kbuhagiar

Hello, folks,

Just put my 63 Roadster back on the road. I only drove it about 2 miles total because of clutch difficulties (wrong clutch, arrgh! ) Took out the transmission and clutch today and noticed a light film of what smells like transmission fluid around the entire inside circumference of the bellhousing. The pattern appears to line up with the end of the input shaft tube (where the TO bearing rides).

I'm pretty sure that I wiped the inside of the bellhousing clean before installation, so this just happened.

I'm confused because I cannot see any visible leaks on the front of the Muncie, nor does there appear to be any fluid on the input shaft, pressure plate or disk (not positive about the disk, though).

Can this leak be coming from the input shaft tube? Does this indicate a bad front bearing housing gasket, or more dire problems?

I may have overfilled the transmission a bit, but I didn't think this could be a problem - could it?

Muncieman & other transmission experts, I would appreciate your thoughts...and as always, thanks in advance to all.

Hitch

It sounds like it's leaking from the front of the case. Not that uncommon as the front seal is an interference fit if I understand it correctly. I believe that there was a thread recently where it was discussed about when putting the tranny together to put a globe of RTV there.

Dave

66jack

but if i remember...in that same article i thought i read there WAS NOT a gasket or seal of any kind....in that area

correct me if im wrong..

jack

Dan Hampton

Inside the bearing retaining cover there is a seal that the input shaft travels through. There is also a paper type gasket that is used to secure the bearing retainer to the main case.

rongold

There is NO front seal in a Muncie. There is a gasket for the front bearing retainer, but no front seal. It has been a long time since I had a Muncie apart, but if I remember correctly, there is a channel in the front bearing retainer that holds a small amount of gear oil to lubricate the front bearing. It gets fed as the gear oil expands and goes through the front bearing, and empties back into the case again through the front bearing as the gear oil cools and contracts. Every bell housing I have seen all have had a coating of greasy oil on the interior, but if yours is exceptionally wet, the only way it could have gotten that way is from overfilling the trans. If, when the oil expands from the heat, it gets as high as the bottom of the front bearing retainer throwout bearing collar, it will actually drip out and the spinning input gear will fling it all around, coating the inside of the bell housing. If it gets exceptionally wet, it can also get all over the clutch pressure plate and disk, and cause them to slip.

RON

uncle427

If overfilled, definitely a problem, if incorrect oil used causing aeration, will also get out there, if trans was put together with a damaged bearing retainer nut, same problems potentially. Cannot tell you how many "butchered" bearing retainer nuts I have seen. A special wrench is required to install and remove it and it is supposed to also be peened onto a clearance hole to lock it. On top of that its a LH thread so you can see the potential for mishandling. The nut has a critical clearance between it and the bearing retainer and acts as a slinger. If damaged, it will not work properly

kbuhagiar

Thanks to all for the replies so far.

The lubricant I used was your basic Pennzoil 80W that comes in the yellow bottles.

So, if I am to understand correctly, overfilling a Muncie transmission can cause the fluid to seep out of the end of the front bearing tube? The fluid level is perhaps 1/4" above the bottom of the fill hole (I originally filled it on an uneven surface, removed from the car).

Thanks again.

uncle427

Drain out the extra oil, it could be a problem, yes

JohnZ

Correct - no seal of any kind. Photos below show the drainback channel cast into the back side of the bearing retainer, and its corresponding drainback hole in the front wall of the case.

Hitch

I guess I should have come back and re-read what I wrote. When I said seal I meant that it is an interference fit and doesn't this become enlarged with age and cause this type of leak?

Dave

wmf62

just the cluster gear shaft
Bill

Plasticman

Think you are thinking about the countershaft to main case fit (no seal, just a light press fit - if any). This will leak if the main case hole gets enlarged / egg shaped. Some guys (me included) take the easy way out and seal it with a glob of RTV or a gasket. But that leak typically does not leak into the interior of the bell housing.

Edit: Bill beat me to it.

Plasticman

Dan Hampton

Sorry about the input seal issue. I have been rebuilding too many Ford Toploaders and had a bout of brain fade. Believe me, the Toploader DOES use one.

wmf62

the Mopar A833 and the GM MY-6 use a lipseal on the input shaft. AND, like the Muncies, they will leak around the countershaft hole in the front of the case.
Bill