Transmission leak - fixed!
03-04-2007, 07:53 PM
#1
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Transmission leak - fixed!
My car has had a steady drip of gear oil ... about a ml/day when warm: after confirming that it was not the seal behind the clutch, I concluded that it was the front output shaft seal (G64) ... and left it for a winter trans/eng drop.
Once all the trays were off for a short shifter install, the front seals were found to be perfectly dry
. After cleaning 10 years of gear oil goo away from the area, the leak was pinpointed to lie between the lowest two studs where the intermediate case joins the main gear case: there is a 'paper' gasket in this joint, which thins around a locating dowel pin ( see pics).
Rather than drop and do the disassembly as done on my spare trans mini rebuild , I did a shade tree style repair in situ .... and it has been bone dry for two weeks.
The area was scuffed with abrasive, cleaned with brake cleaner and blown dry: then a wipe of JB weld was spread between the studs. This is a good product to flow into the crevice and attach a base coat; however, the lube ate its way through like an inverted volcano, for the JB set up time is too long. The process was repeated to cap the eruption by using a steel epoxy putty - which sets up much faster. Pics tell the rest of the tale.
Why bother? - this was not a serious leak, but an aggravation. If it holds on the long term, great! - if not, no harm done. Prospects?? ... I repaired a far worse leak on a cracked cast aluminium oil sump that is still dry after several years ...
Once all the trays were off for a short shifter install, the front seals were found to be perfectly dry
. After cleaning 10 years of gear oil goo away from the area, the leak was pinpointed to lie between the lowest two studs where the intermediate case joins the main gear case: there is a 'paper' gasket in this joint, which thins around a locating dowel pin ( see pics).Rather than drop and do the disassembly as done on my spare trans mini rebuild , I did a shade tree style repair in situ .... and it has been bone dry for two weeks.
The area was scuffed with abrasive, cleaned with brake cleaner and blown dry: then a wipe of JB weld was spread between the studs. This is a good product to flow into the crevice and attach a base coat; however, the lube ate its way through like an inverted volcano, for the JB set up time is too long. The process was repeated to cap the eruption
by using a steel epoxy putty - which sets up much faster. Pics tell the rest of the tale.Why bother? - this was not a serious leak, but an aggravation. If it holds on the long term, great! - if not, no harm done. Prospects?? ... I repaired a far worse leak on a cracked cast aluminium oil sump that is still dry after several years ...
Last edited by Garth S; 03-05-2007 at 06:30 AM.
03-04-2007, 08:06 PM
#2
Garth, I believe our cars to have a sympathetic connection, maybe they came off the assembly line side-by-side. I've got a very slow tranny leak in what appears to be the same spot. I believe this to have developed when I began lifting the car by the engine case, if that makes any sense. I'll try your solution, if I have it right.
1. Scuff with abrasive
2. Clean with brake cleaner
3. Blow dry
4. Apply steel epoxy putty. (What exactly did you use?)
Any other hints or tips would be appreciated, as well as an update if this solution seems to be holding up.
I appreciate your efforts,
Mark
1. Scuff with abrasive
2. Clean with brake cleaner
3. Blow dry
4. Apply steel epoxy putty. (What exactly did you use?)
Any other hints or tips would be appreciated, as well as an update if this solution seems to be holding up.
I appreciate your efforts,
Mark
03-04-2007, 08:22 PM
#3
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by Svaha
Garth, I believe our cars to have a sympathetic connection, maybe they came off the assembly line side-by-side. I've got a very slow tranny leak in what appears to be the same spot. I believe this to have developed when I began lifting the car by the engine case, if that makes any sense. I'll try your solution, if I have it right.
1. Scuff with abrasive
2. Clean with brake cleaner
3. Blow dry
4. Apply steel epoxy putty. (What exactly did you use?)
Any other hints or tips would be appreciated, as well as an update if this solution seems to be holding up.
I appreciate your efforts,
Mark
1. Scuff with abrasive
2. Clean with brake cleaner
3. Blow dry
4. Apply steel epoxy putty. (What exactly did you use?)
Any other hints or tips would be appreciated, as well as an update if this solution seems to be holding up.
I appreciate your efforts,
Mark
, a grey 4" long roll with a black center. Slice off a 1/8" coin and knead well .... Had I started with this stuff, one application may have done the job; however, the JB does flow better to form a bonded base.\I may take a file to the 'lump' and make it pretty .... or just whip the tranny cover back in place for a year or so ...
