LarMan

My long-term plans are to put in a Tremec 5 or 6 speed in my '73. (2-3 years down the road, I hope)

The short-term plans are to address the leaks (oil pan, tranny, radiator) so I can drive it more often and clean things up during the buff and polish/frame-on restore. It is a mess under the car and the leaks are not getting any better.

I am planning on getting a Muncie gasket kit and carefully pulling just enough apart to replace the leaking/spent gaskets, seals in the arms, etc. I do NOT want to totally break down the tranny, rebuild it or have it rebuilt. It runs and works fine but leaks... a lot.

Would it be possible to pull it apart, replace gaskets (midplate are the ones I worry about since the tail needs to be removed) and button it back together without needle bearing falling out and all shaft and gear/syncro assemblies being dismantled?

This is right at my comfort zone and I don't want to disable the car through a foreseable screw-up.

Thanks.

LarMan

Sunstroked

Yes I'm pretty sure you can as all those needle bearings are in the cluster gear. So just don't remove it's shaft. A 1" dia hunk of steel inside the main case. But... You know for about $150 you can buy the whole rebuild kit with new syncros, gaskets, bearings, seals. Ck out 5speeds.com for some good information and rebuild books and videos. Excellent material.

Danish Shark

Actually the needle bearing between the input and output shafts will need to come apart if you replace the "front-midplate" gasket. If only the rear of the two midplate gaskets is leaking then you can do it without any needle bearings coming apart.
Purchase the "Assembly Goo" (yes that's the name) for the bearing if you need to take it apart.

Sunstroked

I still think you can change them all, as the cluster gear goes into the case before the main shaft and mid plate Assy.

Here is the main case with the cluster gear and all it's bearings assembled. Next is to install the main Assy.


But is has been 2 yrs since I did this and sometimes I'm wrong.

SpartyGW

The most likely place for the Muncie to leak is that counter shaft that you are trying to avoid removing.

Going to all the effort to pull the trans and just trying to replace the gaskets between the main case and tail is probably a waste of time.

Sunstroked

100% agree.

Danish Shark

Sunstroked, you didn't read my post. The needle bearing I'm talking about isn't the ones in the countershaft. Look at your picture and above the scissors is the bearing I'm talking about.

Sunstroked

Ah yes, you are correct. I erroneously was only recalling the needle bearings in the cluster gear. Like I mentioned in my post, it's been 2 yrs. that's why I use manuals. I have CRS, can't remember sh*t.
Regardless, if someone were to go to the bother to take it apart to seal it up, it only takes a little more effort to replace the wear items.