Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2016 14:04:44 -0400
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: replacing transmission selector shaft seal
In-Reply-To: <CAKbau521uRUeoBekVkQMA1QUcotR8DSNv_C=dyVV-5jLEGERpw@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
These transmissions especially Syncros can and do overheat even with the stock engines. Oiling plates have been developed to improve lubrication to the main shaft and pinion bearings to reduce failures there. The problem is extended high speed operation with the sustained load of pushing these things and the Syncro adds to the heat load with those gears in the low gear housing helping to mix and churn up the oil.
If the seal comes out hard and crunchy the box has been overheating.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Mark McCulley
Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2016 10:02 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: replacing transmission selector shaft seal
Thanks Dennis. I'll check the fluid level and vent tube. There's no reason I can think of that the transmissions would overheat, still have the stock 2.1L and don't pull a trailer. I did switch the type of oil I use a few years back, 3 years ago I switched from Redline to Delvac and then a year later I switched back to Redline when I installed a driveshaft decoupler.
Both oils are synthetic 75W90. The transmission has just under 200K total miles, 80K since rebuild (I don't know if seal was replaced then or not).
-Mark
On Mon, Jul 25, 2016 at 7:08 PM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
wrote:
> Yes this seal is easy to replace. However its leaking is usually a
> symptom of something else going on. There is also an insert-bushing
> behind it that may be cracked. Make sure the transmission is not
> overfilled and that the vent tube is not kinked or otherwise clogged.
> This seal never sees enough action that it should wear out. For it to
> go bad is a sign the transmission has been over heating.
>
> Dennis
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> Behalf Of Mark McCulley
> Sent: Monday, July 25, 2016 9:26 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: replacing transmission selector shaft seal
>
> My '87 has transmission oil leaking from where the selector shaft
> enters the transmission case. Is it fairly straight forward to replace
> the seal with the transmission installed? This is a syncro if it makes a difference.
> I see van-cafe has a write-up here:
>
> http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/page_131_783/transmission-selector-sh
> aft-seal.html
> ,
> seems like it's not particularly difficult.
>
> Thanks,
> Mark
> Seattle, WA
>
