# At what point do I need to get the bell housing fixed?



## hairyaardvark (Feb 7, 2010)

Guys, your advice please.

My GTR has recently started with the well known dinner-plate rattle from the bell housing, but ONLY when accelerating over rough ground, not all the time.

Is this too early for a successful warranty claim and fix, in your opinions?

My car is kinda late to the party - a 59 plate with 28k miles. Surprised it hasn't had the problem before now tbh.

Cheers
David R


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## SamboGrove (Jun 27, 2010)

I'm wondering the same thing. Have my 18 month service at litchfields in april so gonna get Iain to take a look then. He did mention there was some play on it last service and to keep an eye on it. At the moment its no louder than any of the other rattles/noices the beast makes anyway so not too concerned.


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## HSimon (Jun 4, 2008)

Just got mine back from having the bell housing done, and its so smooth and quiet now. I was told, this was the modified part, that i had fitted, so we will see how long it lasts, regards, SIMON.


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## charles charlie (May 3, 2008)

When mine went on the M6 it was not a pleasant experience so my advice is get it done as soon as you first notice it.

You'll be amazed how smooth your car should run once it's done.


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## fozi.g (Sep 3, 2007)

looking forward to getting mine done next week. The rattling's driving me mad!!


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## tomgtr (May 24, 2008)

Wasnt the dinner plate rattle related to springs on calipers? Mine does that. Car just got a new gear box so hope I won't have to give the car in again for another fix.


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## OldBob (Oct 18, 2010)

Yes the "dinner plate rattle" comes from the rear over certain surfaces etc and others have shown in their case that this has been related to the rear brake retaining springs. The bell housing rattle obviously isn't from the rear (but where the bell housing is ;-) .. from inside the car it appears to come from underneath and forward of where the CD player area is. Search and you'll find it rattles on tickover, mainly abates as you rev and can cause vibration at speeds IIR. so quite different to the dinner plate stuff.
When I was under the car at Litchfield we could move the front end of prop shaft about 2-3mm up, down and side to side which is probably excessive play and as a result I'm probably going to get it seen to too at next service point. 
Although the rattle isn't horrible on tickover although I can convince myself I can feel a bit of a vib/rumble around a ton, but this could just be hypercardria 
Sure others will put me straight if I've got it wrong.


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## OldBob (Oct 18, 2010)

Aardvark, do you have a aftermarket Zorst? I only ask because for a while after I had a Milltek fitted (on MY10) I would get a tinny rattle when accelerating hard over a bumpy surface. Turned out to be one of the undertray cooling fins touching the mid exhaust support arm when the tray flexed. There was only a few mm clearance and putting a few washers on to move the tray down a further 4-5mm at that corner solved the problem.


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## HSimon (Jun 4, 2008)

I had a look at the removed, old bell housing on my car, and the coupling moved up and down by a few mm. I was quite surprised by just how much play there was, no wonder they rattle. I hope the modded, if indeed they are modded, version, will last a lot longer.


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## hairyaardvark (Feb 7, 2010)

Some very interesting comments, thanks chaps.

OldBob - yes i do indeed have a Milltek Race system fitted! And the commencement of this noise about 3 months ago might well be around the time it went on. Need to check my dates.

So now there are two possible culprits for the noise - brake springs and backbox .... definitely coming from the rear, and only on bumpy bits in the road - so probably not the bell housing after all.

Actually if it is the brakes then I'm not worried. And if it does turn out to be the exhaust then I'll ask Litchfields to sort it next time I'm in. Either way I'd be chuffed if that was all it was.

thanks all
David R


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## OldBob (Oct 18, 2010)

Aardvark its not the back box bit. In my case it was just after where the mid section joins the rear section (pre back box), ie about half way along the car slightly to the left. The sound transmitted such that it appeared to come from the rear right for some reason as well as underneath. I can send pictures if you need and sure Iain knows where. The undertray front is held by a few bolts. If you look from the front the right hand side is where the exhaust runs just next to the tray. The supporting arm of the exhaust runs within about 5mm of the front edge of the first fin of the tray and as the tray flexes it clatters the arm and transmits a rattle throughout the tray. For me simply putting two to three washers in between the tray and car on the nearest bolt to the exhaust pipe moved the touch point far enough away such that a wheel hop whilst booting it over bumps doesn't make any noise at all.
Might be the same for you..if MY 10 and Milltek


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## charles charlie (May 3, 2008)

I'll just add that the noises which preceded my BH failure seemed to emanate from the rear passenger wheel area, and not from the front as one might imagine.


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## OldBob (Oct 18, 2010)

^interesting CC, was that a noise/vib or what on the move or ticking over? what do you think the reckoning behind it coming from there is? Oh well Aard looks like I might have given you a bit of a bum steer!


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## hairyaardvark (Feb 7, 2010)

Thanks for the tips chaps .... I'll bear these all in mind, and update this thread when I get to the bottom of it.

cheers
DR


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## robsm (Jul 22, 2008)

http://www.courtesyparts.com/32040x-flywheel-housing-gtr-r35-2009-2011-gr6-p-637161.html

Is this the part that's replaced? anything else?


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## HSimon (Jun 4, 2008)

That looks like the fella.


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## Steve (Sep 21, 2001)

Any adverse noises - sort them quickly as could be very expensive.
What I find interesting about all these Bell house noises and brake whatever noises is that my car, as most of you know, is, dare I say - an "import" and I to date, have had no issues with any of this. I track my car, I have used it of a Europe tour of the hellish passes, I did a Tour of Scotland last year and nothing seems to untoward with my car (I think, hope and pray LOL) 17k miles and going strong and looking forward to first track day at CC on 18th Feb


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## WingedBeast1968 (Sep 18, 2009)

Few people come here to say the car has not ...
No issues with mine so far, since September 2009. Doh! That's blown it.


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## GRowsell (Feb 6, 2007)

Steve said:


> Any adverse noises - sort them quickly as could be very expensive......


I'd agree with that...

When I first got my R35, I posted up on here to say it had some terrible noises, but was assured that 'they do that' and 'you'll get used to it'.

It wasn't till it went into Litchfield to get the new gearbox software (and a few other bits :blahblah: ) that Iain said it was the nosiest bell housing they'd heard. 

I did wonder whether that's like when a girlfriend tells you that you've got a huge w!lly (always worries me how many they've seen to justify that comment :runaway: ), but when the gearbox software had got rid of all the horrible transmission shunting noises, and I had the Miltec Y pipe swapped for a silenced one, it really highlighted quite how bad the bell housing was.

Thankfully it's due back from Middlehurst this morning (only took them nearly 3 weeks :chairshot ) with one of the new design bell-housings (KB02A instead of the original JF02A).

Should be as quiet as a Lexus now :nervous:


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## enshiu (Aug 20, 2010)

so different bellhousings in JDM, USDM, EDM,SA and ADM cars?


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## GLOXN (Aug 7, 2011)

Got mine going to Middlehurst tomorrow for 30 month service and suspected bell housing rattle. Is there a shortage of parts? How can you tell if you get the upgraded part or not? Do they give you any paperwork for the "recall" work?


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## HSimon (Jun 4, 2008)

GLOXN said:


> Got mine going to Middlehurst tomorrow for 30 month service and suspected bell housing rattle. Is there a shortage of parts? How can you tell if you get the upgraded part or not? Do they give you any paperwork for the "recall" work?


I didnt get any paperwork with mine last week, but was told, that it had received the new bellhousing.


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## lewis-s (Jul 4, 2011)

im sure my bell housing is on the way out, but im not sure if the noises im hearing are just the normal rattles/clanks that the transmission makes. ive had the car down to my local nissan dealer and they insist that its fine. should i push this further or am i just bein paranoid??


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## GRowsell (Feb 6, 2007)

Mine is back now... With the 'new design' bell housing... but I've already been on the phone to Middlehurst because it still rattles!

Not as bad maybe, but I wasn't expecting to hear any rattle.

Middlehurst say that the 2012 bell housing, which mine now has, is noisy even on the new 2012 cars they are having delivered in.

I was asked if i wanted to send it back, but was warned that because my car has been boosted, Nissan's policy is to only cover one bell-housing under warranty. Ironically, he told me not to use the 'new map' (Litchfield's map) until I decided on the way forward???

Middlehurst is currently quoting circa £800 for the bell-housing and £200 for ancilaries (plus probably some even more frightening price for labour)... So it certainly want's doing under warranty, even if it still isn't perfect!


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## fozi.g (Sep 3, 2007)

GRowsell said:


> Mine is back now... With the 'new design' bell housing... but I've already been on the phone to Middlehurst because it still rattles!
> 
> Not as bad maybe, but I wasn't expecting to hear any rattle.
> 
> ...



mate are you serious?? sorry to hear that. i thought the noise would of dramatically dropped. there are guys on here that have said that after the b/h change they don't hear any rattle at all which is what i would expect. 

And im really surprised that they said they would only do one b/h change when there have been others that have had the swap only to find there replacement was just as nosiy as their first (like yours i suppose) and have then got that one replaced too. what would be an idea is if Middlehursts could let you listen to a 2012 car so you could compare. all together it doesn't sound right though. 

i'm literally in the process of getting mine done and i dont want to have the same issue.


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## HSimon (Jun 4, 2008)

Just to add a little more fellas, i moved my car out of the garage yesterday briefly, and on warm up, i could hear a very slight rattle/murmour again, but i think this is more the standard tranny noises. I havent had a good drive since getting the GT-R back yet. But, it is certainly dramatically quieter than it was before, at this moment in time anyway. Im praying it stays that way as well. Did anyone here have their bellhousing fixed by Carplanet, before their troubles, because didnt they press an uprated bearing, or such like into the existing housing, and if so, is the fix still working/quiet ?, regards, SIMON.


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## gtrsam (Oct 27, 2005)

I think you should take a minute and follow this link its seems there is an explanation and a fix for this problem .....
Reason for Bellhousing TSB - NAGTROC - The Nissan GT-R Owners Club
It also explains why it doesn't help to change to the new bellhousing in many cases .
Took me a few seconds to find this through google .
enjoy


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## nikodemus (Sep 27, 2011)

gtrsam said:


> I think you should take a minute and follow this link its seems there is an explanation and a fix for this problem .....
> Reason for Bellhousing TSB - NAGTROC - The Nissan GT-R Owners Club
> It also explains why it doesn't help to change to the new bellhousing in many cases .
> Took me a few seconds to find this through google .
> enjoy


Well this seems like a much more cost effective way of getting the issue fixed and means the issue is not so serious, right?


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## enshiu (Aug 20, 2010)

Doesn't really help changing the bellhousing again. JDM ones have the circlip as Jurgen says. others don't have. Why did they design different bellhousings!


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## ChuckUK (Jan 1, 2009)

Must be someone over here that can produce some shims like those ? seems a great solution.


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## enshiu (Aug 20, 2010)

willall does them and maybe bulk shipping?

http://www.willallracing.com.au/transmission.htm#wr35tsb


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## GLOXN (Aug 7, 2011)

Got my GT-R back from 30 month service at Middlehurst. They said that it doesn't have the Bell Housing Rattle, but, even if it had had, there are no parts available at present so would have given car back to me anyway.
Having read last few posts here I am glad that my Bell Housing not been changed, however I can hear a rattling noise from under car on tickover when hot, but it must be "normal". It is only noticeable when drivers door is open in the garage.
Anyone know if there are discussions back at Nissan about this recall and a proper fix?


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## enshiu (Aug 20, 2010)

Well the proper fix would be the circlip on the bellhousing they have put on the JDM cars. This would stop the shaft moving which causes the rattle.


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## GRowsell (Feb 6, 2007)

enshiu said:


> Well the proper fix would be the circlip on the bellhousing they have put on the JDM cars. This would stop the shaft moving which causes the rattle.


Do you mean a circlip or the shim that the NAGTROC guys are using?

What worries me about the shimming, is that I would think that Nissan had left that tolerance to allow for expansion of the [carbon fibre?] shaft.

I have been told (as most rumours start) that it's not the longitudinal movement that is the real issue, which is what the shims would treat... but it's when the shaft starts to wobble and wear the bell-housing itself, which is when you hear the grinding noises.

It does seem very odd that Nissan have taken 3 years of fairly expensive warranty claims (circa £3k a time) to develop a new bell-housing that would appear to rattle right from the outset :chairshot


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## enshiu (Aug 20, 2010)

Jurgen has one bellhousing with the circlip and the shim would also help the rattle.

I am not sure where the bellhousings are made. The accelerator is ''made in China'' so maybe also the TSB?


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## Jm-Imports (Feb 12, 2007)

JDM and EDM is different..

the JDM R35 bellhousings have a circlip on the end of the shaft so it does not move, the edm cars have no circlip and the shaft moves..

The early JDM bellhousings were all recalled i belive by JAPAN dealers and corrected and then after all JDM cars from a certain year and month came like that from factory.

we have a UK 2010 bellhousing here thats 2 years newer than my JDM and has no circlip.

so no idea why the UK one was not rectified at factory,.


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## enshiu (Aug 20, 2010)

Jurgen photo please to show the difference.

I think all Housings are affected. 

http://minkara.carview.co.jp/userid/1324007/car/997384/1756756/note.aspx

Especially 12.07-02.08 ones also.


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## GRowsell (Feb 6, 2007)

Jm-Imports said:


> ...a UK 2010 bellhousing here thats 2 years newer than my JDM and has no circlip.
> 
> so no idea why the UK one was not rectified at factory,.


That's what I can't get my head round... there must be a reason why Nissan are sending Japanese cars out different to European cars. Is it our temperature variations (or rougher roads) that require more tolerance on the shaft?


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## enshiu (Aug 20, 2010)

I think it's the rougher road in the UK. Japanese roads are smooth in comparison. Or many people complained in Japan for this.


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## fozi.g (Sep 3, 2007)

Just a quick update. I got my car back today after getting a new bellhousing fitted. I'm amazed at what a difference it makes. I only now realised how noisy my car was before I got it done!!

Once again Ancasters have come up trumps. Got the job done in a day which i thought was a pretty quick turnaround and sorted out a few other niggles i had with the car. Nice one :thumbsup:


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## hairyaardvark (Feb 7, 2010)

Good news - glad to hear it is sorted.
My GTR has been tucked up in the garage for the last few weeks, I've been braving the snow in my Focus RS ..... but I need to get back onto this issue. From earlier opinions above, mine is most likely to be a knocking exhaust, but will ask the right honourable gents at Litchfield to diagnose it properly i think.


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## PKB (Nov 16, 2014)

Speak to Andy @ AC Speedtech in Warrington - he was the top man at Carplanet and can sort all your issues out, shims, circlips etc.

Top bloke too !


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