Transmission shift rail seal - The Real Deal

wjbgthom@mac.com

wjbgthom@mac.com

Junior Member
I have seen these seals installed with a new synchronized trans with the bell housing off the car.
The instructions say they can be installed through the inspection cover on the bell housing with the bell housing in the car.
Have any of you tried to install one of these seals through the inspection cover?
 
And if you drop a part while in there . . . You may want to tie a dental-floss safety line to any bolts you try to fish in or out of there.
 
I have installed two sets of these through the inspection cover. DO NOT believe the instructions. While they certainly CAN be installed while the engine/transmission, et.al. is in the car - they are a REAL pain in the butt to install. Just about impossible for all the the truely dedicated.

After reading some additional 'reviews' on the usefullness of these 'improvements', I now wish that I had not gone through the trouble of installing them. The extremely small amount of transmission oil that occasionally seeps out does have an actual functioning purpose - like oiling the felt of the wishbone ball.
 
I believe this device was designed for use with the Mitchell synchronous transmission. Their transmission uses a much thinner oil than a stock Model A transmission. Somehow these devices have gotten into the catalogs of many of the suppliers and a lot of people have come to believe they should have one. The stock Model A using 600W oil allows very little oil to escape through the shift rail ports and what does runs down and lubricates the felt pad on top of the front radius rod ball at the bottom of the bell housing.

Tom Endy
 
Tom Endy said:
I believe this device was designed for use with the Mitchell synchronous transmission. Their transmission uses a much thinner oil than a stock Model A transmission. Somehow these devices have gotten into the catalogs of many of the suppliers and a lot of people have come to believe they should have one. The stock Model A using 600W oil allows very little oil to escape through the shift rail ports and what does runs down and lubricates the felt pad on top of the front radius rod ball at the bottom of the bell housing.

Tom Endy
Click to expand...

I agree 100% with what Tom says. Just because an item is available, too many people think they MUST have it without considering whether it is needed or not. Often the original setup was better. The item I consider most irritating in this manner is stainless steel water pump shafts. They are rubbish. They might look pretty but they are too soft and so they don't last long. I leaky water pump can lead to a cooked engine if the driver is not paying attention and all for the sake of a pretty looking shaft. Ridiculous!
BTW, I modify my pumps so that there is nothing rubbing on the shaft anywhere so it can't wear. No gland packing, no rollers - nothing. They work a treat but I don't know how long they will last. None have failed yet!
 
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