Grumpy 427

Has anybody changed one of these in the car? If so can it be done by picking it out from the outside, or does the tranny pan have to come out to get it out?

tonak

I used a KD 2393 tool from Ebay for $10 , and replaced it on the car. Had to drop the exhaust to get to it but it's easy to remove the old seal. Placing the new seal is pretty restricted for space to drive it in. Mine still leaks, but not as badly.

7T1vette

You can do the job from the outside. You can 'pop' out the old seal by sticking an ice pick through the lip and under the casing...then use the pick as a pry tool to lift it out; or you can just leave the 'leaky' one in place and drive a new one down on top of the other one. There is enough room to do that and this is a common tranny shop repair.

If you use the ice pick method, just take care to not score or damage the seal bore or the shifter shaft journal. (...and you don't need a $10 tool [plus $10 shipping charge and 2-3 day wait time)

Grumpy 427

Thank you for the reply guys. I appreciate it.

Grumpy 427

Put in a new seal tonight, went for a short drive and the FU**er is still leaking. How much work to put in a 4 spd? i an done with this ****.

Grumpy 427

Got it fixed tonight and no more leaking. that shaft seal is very fussy has to how it goes in.

KapsSA

Took me two tries when I did my white79.
First one the edge of the seal folded over a little when I put it on. Noticed that when I removed it.
Wrapped a thin piece of plastic, actually one of those warning labels you might see on an extension cord or hair dryer, over the shaft and carefully 'screwed ' the seal on past the flats.
Worked great the second time

BKbroiler

I replaced mine about a month ago and its leaking again. Do you guys need to drop the drivers side exhaust to get room to push the seal in? Thats what makes it a pita on my car.

Grumpy 427

If your doing it on the ground then yes drop the drives exhaust. We did it on a hoist this time, and there was lots of room. Again that depends on your headers and pipes too. The trick is lots of lube on the seal, and lots of patience, working it over the notched part of the shaft so you dont nick it.

Stephen Irons

Hi all, and Grumpy 427 in particular!

This oldish post came up when I searched for TH350 shift seals. The seal on my 1978 is leaking but I was encouraged by Grumpy’s report of a fix. But can I ask for some elaboration? Am I right in assuming that all I need to do is undo the nut holding the shift “quadrant” on to the shaft and remove it to expose the seal, or is there more to it than that?

I’ve read a few horror stories about using a “pick” to pull the old seal out. How did you pull your Grumpy? I assume there is enough clearance between ‘box and the driver’s footwell?

Any info gratefully received! Thanks.

billcarson

there is nothing more to it than that.i tried to make a homemade shaft seal remover from a piece of pipe and a screw but it would not screw into the old seal for proper removal.the former $10 tool is now $40ish.i took 7t1vette's advice and just placed another seal over the existing seal and it was a homerun,(thanks 7t1vette).no need now for my new and improved seal remover so that was abandoned for now.good luck on your replacement.

Stephen Irons

Thanks Bill.

Forgive my ignorance, but the seal is presumably just gently tapped on like most seals, once over the threaded part of the shaft? I guess using a socket or something similar?

Looks like my next task will be to obtain a seal! Oh, and hope that no one has added one before

billcarson

exactly like that with a socket.seal was 2.99 at pep boys and some care should be given when pushing it over the flat.

Stephen Irons

Hi

Sorry to bring this to the top agian after such a while! But, new seals have now arrived here in sunny France, so this job is up next! But, can I confirm a couple of things?

The "quadrant" that holds the cable is attached to the shaft by a nut. Is that "quadrant" held in the correct orientation on the shaft by a "flat" or similar. Or, is one expected to adjust it when re-fitting I'd like to know before I release the nut.

And, I'm assuming that the seal goes back in with the "lip side" inwards?

Thanks guys!

Grumpy 427

unhook the cable, undo the nut pull the shifter bracket off exposing the seal. make sule to pick it out carefully, as if you nick the case you have an issue.once you get it up on a hoist its self explanatory.

7T1vette

The shift lever (quadrant) is indexed by the flats on the shift shaft. Remove the nut and remove the lever. The seal has a "dust lip" which goes on toward the outside, and a sealing lip which is on the inside.

You can pick the old seal out with an icepick...being careful not to scratch the shaft or the bore...or, you can just leave it installed and install the new one on top of the old one. You just need to drive the new seal down to where the 'dust lip' is below the edge of the flats on the shift shaft. Put lots of Vaseline (petroleum jelly) on the shaft and some on the seal lips and take care not to cut the new seal on the edges of the shaft flats. You can put a piece of masking tape around those flats, if you want to be sure not to damage the new seal, then remove it when installed.

The new seal should have some 'paint' on its outside diameter. Actually, that is a sprayed-on sealant for the bore. If the bore is clean and undamaged, you should not have to add any sealant to it. Otherwise, a very light wipe of Permatex #2 on the seal O.D. will be adequate.

Stephen Irons

Great! Thanks a lot chaps. It almost sounds too good to be true :-)

Cheers!

doctorgene

They make a special tool just to remove that seal, Clark Tool sold it to me a couple years ago. 40.00 Plus tax. Have a great one Gene

Stephen Irons

OK, I promise I won't bring this thread up again.... after this!

I'm in the proces fo doing this job now. But, now I can see the seal there doesn't appear to be enough room for another one to go over the top. So, I'm guessing that someone has doen this before! How deep should I expect to see the "original" seal in the trans housing?

I'm a bit reluctant to try and pry out the one I can see, in case it's the only one! I'm guessing that if that was the case, I'd have trans fluid all over the floor in no time!

Thanks!

BKbroiler

A second seal doesn't fit on my trans either. The tool described above does work well for removal and installation. You will spill trans fluid if you don't drain it first.