[jvidamins]

Hello Steve,do you still have these tools?
If so would you sell them to me? Please contact me at maddawg383@sbcglobal.net

nobody wants to touch this job in my area. I’ll have to do it myself.

Needing these tools now, too. Let me know if you ever got your hands on them. Just shot you an email, also.

 

[mavrik100us]

I have a 2012 volt with 130k miles. I'm experiencing the "tablesaw" noise which points to a bearing failure in the transmission. Decided to fix it myself and save labor costs; a bit of a project, though 😉

The dealer wanted 1400 (labor only) to replace that bearing (that sounds like a Skill saw).
Went to a place called "Custom Trans" (15403 Chatfield) and he did it for under $800. (216) 252-2100 (Cleveland Ohio). I bought the parts.

 

[bpbarnesvolt]

Needing these tools now, too. Let me know if you ever got your hands on them. Just shot you an email, also.

Also interested in these tools. Let me know if I can be fourth in line to buy them off you.

 

[vap3]

would one consider this job as preventive maintenance?

 

[Steverino]

would one consider this job as preventive maintenance?

No. It's a repair job IF the bearing cage breaks. My 12 year old Volt has not had this bearing issue.

 

[starbase1991]

As requested, a few photos. A view of the transmission cover, the specialty tools needed, a view with cover removed, and the new and old bearing side by side.

Date: May 16, 2023 To all the Chevrolet Volt EV owners. I have experience this very same problem that you encounter with a loud saw cutting noise coming from the engine once it is in drive mode with the car rolling..The noise will get louder as you speed up the vehicle. My engine sounds like a saw cutting a ply wood. My initial steps were to attack the simple hub bearing replacements in the front left/right wheel hub bearings. Replaced both front left/right bearing with a brand new ones and with the car still on both floor jack stands. I ask my wife to start up the engine and put it in drive mode. The engine still sounded like a saw cutting a ply wood. MY next approach was to replace the “Stator bearing with a new seal/gasket with a fresh transmission fluid “Not an easy task to get to. However, once the New Stator bearing was replaced and put back together and the engine runs like the car just got out of the show room floor. Runs beautiful now. For all the Volt Chevrolet EV owner between 2011 to 2015. Chevrolet Volt Stator bearing is due to fail without notice due to the original Stator bearing is make out of plastic housing where the bearing seats. It usually occurred between 80,000 mile and up. If this happen and you and you take it the dealership and most likely they will quote you anywhere between $3600 to $6000 for the repair job. Some dealership told me that they have to drop the transmission to repair it and some dealership told me that I need a new transmission. (Very miss leading coming from a dealership and over charged). I took it upon myself to get the job done. Some dealer service writers have no idea what this noise problem maybe and give you the run around of replacing the wheel hub bearing or the axles. Once again, if your engines experience a sound that sounds like you are cutting plywood with an electric saw. This is the fix for it. If you live in Southern California, I can help you fix it with the original GM Stator bearing and with a new GM Gasket for as little as $1700. I can be reach by my email: Starbase1991@gmail.com

 

[starbase1991]

would one consider this job as preventive maintenance?

To answer your questions as a preventive maintenance. (NO). If you have the older bearing in your Volt from 2011 to late 2013. It will fail on you, it's just a mater of time. Remember the bearing inner casing is make out of plastic.
GM may have heir there new Mechanical engineer right out the college to design this bearing. So, if you here a table saw noise and it does not go away while the car is in motion with the front wheels turning. This is a fix for it.
If you need to fix it and we can help you save a lot of money from GM dealership which can cost you in the upward of $3600 +
Here is my link:

Date: May 16, 2023
To all the Chevrolet Volt EV owners. I have experience this very same problem that you encounter with a loud saw cutting noise coming from the engine once it is in drive mode with the car rolling..The noise will get louder as you speed up the vehicle.
My engine sounds like a saw cutting a ply wood. My initial steps were to attack the simple hub bearing replacements in the front left/right wheel hub bearings. Replaced both front left/right bearing with a brand new ones and with the car still on both floor jack stands. I ask my wife to start up the engine and put it in drive mode. The engine still sounded like a saw cutting a ply wood.
MY next approach was to replace the “Stator bearing with a new seal/gasket with a fresh transmission fluid “Not an easy task to get to.
However, once the New Stator bearing was replaced and put back together and the engine runs like the car just got out of the show room floor. Runs beautiful now.
For all the Volt Chevrolet EV owner between 2011 to 2015. Chevrolet Volt Stator bearing is due to fail without notice due to the original Stator bearing is make out of plastic housing where the bearing seats. It usually occurred between 80,000 mile and up. If this happen and you and you take it the dealership and most likely they will quote you anywhere between $3600 to $6000 for the repair job. Some dealership told me that they have to drop the transmission to repair it and some dealership told me that I need a new transmission. (Very miss leading coming from a dealership and over charged). I took it upon myself to get the job done.
Some dealer service writers have no idea what this noise problem maybe and give you the run around of replacing the wheel hub bearing or the axles. Once again, if your engines experience a sound that sounds like you are cutting plywood with an electric saw. This is the fix for it.
If you live in Southern California, I can help you fix it with the original GM Stator bearing and with a new GM Gasket for as little as $1700. I can be reach by my email: Starbase1991@gmail.com

 

[Steverino]

If you have the older bearing in your Volt from 2011 to late 2013. It will fail on you, it's just a mater of time.

Not to say it can't happen, but this issue did not plague most Volts. Some, yes, but most or all? No. Going on 12+ years, no issue with my 2011 Volt. Maybe it will happen 4 years from now when the car is 16 years old, but I'll likely be driving an Equinox EV by then...

 

[bpbarnesvolt]

Hello,

I just replaced mine and it fixed the noise. Modified a cheap bearing puller to get the old one out, then used the old bearing to drive the new one in. Worked fine. Will share pictures/walkthrough a little later.

Of all things, I had a lot of trouble with the shaft lubricant seal, Part No.: 24234780. The plastic was too hard to stretch over the shaft without seeming to deform permanently. I'm sure it permanently stretched to larger diameter than it started, but I still put the transmission cover back on and just hoped it slipped into that mating bore like it's supposed to. I regret pulling off the old one.

Any tips on how to work with a seal like this? Felt like a soft delrin more thana hard rubber. I tried heat.

Date: May 16, 2023 To all the Chevrolet Volt EV owners. I have experience this very same problem that you encounter with a loud saw cutting noise coming from the engine once it is in drive mode with the car rolling..The noise will get louder as you speed up the vehicle. My engine sounds like a saw cutting a ply wood. My initial steps were to attack the simple hub bearing replacements in the front left/right wheel hub bearings. Replaced both front left/right bearing with a brand new ones and with the car still on both floor jack stands. I ask my wife to start up the engine and put it in drive mode. The engine still sounded like a saw cutting a ply wood. MY next approach was to replace the “Stator bearing with a new seal/gasket with a fresh transmission fluid “Not an easy task to get to. However, once the New Stator bearing was replaced and put back together and the engine runs like the car just got out of the show room floor. Runs beautiful now. For all the Volt Chevrolet EV owner between 2011 to 2015. Chevrolet Volt Stator bearing is due to fail without notice due to the original Stator bearing is make out of plastic housing where the bearing seats. It usually occurred between 80,000 mile and up. If this happen and you and you take it the dealership and most likely they will quote you anywhere between $3600 to $6000 for the repair job. Some dealership told me that they have to drop the transmission to repair it and some dealership told me that I need a new transmission. (Very miss leading coming from a dealership and over charged). I took it upon myself to get the job done. Some dealer service writers have no idea what this noise problem maybe and give you the run around of replacing the wheel hub bearing or the axles. Once again, if your engines experience a sound that sounds like you are cutting plywood with an electric saw. This is the fix for it. If you live in Southern California, I can help you fix it with the original GM Stator bearing and with a new GM Gasket for as little as $1700. I can be reach by my email: Starbase1991@gmail.com

 

[bpbarnesvolt]

Sharing pictures from when I modified a bearing puller to do this job. I used a Harbor Freight 3 jaw puller (the 6" one). For the bridge I used part of a Harbor Freight wheel bearing puller kit (the black steel parts). The socket in the middle is, I think, 37mm bulked out with some painters tape to keep the jaws from slipping inward. All in, well under $50. I could not justify buying the GM tool.

Before pulling, make sure the balls are distributed around the circle. If they are all crowded on one side, you'll just rip the inner race free of he outer race. It's reversible, but you'll have to go hunt for all the balls that go everywhere and probably won't be able to get it back together by hand with all the balls in place.

I used the old bearing to tap in the new bearing. It looks like GM tool is just a big expensive pipe.

The one thing I had trouble with was replacing the shaft lubricant seal, which I mentioned in my previous post. Would appreciate any advice on that. I really couldn't figure it out.

 

[Cornel]

Just an question on my part. My volt also has the issue and the bearing is the same as above. But my garage is scared that those little balls are in the transmission. The rings are not broken and in place. Only the plastic is broken

 

[Volt-On!]

Count them up, I think there are 29 balls. I recently replaced my stator bearing on my 2011 with 93k on the clock. Many thanks to this forum and esp bpbarnesvolt, I followed your suggestion to leave the center fluid seal and modified the HF 6” three jaw puller. Had a few tense moments when poking at the bearing and the inner race popped out spreading ball bearing balls on the garage floor. Was able to re assemble them between the races and pull as described. My bridge legs ended up being wood blocks as I think the current HF bearing puller black steel pieces have changed.

 

[Volt-On!]

 

[omandave]

Not to say it can't happen, but this issue did not plague most Volts. Some, yes, but most or all? No. Going on 12+ years, no issue with my 2011 Volt. Maybe it will happen 4 years from now when the car is 16 years old, but I'll likely be driving an Equinox EV by then...

My 2011 Volt finally had the Stator Bearing cage fail...
here in the PNW the 2 dealerships near me provided a "go away" price of $15K to replace the transmission, as they claim to not be willing/comfortable to open up a transmission in their work bays...
I ordered the parts and I am in process of doing the repair myself.
I did finally find a 3rd dealership in Bellingham WA that was willing to do the repair at $1500 quote, because their tech has done one of these bearings before...

and BTW, I bought the "Tools" off an ebay listing so when I am done I will put them back up for sale, or someone can PM me if they need them.

Cheers,
from NW Washington.

 

[Steverino]

I ordered the parts and I am in process of doing the repair myself.

Yup, it's doable if you are meticulous and take your time it seems. I suspect some dealerships push speed and shortcuts get taken or simply some sloppy work. Please keep us updated with your journey, especially any tricks or lessons learned. Pics if helpful.

 

[adam.marsh]

Count them up, I think there are 29 balls. I recently replaced my stator bearing on my 2011 with 93k on the clock. Many thanks to this forum and esp bpbarnesvolt, I followed your suggestion to leave the center fluid seal and modified the HF 6” three jaw puller. Had a few tense moments when poking at the bearing and the inner race popped out spreading ball bearing balls on the garage floor. Was able to re assemble them between the races and pull as described. My bridge legs ended up being wood blocks as I think the current HF bearing puller black steel pieces have changed.

I'm so close here. I also modified the HF tool (thank you bpbarnesvolt). Any advice to keep your sanity while re assembling the balls? Also to keep them spread out while pulling the bearing?

 

[adam.marsh]

I'm so close here. I also modified the HF tool (thank you bpbarnesvolt). Any advice to keep your sanity while re assembling the balls? Also to keep them spread out while pulling the bearing?

I just wanted to reply to this with my solution. While reassembling, I filled the bearing with a thick blue marine grease I had here, which allowed the balls to stay wherever I wanted them.

I was proud to have completed the job after having both of the local transmission shops tell me, "We don't work on hybrids." Then, after a five-week frustrating experience with the dealer to get a quote, they had good news and booked me in saying it would be covered under warranty. The day the bearing service was supposed to be done they finally told me it'd be $1900, and they'd have to order the parts still.

Now I'm into it for a combined 7 hours myself with $165 in parts and tools/ATF. I work on hybrids!