Hi guys, I need to replace my selector shaft seal and was wondering if you can just unscrew the 3 retainer bolts and remove the retainer while the gearbox is still in the car?
Also is the seal fitted from the inside of the retainer?[*]
Selector shaft seal help
Re: Selector shaft seal help
Matt (?),
Yes you can remove the little seal housing while the gearbox is in the car, but it's a fiddly operation.
But you have to disengage the smaller shifter shaft - the one that the "lower" (longer, narrower) lever's connected to:
Remove the lower selector lever, and gently tap the shaft upwards. It'll tend to bind in the bore because the shaft mushrooms a bit when the lever's installed. About 1/4" is all you need. Then you can undo the three screws and gently ease the housing off the shifter shaft.
The transverse shifter shaft oil seal instals from the outside of the housing. CBC bearings has a replacement seal; but it's a lot narrower than the OEM part, and is trickier to start in the housing though. Scrape or file a little chamfer in the housing bore. Put the seal on the workbench with the lip facing upwards. Put the shifter shaft housing over the top of the seal, and using a socket extension as a drift, hammer the housing down over the seal. The seals are so cheap, I'd suggest buying two, so that you have a spare in case things don't go right the first time you try to install the seal. Or, if you're really concerned about oil leaks, install two seals. There's room enough in the housing for two of the narrow seals.
You'll probably need to replace the little cork seal around the lower selector shaft too. You might be able to get away with a fat, small O-ring instead.
Rob
Yes you can remove the little seal housing while the gearbox is in the car, but it's a fiddly operation.
But you have to disengage the smaller shifter shaft - the one that the "lower" (longer, narrower) lever's connected to:
Remove the lower selector lever, and gently tap the shaft upwards. It'll tend to bind in the bore because the shaft mushrooms a bit when the lever's installed. About 1/4" is all you need. Then you can undo the three screws and gently ease the housing off the shifter shaft.
The transverse shifter shaft oil seal instals from the outside of the housing. CBC bearings has a replacement seal; but it's a lot narrower than the OEM part, and is trickier to start in the housing though. Scrape or file a little chamfer in the housing bore. Put the seal on the workbench with the lip facing upwards. Put the shifter shaft housing over the top of the seal, and using a socket extension as a drift, hammer the housing down over the seal. The seals are so cheap, I'd suggest buying two, so that you have a spare in case things don't go right the first time you try to install the seal. Or, if you're really concerned about oil leaks, install two seals. There's room enough in the housing for two of the narrow seals.
You'll probably need to replace the little cork seal around the lower selector shaft too. You might be able to get away with a fat, small O-ring instead.
Rob