VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 1930 Transmission gear oil leak

My transmission leaks. 18 months ago we replaced the ring gear, so all was pulled apart, clutch rebuilt, etc. For some reason the Trans. gear oil leaks out the bell housing. We do not know what we may have done wrong. We replaced the Bearing retainer (part RW-289, Fill. Sta.) Leak started immediately, the next day. we used the gasket kit, also bought from the Filling Station. Yes I used the correct weight oil. When I drive around the parking lot 2 times, 1/2 mile or so, another 1/4 cup of oil will come out. HELP. I DON'T WANT TO DROP THE TRANS. if we don't have a good idea of what is wrong. THANKS.

The bearing retainer might be put on wrong. There is a drain hole that should be on the bottom for oil to drain back into the transmsion.

I don't know if this applies but also the gasket needs to be installed so as not to cover the drain hole. Usually with a cover with a drain there is a notch in the gasket.

THANK YOU. I am wondering if your answer is the same, in a manner of speaking, as an answer I was give at Lake Tahoe 4 days ago. "The input shaft hole is in the wrong place."

I did not have time to fully understand this answer.

It could be the same reply just more twisted description.

The cover needs to have the relief (drain hole) installed to the bottom .

Thanks to all.

I wonder, does the fact that the small puddle seems to now occur after I return to the garage and the vehicle is not in motion, add any light on the issue?

SAME TOPIC, NEW QUESTION.

I was told the trans can be dropped w/o taking out the rear end.
Correct? Can u give me a BRIEF DESCRPTION HOW??

I was told to consult the owners manual but I really don't have one.

Thanks

The first thing I would do is to get a repair manual as there will also be other questions it can help you with. If you disconnect the ujoint the torque tube can be moved out of the way. I have found it is easier and quicker to simply slide the rear end back.

As mentioned previously, you really need to purchase a repair manual for your 1930 before you go any further. You can buy a repair manual from the Filling Station in Lebanon, Oregon. www.fillingstation.com

You stated in your post in August of 2016 that you had to replace the flywheel and etc. so apparently you have already removed the transmission once before. Yes...that is correct.....you an remove the transmission without removing the rear axle assembly. I have found that it was easier for me just to slide back the torque tube ball, disconnect the "U" joint and then drop down the torque tube. That is the same procedure that is described in the repair manual.

Also, for more responses you should post your questions in the 1929-32 forum in the future.

Good luck with your transmission leak issue.

ALL.

For those of you still with me and interested, I can repeat chapter and verse on this work.
2 1/2 weeks ago we pulled the transmission. I will not repeat the steps here as most prob. know how. Last Dec. 21 we reinstalled. We pulled the main trans. gear and replaced the bearing with A DOUBLE SEALED BEARING from the Filling Station. Press off the old and press on the new. Four hours to do all the work. For 8 days I go in and ck. the car. All fine. BUT, today I find for the first time a silver dollar size puddle of Trans. oil. I back the car out 100 ft. into the parking lot. By the end of the day there are 2-3 tablespoons of gear oil on the asphalt. NEEDLESS to say this is most disappointing.

I have NO idea of where to go next, if I do anything. We also put in a new billy possum bearing retainer. BUT, THIS SHOULD NOT MATTER. The double sealed bearing is supposed to stop the gear oil from getting outside the transmission case.

I am at a loss for words or where to go next.

I am in need of help and answers. Please see all my problems elsewhere in the Chevy chat.

Thanks

FYI -- All postings for this topic were now combined into this one thread.

I have a question about the current leak. WHERE exactly is it coming from?



Bill Barker

Are you sure that the leak does not come from the plug on the side of the transmission or bottom drain plug?

GREAT PICTURE TO INCLUDE. THANK YOU.

The leak comes out the front, forward, from the bell housing that surrounds the flywheel. (After several days, we did put the lower half/forward cover over the flywheel.)

The leak IS NOT FROM THE FILL LOCATION.

The transmission DIDNOT leak prior to the original work 16 months ago.

Hello Bauer,
I don't have an answer for you but I do have questions.
1. Is it for sure transmission oil or engine oil?
2. Why did you replace the main shaft gear?
3. Do you have a pilot bearing/bushing installed?
4. Does the main shaft with bearing come out by hand when bearing retainer is removed?
5. Are any gaskets involved with the bearing retainer?
6. Was the old bearing a sealed one or not?
7. Are the bolt holes for the bearing retainer open to the inside of the transmission case or are they sealed?
8. Do the bearing inner diameter and the main shaft outer diameter press fit?
Maybe thinking about these will help with your troubleshooting.

Just curious, but did you put a small dab of permatex on all seven of the bolts that hold the "clutch cover" to the transmission? Probably should be on the ends of the counter, and reverse idler shafts as well.

Thanks for all the interest and support.

1. It is transmission gear oil. No doubt.
2. We did not replace the main shaft gear.
3. I don't know what this is.
4. Did not come out by hand. Required a brass drift to remove the gear and the original bearing. See the repair manual.
5. Yes. We reinstalled another brand new Billy possum bearing retainer.
6. No. It was not.

have to go. more later.

There is a caution in the C&P (aka Billy Possum) catalog for the front bearing retainer
Don't know if this is your problem or not. Might be?

7. they are sealed.

8. Yes they did.

Thanks.

We measured this and believe we were ok.

Skip, the VCCA tech person for this year mentioned we could look for an original "bearing retainer".

WHERE WOULD ONE LOOK for one of these?

PLEASE see my other response.

ALSO;

What difference would it make now that I have a double sealed bearing? The oil s/n get out of the transmission.

There is a small passage below the bearing to return oil to the transmission case from the retainer on the transmissions that I have worked on. Oil could go back through that passage to exit past the retainer.

Hello Bauer,
So that I may understand better please verify the series of events working on your 1930. First off was to replace the starter ring gear on the flywheel. That required removing the transmission. With a new ring gear installed the transmission was reinstalled with no work having been done to the transmission. Correct so far? Shortly after that, the transmission developed an oil leak somewhere at its front. You believed that the leak had to come from the transmission main shaft bearing retainer area. New parts were ordered: sealed bearing, new bearing retainer and gasket. Correct so far? With the transmission removed again, these parts were installed and the transmission was reinstalled in the car. Everything looked good for eight days and then another transmission oil leak. This is currently where we're at, right? Sorry that I mistook the mainshaft gear for the ring gear. The pilot bearing or bushing is located in the end of the engine crankshaft for the nose of the transmission mainshaft to center itself and ride in. If there is a drain hole or groove to drain oil away from the retainer area you may have oil migrating on both sides of the sealed bearing. It could also possibly be that oil is making its way into the retainer area and not allowed to drain away regardless of the sealed bearing. Just guessing. What happened to the old retainer and bearing?

HELLO Harrys 31....

THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST. YOU NAILED IT. You did a PERFET summary of the whole 16 month saga. (that is hard to accomplish)

To answer your 2 questions: The original retainer broke apart prior to or at removal. I had it for a while but then discarded since it was in pieces; and the new billy possum retainer was on order. I still have the original bearing we just removed on the 21st. It seems in perfect working order.

Two things are different in the newest leak episode. Like I said it took 8 days to show up. (16 mos. ago the LARGE leak showed up in 24 hrs.) From Dec. 29-30 the car d/n leak on level surface. I drove the car 3 miles and placed it outside on 30th. The car leaked 2 Tblsp on 29th. About the same or less on 30th. The car has been parked inside on level concrete for 2 days so I will do a sanity check as soon as possible.

Thanks again. Will update soon.
rrs-530-758-8627