Seeping shifter shaft seal service | FerrariChat

Seeping shifter shaft seal service

Discussion in 'Boxers/TR/M' started by c4b4the04, Feb 13, 2020.

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  1. c4b4the04

    c4b4the04 Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 9, 2017
    383
    Northern Virginia
    Full Name:
    Cassidy
    Not my favorite job to do but worth taking some pics along the way. Good time to press in new silentbloc’s too. My shifter was leaving a puddle the size of a golf ball in diameter over a month....time to service for sure.

    Support vehicle off the ground. Remove driver side front exhaust manifold (mine is a catless model so you may have to remove more than I did).

    Drain trans oil. Disconnect shifter silentblock at the shift selector shaft. Support motor and slightly raise to release pressure from driver front motor mount. Remove mount and bracket as one assembly.

    Carefully remove the side cover bolts. You’ll have some work to do to separate it but you’ll get it. One of the nuts and washers is IN the boss for the motor mount.

    Once off, you can see the single bolt holding the shift selector in place. I then counted threads on my shifter rod and removed the rear section, leaving room for the shifter shaft to come forward and out. Don’t worry about marking the shaft where the selector fork goes, there’s a ground spot on it for the bolt to pass through.

    Once the shaft is out you can see the leaking O-ring. 3 buck part and you lose 150 in fluids to change it! I used a pick to get it out, measured to see the wear and reinstalled a new one. Reverse procedure and you’ve got the PERFECT time to align your 1-2 shifter alignment.

    I use Mazda’s brand grey sealant for any motor RTV needs. More expensive than the parts store but do you really want to do this job twice?

    Anyway, hope that brief summary and some pics are useful. Been a busy winter in my garage with lots of parts and services. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login


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  2. energy88

    energy88 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Jan 21, 2012
    26,818
    West of Fredericksburg, VA
    Full Name:
    John
    That thread title sure is a tongue twister! :eek:
     
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  3. vincenzo

    vincenzo F1 Rookie

    Nov 2, 2003
    3,373
    Any need to lift the engine for clearance?

    How many hours to get the shaft in hand?

    Many thanks for the pics and write-up!
     
  4. c4b4the04

    c4b4the04 Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 9, 2017
    383
    Northern Virginia
    Full Name:
    Cassidy

    I would say 3 hours to get it completely out. I took more time to clean up the oil with a brass-bristled toothbrush and cleaner in a spray bottle. It hasn't been resealed completely in many years so I've got many little "leaks" to tend to, only had the car since June.

    Hopefully this helps someone else feel more comfortable doing this job. Not bad at all, just time consuming. I read someone couldn't get the shaft out, and that it hit the frame.....only if you leave the threaded portion of the shift rod in place. Take that out, and you have plenty of room.

    Here is the Mazda RTV if you aren't familiar. This stuff is amazing.

    https://www.amazon.com/Mazda-Rtv-Silicone-0000-77-1217-Es/dp/B00PTIFHXS/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=mazda+rtv&qid=1581688385&sr=8-1
     
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  5. xplodee

    xplodee Formula 3

    Jan 3, 2017
    1,101
    Allentown, PA
    Full Name:
    Tim
    Thank you for sharing. What are the symptoms of poor 1-2 gear shifter alignment? What are the results of the alignment procedure? Did replacing the silent blocks improve 1-2 shift feel?
     
  6. ago car nut

    ago car nut F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 29, 2008
    5,246
    Madison Ohio
    Full Name:
    David A.
    Yes to shifter alignment and replacing bushings!
     
  7. JohnMH

    JohnMH Formula 3

    Jan 28, 2004
    1,625
    Dubai / Bologna
    I recently did this job, used an OEM seal and a superformance outer seal with a lip, which fits into the transmission case behind the bellows, held in place with a small amount of sealant. No leaks, maybe never again? The oem seal alone would last a year until the leak reappeared.
     
  8. Ferrari Tech

    Ferrari Tech Formula 3

    Mar 5, 2010
    1,114
    Georgia
    Full Name:
    Wade Williams
    I have sourced online the lip seal for TR shift sealing and keep them in stock if anyone wants them. I put the o-ring in but it is no longer needed. I use Permatex 51813 anaerobic sealer on the case.
    I also check the fork alignment, I made the necessary tools to lock everything in place and then adjust the forks, it really makes them shift better if they are off at all.
     
  9. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 29, 2004
    33,736
    Austin TX
    Full Name:
    Brian Crall
    One of the reasons TR's had a reputation for poor shifting is the factory did a lousy job of adjustment to start with. Mine does pretty good 1-2-1 shifts between my driveway and the stop sign 100 yards down the street with a 10 second warm up. If you take the gear box apart and lap the syncros they get even better.

    Mine has only 21 or so thousand miles on it and my original shift shaft seal isn't leaking. Dont really see them as a problem. No question, they do go bad but not so much it needs rethinking. I'll be replacing it when I have the motor out soon but that will keep it till I'm dead.
     

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