C3 Tech/Performance V8 Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine, Basic Tech and Maintenance for the C3 Corvette
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Transmission shift lever seal leaking

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jul 7, 2011 | 10:09 PM
  #1  
BillyTz06's Avatar
BillyTz06
Thread Starter
Racer
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 471
Likes: 1
From: Hometown The best
Default Transmission shift lever seal leaking

The shift lever seal on the side of my turbo 350 transmission is leaking transmission fluid. Does anyone know if this seal can be removed and replaced without removing the transmission. Any suggestions on how to remove it.
Reply
Old Jul 7, 2011 | 10:27 PM
  #2  
7T1vette's Avatar
7T1vette
Team Owner
15 Year Member
Community Builder
Community Influencer
Top Answer: 5
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Default

Remove nut from end of shift shaft; remove lever; place new seal over the top of the first one and drive into bore being careful to not cut the seal lip on the shaft flats; drive seal so that lip is just past the flats on the shaft; reassemble.
Reply
Old Jul 7, 2011 | 10:55 PM
  #3  
BillyTz06's Avatar
BillyTz06
Thread Starter
Racer
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 471
Likes: 1
From: Hometown The best
Default

What happens to the original seal? Does it just compress? Is there room for two seals. Have you personally done this? This sounds pretty simple. I'll order a new seal tomorrow.
Reply
Old Jul 8, 2011 | 06:16 AM
  #4  
dgood's Avatar
dgood
Burning Brakes
 
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 807
Likes: 2
From: VIRGINIA BEACH VIRGINIA
Default

There is room for two seals in there. I have two in mine now. If it starts leaking I will remove them and just install one. To remove the shaft, you have to drop the pan and you will see a "s" shaped hook holding the shaft to another part of the tranny. Disconnect that, remove the nut on the out side and the shaft will slide out. Replace the seal and reverse the assembly.

When you put it back together, if you hook it up wrong or do not put the "s" hook in, you will only have park and drive. Did that once also. Dropped the pan again and hooked the s hook back up and it was all better.
Reply
Old Jul 8, 2011 | 10:18 PM
  #5  
7T1vette's Avatar
7T1vette
Team Owner
15 Year Member
Community Builder
Community Influencer
Top Answer: 5
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Default

As mentioned, there is room for 2 fully-installed seals. This is a common method for making this repair in the "corner transmission repair" industry. They charge you for disassembling half the transmission, but actually fix it in about 30 minutes (or less). Having 2 seals [one of them with a small leak] is actually more reliable than having just 1 good one. All the second one has to deal with is the leakage from the first one.

Anyway, 2 will fit in there....unless there are already 2 in there! At that point, you will need to pull at least one of them out. The easiest way to do so is to poke the point of a small ice pick through the rubber seal material [being careful not to scrape/gouge either the shaft journal or the outer bore that the seal fits in] and up behind the steel outer jacket. Then, press the handle of the ice pick towards the transmission so that it pries the metal casing out of the bore. Once it is cocked enough, it will just come out. If there is another seal in lower, this process won't work as well, so it would be simpler to just leave the "inner" seal in place and put another good one on top.

P.S. I have never seen a unit with 2 seals where the outer seal ever leaked again! But, sh!+ happens....
Reply
Old Jul 8, 2011 | 10:38 PM
  #6  
BillyTz06's Avatar
BillyTz06
Thread Starter
Racer
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 471
Likes: 1
From: Hometown The best
Default

That was good and accurate information. I installed the new seal over the old one today and there are no leaks so far. Just as you stated, two seals have to be better than one. Thanks for the help.
Reply
Old Mar 15, 2019 | 06:38 PM
  #7  
Ivo KambiÄ's Avatar
Ivo KambiÄ
6th Gear
 
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Default

Hello, I'm new in this forum. I had corvette C4 year 1985. I bought it in America in New York.
In 7 years I drove only 1.000 miles.
I observed oil lekeage on shifter shaft. I'm interested what the dimension is shaft seal and where can I ordered (buy) it (Rock auto, Eckler's, I know for only these shops).
Please, if you advise me on where to buy a middle front spoiler, as it is visible on the image that I miss.




Reply
Old Mar 16, 2019 | 02:51 AM
  #8  
TimAT's Avatar
TimAT
Le Mans Master
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,123
Likes: 433
From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Default

And then there is this tool to remove and replace the selector shaft seal. Problem is, on a Corvette there is not enough room to use the driver to install the new seal without removing the crossmember and lowering the transmission. I have had one of these for years and it works great.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BK_7769250

Last edited by TimAT; Mar 16, 2019 at 02:52 AM.
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained

 Joe Kucinski
story-2

Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

 Joe Kucinski
story-4

Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

 Brett Foote
story-5

10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

 Michael S. Palmer
story-6

8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-7

10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

 Michael S. Palmer
Old Mar 17, 2019 | 04:20 PM
  #9  
Ivo KambiÄ's Avatar
Ivo KambiÄ
6th Gear
 
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Default

Originally Posted by TimAT
And then there is this tool to remove and replace the selector shaft seal. Problem is, on a Corvette there is not enough room to use the driver to install the new seal without removing the crossmember and lowering the transmission. I have had one of these for years and it works great.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BK_7769250
Thank you very much for fast answer...
Reply
Old Nov 30, 2025 | 12:41 PM
  #10  
rtjsusa's Avatar
rtjsusa
Intermediate
All Eyes On Me
 
Joined: Apr 2024
Posts: 46
Likes: 14
From: Alicante, Spain
Default

Realizing that this is an old conversation, I'll add my findings anyway, maybe someone can benefit. I ended up buying the removal tool and seal on ebay and made the most of the fact that there's little space to work with: screwed in the bolt as much as needed to slip the tool over the shat. Then unscrewed the bolt until it wedged itself against the the housing, then held it in place with a spanner while turning the tool clockwise with another spanner. The bolt then forced the tool into the seal and after a few turns it was snug in the old seal, then held the tool steady while screwing the bolt back in: Job done in 10 minutes. New seal placed and lightly tapped in using the 2nd tool provided. No stress, no hammering, swearing or anything. total job, including jacking up the car and returning it to the ground less than 30 minutes.
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To Transmission shift lever seal leaking





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:54 PM.

story-0
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!

Slideshow: The 5 best and 5 most overrated Corvette track packages ever.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-09 12:46:45


VIEW MORE
story-1
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained

Slideshow: Every 2027 Corvette engine explained

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-09 12:16:31


VIEW MORE
story-2
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette

Slideshow: A Jaguar designer's personal project imagines what a modern front-engined Corvette might look like if Chevrolet revisited the golden age of the Stingray.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-08 19:53:43


VIEW MORE
story-3
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Corvettes that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 10:34:17


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

A lot of money has changed hands at the online auction house over the years.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-03 10:21:50


VIEW MORE
story-5
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: 10 great gifts Corvette enthusiasts actually want for Father's Day!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:40


VIEW MORE
story-6
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

Slideshow: These are the quirks, annoyances, and oddly lovable problems that every Corvette owner eventually learns to live with.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-28 09:31:39


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

Slideshow: 10 reasons why the C6 Z06 is still a performance benchmark after 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 17:20:09


VIEW MORE
story-8
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

Slideshow: How much horsepower every Corvette engine lost in 1972.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:54:53


VIEW MORE
story-9
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

Slideshow: How to Protect A Convertible Top: 10 DOs & DON'Ts

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-03 00:00:00


VIEW MORE