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subwoofer
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Joined: 04-01-2008
Location: Sandefjord, Norway
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Drained the gearbox last night, and I'm not entirely sure what the oil is trying to tell me.

The oil was dark grey, almost black, and opaque, not quite unlike the engine oil out of a diesel engine with a very slight contamination of coolant in the oil. The oil was cold when I drained the box, but it looked sort of "grainy" when it poured out, but it smelled like gear oil, no funny change of character.

Should I be OK just refilling it, and possibly change again in a few weeks, or is failure imminent? The colour of the oil suggests to me that some part of the box has been overheating badly, but I guess it could simply be age or that some material in the box wears off and turns black (like aluminium). It doesn't really sound very noisy, but then again I have had little road time with it.

--
Joachim

Lash Russell
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Joined: 07-23-2005
Location: Franktown, Colorado USA
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Hi Joachim,

     Whenever I've changed the gear lube in the tranny (both 4 and 5 speeds) I've had the same experience.  It is surprising that it gets so black.  You could be correct in that it may be the heat from the header.  Not sure but anyway, its always been the same for me.  Long and short, you're doing the right thing by changing the lube.

Lash

subwoofer
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I wish I could get the removal of the gearbox right too...

Trying to follow the 4-speed removal procedure from the shop manual, but I can't break the box free just yet. It seems I'm missing about 1/4" of leeway, the nose of the input shaft does not clear the clutch and the gear lever (in first) blocks further rearwards movement. I'll have to bring out the engine hoist tomorrow to see if a bit of lifting will provide the needed clearance.

I'm done for tonight, a hairful of gear oil in my face made sure of that. Yuck, gear oil is nasty stuff.

--
Joachim

Ron Mau
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Joined: 03-14-2005
Location: Davenport, Iowa USA
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I've always removed the gear shift for the extra clearance. Quite simple, just four screws and it pulls staight up. Be sure and have it in neutral before you remove it. It makes it easier to get in correctly.

 

Ron Mau

16367

 

subwoofer
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A-Ha! The shop manual doesn't mention that!

I'll try and get the box up where it belongs again to be able to remove the stick tomorrow. Right now it's late night, my arm are aching from lifting and shifting the damn thing and I spent a large amount of shampoo getting the mess out of my hair. It still smells...

dwalls1
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Joined: 04-11-2008
Location: Bloomfield, New Mexico USA
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Good Morning,
    Hope you slept well and the odor of high sulfur content gear lube didn't keep you up.
  I have been putting off removing the 4 speed in 17798 as I couldn't see the bolts that hold the box onto the bell housing. So, even though the manual doesn't specify it I had assumed that the clutch, bell housing and tranny had to come out together. Is this not so?

subwoofer
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This is correct. You have to release the bellhousing from the engine, disconnect the clutch wire and disconnect the propshaft. Then - according to the manual - you should be able to drop the box. This is where I got stuck last night.

I don't think it is possible to remove the 4-speed without removing the bellhousing, you would have a hard time getting it out that way (due to the input shaft) if you could.

I'll report back once the box is down.

--
Joachim

subwoofer
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Box finally out today, been a busy week and weekend, so no time to work on the car. Removing the stick was indeed easy, and the box came out, no sweat. The bellhousing is huge, so I had to jack the car one more notch on the stands to get it out from under the car.

--
Joachim



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