Manual Gearbox Issues - This will be painful :/

bartsau · 10-07-2015, 05:57 PM

Hi All,

Well I have finally decided that I can't keep filling my gearbox with oil forever and not at the rate it is spewing it out. I have filled it and after 3 weeks it took another 1.5l of the good stuff...

I have a strong feeling and from advice I have received I believe it is most likely the input shaft bearing and front seal. I am planning on replacing these along with the spigot bearing myself as after a couple of months trying to find a spare V8 gearbox at a reasonable price it is not possible.

Besides this the bearings and seal with delivery will cost me no more than $70 and several hours of work.

I will hopefully post photos of progress and fingers crossed won't discover the gearbox is in worse shape and the problem is mroe major... D-day is set for monday...

I hope that through my learnings others will learn too as I have struggled to find any decent information on how to go about replacing the input shaft bearing.

Grippy · 10-07-2015, 06:06 PM

Good luck with the work, I'll be keen to see some pics.

bartsau · 13-07-2015, 10:44 PM

Well certainly was fun and games today. Dealing with the super cold rain and wind and rather than trying to squeeze the car in the shed I removed the gearbox out in the elements.... On car stands.

Thank goodness these T5 gearboxes are not heavy and can be man handled out. Since the last time I have had the gearbox out I have had a new exhaust fitted. Needless to say getting the tailshaft off and gearbox out was a nightmare come true! As will be cleaning up the mess left behind from the litres of lost gearbox fluid...

Anyhow, gearbox out and to work it was. Took all of about 10 minutes to have the casing apart and the input shaft out. To do only the needle bearing and fron seal would be a breeze! However, since I have come this far and the bearing and seal seem in good condition I will possibly be pulling the gearbox apart further...Before doing this though I will be making a couple of phonecalls first.

Trusty old T5

All nice and filthy...pretty sure the rear seal is stuffed as well although that will be an easy fix as they just pull out and push back in apparently.

Prior to pulling it apart. There are 4 x 13mm bolts hold it all together for the input shaft. Mine were not very tight at all a couple were virtually finger tight (Could even have been half my problem? )

Pulled apart.

And starting to pull it apart further as to see what else I can do on it well it is apart...I feel though this may be pushing the boundaries of doable at home with no prior experience...

GK · 16-07-2015, 08:17 PM

You are indeed a brave (and awesome) man!

Double thumbs up for the guts to have a red hot go!

GK

bartsau · 22-09-2015, 10:30 PM

So so all I have certainly taken the meaning of slowly working on this to another level but after spending another hour or so today I now have the gearbox completely apart and ready for the bearing to all be replaced. In the hope of speeding things up I plan to get a local shop to supply and fit the required bearings.

Here are some photos of how it currently sits now. Hoping to have the bearings replaced and new parts sourced by the end of this week and then hopefully also have some time to put it all back together which shouldn't be too bad...hopefully.

mik · 23-09-2015, 12:56 AM

Nice effort mate, in the last picture is that a magnetic plug with all filings and **** on it ?
once you get her all back together you wont know yourself , and you feel on top of the world knowing you accomplished the job yourself.

Crazy Dazz · 23-09-2015, 02:22 AM

Creepy Alien Handprint?

But seriously, good effort and well done having a go yourself.

Gotta love manual transmissions, you can just look at them and understand how everything works.

bartsau · 23-09-2015, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

Creepy Alien Handprint?

But seriously, good effort and well done having a go yourself.

Gotta love manual transmissions, you can just look at them and understand how everything works.

Haha that is gold! Can't say I had noticed them before...

Quote:

Originally Posted by mik

Nice effort mate, in the last picture is that a magnetic plug with all filings and **** on it ?
once you get her all back together you wont know yourself , and you feel on top of the world knowing you accomplished the job yourself.

Thankfully this photo simply looks bad but there is absolutely not any metal filings or anything in the bottom of the housings.

Couldn't agree more with the comments above about how simple the manual gearbox is!! So easy to understand how it all works! I have taken the bits down to a local differential/gearbox specialist to have the bearings and seals replaced. If it was not for doing the bearings I would happily tackle this at home.

When I asked how much and he said about $300 for all bearings and seals I was like sweat not problems. And out of curiosity I asked how much to reassemble the whole gearbox (thinking maybe I couldn't be bothered finding the time needed...) Well the $300 included full assembly as well...so I just said yes. Although I have no concerns about putting it back together. It is -simply the same but the reverse of pulling it apart.

So hopefully I will have it back soonish and back in the wagon ready to go have some more fun

**Whoosha** · 25-09-2015, 10:04 AM

Nice work

don't forget to use the recommended oil in theses things that and wrong diff oil and no additives make them clunk and shift like a pig

bartsau · 28-09-2015, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whoosha

Nice work

don't forget to use the recommended oil in theses things that and wrong diff oil and no additives make them clunk and shift like a pig

Yeah I have always used Castrol Transmax Z. Pretty sure after researching this years ago that is what I found people recommended. Always seemed to shift well when it had oil in it. Only struggled with 5th when empty of oil :/

bartsau · 07-10-2015, 10:57 AM

So the gearbox has now been completely reassembled and is ready to put back in the wagon. I have also booked in an RDO for this Friday so should have it back on the road by friday afternoon all going to plan!!

Can't bloody well wait as it has been way to long since I have been behind the wheel of a manual V8

Blue Shadow · 02-11-2015, 08:31 AM

Great job champ, hope all goes well

meanfalcon · 17-05-2016, 08:42 PM

I hope your 5 speed is being good to you. What side does the clutch cable enter the bellhousing. My XR8 is on the right, I am told by parts suppliers that it is on the left. Therefore I am not able to get a cover boot to fit over the Clutch fork. Had to TIG up an alloy cover to keep all the crap out.