Fiat Punto MK2 1.2 2001 noisy gearbox? What is it?

I too have an 04 Mk2 with the same generic problem. There have been a lot of discussions on the internet in the 8 years since the first question was posted here. A whole new small business in Oldham was built around the problem and buys old Punto gearboxes and sells them on refurbished on eBay!
Mine does so few miles and I am gentle with it (which does annoy some boy and girl racers behind me at traffic lights!).
But with the clutch now compromised and coming up for a test, I'll have to do it now. The reason the clutch slips is because oil has got through the front bearing seal after the bearing has chewed itself up a bit. There has been a development of noises on mine over a number of years. First gear whine was the first symptom. Then second. Then a chirping noise which I reckon was the bearing and/or seal beginning to break up, then third gear whine, then noticeable clutch slip on hills when warm and a bit of judder.

Depressing the clutch when idle stops the noise, so I detect mine is definitely an input shaft bearing.

It is annoying that this is clearly a design fault. My Punto has only done about 75,000 miles even now.

Interestingly from reading around the subject, a variation of the gearbox itself may be used in some Ford Ka's, and possibly other Fiats and other small cars. Mine has a number stamped on the gearbox identifying it as a C514 variant, and is a 5 speed on a Punto 1.2. However, the same problem seems to be reported in 6 speed variants and indeed the replacement bearing kits seem intended for both 5 speed and 6 speed.

Oh well, no use talking about it - I'd better get the box off and have a good look!

Peter
July 2016

my mk2 1.2 2001 punto is the same yet it only has done 43,000 could t be he same bearing ????????????

danny
April 2012

ive got 1.2 2001 fiat punto mia my gear box has rattlin sound when first started but then goes away my cluch slipps now and again but goes back to normal does this mean i need new cluch or does it need bleeding

william
January 2012

just stripped gearbox down for after total drive failure, found clutch shredded, jamming the flywheel on the bell housing. This was caused by the front bearing failing in gearbox, this has snapped off the release bearing guide tube from the bell housing.
Going to make a flanged tube and fix into bell housing with m5 screws where the oil seal used to be and fit a small oil seal into this.

Philip
March 2011

sorry mate but i now what it is the gearbox bearing and oil seals just done mine myself cost 25 pound

smithy
August 2009

the gearbox bearings have blown mine just had same problem

dan hunt
May 2009

i have exactly the same problems with my punto 04 plate it has done 90000 miles the garage say it needs a recon gearbox this is the second garage to tell me this so i will have to have it done now plus a new clutch £783

doggy dave
February 2009

I also have a 2001 1.2 Punto 63k
there is a high pitched whine in gears 1 ,2 and 3, possibly also 4 but quieter, it get higher pitch as the revs increase then stops abruptly until you select the next gear. Then starts again. Seems to disappear within about 5 mins of driving ie when engine warms up.
Any ideas

robrow
September 2008

Sounds like a bearing on either mainshaft or layshaft will need replacing. Problem will be when the box comes apart good engineering practice will require other worn parts needing replacing

Steve
September 2008

This is exactly what I have with my MK2 1.2 2000 Punto!

The whinning/grinding noise is evident especially in 1st 2nd and slightly on 3rd gears... It's been like that since beggining of June.Today though I had another problem... When I try to accelerate as normal the engine keeps revving up and the car is not picking up speed but when I release some pressure on the accelerator pedal power sort comes back... Sounds like the clutch is slipping...

I'm gonna take it to a garage tomorrow to check it out and I hope it is just the clutch needs replacing and not the whole box too! I've been told that for the noise above, the one you mentioned too, it is a bearing inside the gearbox on one of the gear shafts and it would need replacing!

I just hope they tell me it's only the clutch and not the box too!

Funny thing, I have nearly 76000 on my Punto too! But I have to admit this is a replacement gearbox I had fitted in April 2005. God knows how it had been driven on the car it came from!

Anyway, good luck with yours and I hope I have not too bad news tomorrow...

DK
September 2008