****** fluid leaking from clutch housing hole

P

P.S.

Well-known member
Here's the deal-

Prior to pulling the motor and rebuilding and reinstalling, never had any leaks.

First couple drives after rebuilt motor installed, no leaks.

Suddenly, after drive #3, massive leak from the hole in the bottom of the clutch housing where the cotter pin lives. It is definitely the transmission fluid, not motor oil.

Just sitting, no leak. Just sitting with motor running, no leak. Once you get moving, it will begin to dribble from the hole. The faster you go, the more it dribbles. You don't really notice it until you pull in the drive way and see the nearly continuous stream of oil on the ground. Once you pull in the garage and shut it down, the drips become more spaced apart until it totally stops dripping an hour later.

Here's what I have done-

* Changed fluid. Made sure it is not over-full. Using 600W from Bert's.
* Made sure the vent hole on the shift tower is not plugged. Can easily blow air through it.
* Made sure everything was bolted tight.

Where should I go from here?
 
Lots of questions... open up the inspection cover and look inside to see where it coming from. I really think it's engine related and NOT trans. Especially since you said you rebuilt the engine. Was the trans touched?

If it's trans lube unless it's coming out through the clutch release/front bearing keeper and there was no oil baffle on the front of the main drive gear I don't see where it would be coming from. If the trans was apart were the gaskets used on the front of the transmission for the main drive grear, and trans to bell housing. Were they both sealed well with gasket cement/sealer.

I always seal up the front of the cluster gear shaft with RTV, and then a skim on the bottom end before gasketing trans to gasket.

I believe as I stated in the beginning carefully looking into the inspection area find out where it is leaking from..... You may want to remove the 3 cap screws holding the inspection cover at the flywheel housing/rear main and make sure what your rear main is doing oil wise.

Hoping for the best for you...
Larry Shepard
 
larrys40 said:
Lots of questions... open up the inspection cover and look inside to see where it coming from. I really think it's engine related and NOT trans. Especially since you said you rebuilt the engine. Was the trans touched?

If it's trans lube unless it's coming out through the clutch release/front bearing keeper and there was no oil baffle on the front of the main drive gear I don't see where it would be coming from. If the trans was apart were the gaskets used on the front of the transmission for the main drive grear, and trans to bell housing. Were they both sealed well with gasket cement/sealer.

I always seal up the front of the cluster gear shaft with RTV, and then a skim on the bottom end before gasketing trans to gasket.

I believe as I stated in the beginning carefully looking into the inspection area find out where it is leaking from..... You may want to remove the 3 cap screws holding the inspection cover at the flywheel housing/rear main and make sure what your rear main is doing oil wise.

Hoping for the best for you...
Larry Shepard
Click to expand...

Thank you for the response, Larry.

I never separated the transmission from the clutch housing, so am just assuming that gasket is there based on no leaking before the motor reinstallation.

I will do as you suggested and pull the inspection cover and try to locate source. It may be difficult since it does not leak unless underway, and very shortly thereafter.
 
A possibility is the shift tower vent hole is plugged up.
Worth a look.
Now I see that you have checked the vent hole in your original post.
oops!
Bob
 
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If it's really leaking trans lube you will see where it is coming from and witness of it in the bell housing. Is you trans level actually less? It of course would be very sticky ( depending on what you are running). I am an advocate of the 600W Equivelent SAE 250

Also, I have seen floorboards so tight against the trans tower and also depending on the engine mounts that it covered up the vent hole. Seemed clear until the floorboard was installed. Did you replace engine mounts... change the location of things.

Be methodical... take nothing for granted... see where it's coming from through the inspection cover. Even with the engine running ( keep your hands out) but with an inspection mirror and micro light you should be able to get an idea of things.

I love troubleshooting!
Larry Shepard
 
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larrys40 said:
If it's really leaking trans lube you will see where it is coming from and witness of it in the bell housing. Is you trans level actually less? It of course would be very sticky ( depending on what you are running). I am an advocate of the 600W Equivelent SAE 250

Also, I have seen floorboards so tight against the trans tower and also depending on the engine mounts that it covered up the vent hole. Seemed clear until the floorboard was installed. Did you replace engine mounts... change the location of things.

Be methodical... take nothing for granted... see where it's coming from through the inspection cover. Even with the engine running ( keep your hands out) but with an inspection mirror and micro light you should be able to get an idea of things.

I love troubleshooting!
Larry Shepard
Click to expand...


Solid advice. Thank you, Larry.

No, I did not change the motor mount or anything. Simply removed motor, replaced motor. And, as mentioned earlier, no leaks the first two drives after replacing motor.

It is absolutely ****** lube. No motor oil involved. That is why it was so puzzling. The motor did have a slight oil leak at first from the timing gear cover, but I took care of that long before the first drive by removing the side cover bolts and using some gasket in a tube sealer around them. That leak stopped.

Since it doesn't leak until you are actually underway and moving along, I will recruit a helper to assist with viewing through the clutch inspection cover first.

Thank you again.
 
Why don't you just jack up a rear wheel, block the other wheels, put the transmission in high gear, rev it up a bit and have a looksee?
 
wonder if you lost a bolt at the front of the ******? put down a magnet and do some fishing. Try a light and a mirror to look behind the throwout. Access the front of the flywheel housing from the starter hole. I seem to remember that safety wiring the bolts on the front end of the transmission is required will have to look at one to verify this.
even a loose bolt could be a problem.
Bob
 
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Did you have trouble getting the engine back in and lining up the trans input shaft to the pilot bearing,possibly you damaged the snap rings that retain the large trans bearings.
 
Bob / rocket - Kinda what I was thinking. Either of your guesses could be correct.

Katy's idea is good. It's just a tad outside my safety comfort level. My helper is my lovely wife, whom I do not wish to harm.

Maybe I can talk one of the guys into helping with that.
 
Harbor Freight has an inspection camera with a log flexible camera lens on it. I think it's only about $69 just be sure and keep it away from the fly wheel and clutch when the engine is running of course.
 
Thanks, Marvin.

I already have a professional quality endoscope. The problem is, with all that whirling heavy metal in there, it would be asking for trouble to use it.
 
FOLLOW UP:

I'm very embarassed to report that it was NOT ****** fluid as suspected before. It is indeed motor oil. I am very, very sorry for the misinformation.

I suspected it was ****** fluid because of the color and it seemed thicker than motor oil. I hadn't considered that the motor oil would be thicker once it hit the cold metal pan on the floor. Again, I am truly sorry for the misinformation.



Plan now is to pull the motor (AGAIN!!!) soon and flip it over and take the rear cap apart and find out what is happening. Hopefully, it will be simple like the vent tube fell off, or something similar.

Thank you again for the help and advice that helped me narrow this down.
 
Please let us all know what you find out is the problem. We can all benefit from your experience. Good luck and take your time with the tear down.
 
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