with a tour of their facilities. Impressive setup.
Thanks but one is on order from Bentley. I'm off to France next week so need the car back asap unfortunately.
I did try Sussex auto parts who are ZF agents, but it was up to 7 working days for delivery. Too long at the mo'.
as you know the Maserati and the Bentley are sharing the same ZF 6 speed gear box and they are almost unbreakable!
maybe you should not use those paddles too much...anyway, they are so slow that I don't see their usefulness.
keeping the car in ''speed'' mode will do, you might wear the brakes pad a little faster.... but its cheaper!
I am once again a victim of Bentley prices.
/QUOTE]
It is an expensive hobby.
It certainly can be. I should have ignored the missus and bought a 2 door pillarless 57 Chevy Bell Air with a blown 350 small block and modern running gear. That would have been much less trouble.
Easter Sunday April 16 2017
Hello ExSF are you X San Francisco...I was just reading your replacement of Mechatronics Unit on the 2004 GT, very interesting and expensive. What were symptoms of failure other than intermittent paddle operation. The reason I ask is that I would never notice on my 2010 Speed since I never use the paddles, preferring the manual downshift stick that I use all the time. The few times I used paddles, don't like how they automatically upshift. So I'm guessing there were some other indications of transmission short comings...JimB
Easter Sunday April 16 2017
The few times I used paddles, don't like how they automatically upshift. So I'm guessing there were some other indications of transmission short comings...JimB
Hello Jim,
In reference to the automatic upshift when using the paddles, if you place to trans shifter to the right in the manual position (+/-) then the paddles will hold whatever gear you select with them.
You will never make a Detective old chap!
You missed some clues in earlier posts.
I'm a Brit' and ex UK Military. I will let you work the rest out.
As for the gearbox. The fault with the Mechatronic unit displayed no symptoms apart from an intermittent paddle shift failure.
My Indie did say that a few cars had the same fault but the owners simply didn't bother getting it fixed and just accepted not having paddle shift as the gearbox worked fine otherwise.
I'm of the school of thought that things should work right, even if it costs me ££££.
My Indie, just for your info'. When he was at Bentley he taught the rest of the world on these things. There is nothing he doesn't know about them. Top man for sure.
Happy Easter to All...
Johnny...thanks for the new information on Paddle operation...here in California we have hills that may go on for miles. With my old Toyota 4x4 I used to put in neutral coming down Grapevine (Route 5) and could go 5 miles at 75 mph...yes hairy but fun...same thing over mountains on way to Los Vegas....bragging here...haven't had moving violation or accident in over 50 years.
BACK OT: I see the paddles as a sales gimmick stolen from Formula Cars where they make sense...The Bentley Gear Shifter closest we can get to the 4 on floor have always had...Told that to the Rolls Royce people who wanted to sell us their latest...they have eliminated shifter altogether...didn't Chrysler try that 50 years ago...buttons to change gears...
BACK AGAIN: ExSF...be patient...haven't read all your posts yet...and very glad to hear your mechanic was true expert on ZF transmission. I was concerned because not much pick up from others on your issue, I didn't say anything but I was concerned you did not have correct diagnosis...did you ever find out what component in the Mechatronic went bad...bet SF is Special Forces...Did some time in Little Creek...
The Mechatronic unit goes back as an exchange unit, so you would never find out what was wrong with it. It's full of solenoids and electrics and is a fairly common problem on BMW's too as I have found out via their forum.
Just for info'. I have spent around £14,000 on the car putting things right since I bought it.
My fault for not doing my research and trusting that Bentley would be a quality product.
It is definitely not on par with my last 4 Jaguar XJR's, that's for sure. Nor my Volvo V70 which I've owned for over 11 years and barely spent a penny on!
05-16-2015, 06:44 AM
Another gearbox fault. Mechatronics.
