Talking about gearboxes.

[SteveD]

Lately we've had ME109, Airbear and Equipo5 is now stripping his /5 4 speed.
Other than the sharp junk on the drain magnet, what are the signs that the trannie is about to be a problem?

Is there a feeling thru the footpegs, unusual shifting behaviour....what might they be?

[barryh]

If I'm doing a spline lube I take the opportunity to spin the output flange by hand an expect it to feel and sound smooth.

[Bamboo812]

Popping out of gear, false neutrals and the oil having a silvery sheen are all symptoms. A friends GS would make a loud rattle when taking off in first, his oil came out looking like silver paint!

[Duane Ausherman]

"Other than the sharp junk on the drain magnet"

If you rub this sharp junk between your fingers and can feel it, then it is time to open it up. By saying "sharp junk" I can't imagine that this is good stuff to have run through your bearings.

The sooner that you fix it, the less that it might cost.

[Major Softie]

"Other than the sharp junk on the drain magnet"

If you rub this sharp junk between your fingers and can feel it, then it is time to open it up. By saying "sharp junk" I can't imagine that this is good stuff to have run through your bearings.

The sooner that you fix it, the less that it might cost.

I'm not at all sure there is any "sharp junk." He may have just been making it clear that he knows that is one clear
way to spot trouble.

[SteveD]

"Other than the sharp junk on the drain magnet"

If you rub this sharp junk between your fingers and can feel it, then it is time to open it up. By saying "sharp junk" I can't imagine that this is good stuff to have run through your bearings.
The sooner that you fix it, the less that it might cost.

I'm not at all sure there is any "sharp junk." He may have just been making it clear that he knows that is one clear
way to spot trouble.

Yep. It's the sign most of us dread. I'm after any other signs that might give a clue. Timo added a couple. Are there more? eg vibration or a rough feel through the pegs in certain gears etc?

[ME 109]

My recent output shaft and bearing demise started as a clunking final drive......
Er, not that that saga was played out here.

Sharp (flat) bits are usually pieces of hard facing off gears. perhaps affecting helical gears more. It can only become more sharp pieces.
Increasingly loud whirring noise is another indication. The whirring may disappear when coasting.
Shifting difficulties can be from inaccurate shimming, aside from shift mechanism or fork wear.
Sharp bits or even fuzz, as opposed to the preferred black slime, is a signal for the cover to come off.