Jway

I am a new member and need some advice on how to get a new seal installed on the shifter shaft. I have removed the old seal and it appears that I will have to remove the exhaust system from the cats back to have enough room to tap the new seal into place. Is there another way to get the seal installed without removing the exhaust? Any ideas would be appreciated.

Jway

After trying come up with a way to install the seal without removing the exhaust I have decided that the exhaust will have to be removed. Since all the pipes and muffler are welded together the system has to removed in one piece. My factory shop manuals have nothing about replacing this seal with the transmission still in the car and the dealers rate books don't have anything either.

I haven't been able to work on the car for the last few days because of other things I have had to do around the house. With luck I should be able to get back on it in a couple of days.

toptechx6

Just a suggestion, I don't know your work set up (ramps, jack stands, lift?) but you can give this a shot. Try unbolting the front pipes from the exhaust manifolds and let the system hang supported by the middle and rear hangers. You will have to work over top of the front pipes but it may give you access to the seal without removal of the entire exhaust. A strong word of CAUTION! Be sure you disconnect the battery negative cable to avoid accidentally shorting the starter power cable, cars have burned down because of this trust me, good luck.

Jway

That's an idea that I will have to take a look at. I have the 'vette on ramps and jack stands. There is a bracket that would also have to be removed on the drivers side since this is a flanged connection. The pipe on the passenger side is a slip on connection. I think I would have to disconnect the front muffler hanger. Just about everything under the hood on this car is a tight fit.

The first thing I did was disconnect the negative cable on the battery. I am not sure but I think almost every operation instruction in the manuals starts with "Disconnect neg. battery cable".

Indio Monk

I have a feeling yours is a Auto. My front pump seal of my 94 LT1 auto was leaking. I was going to fix it myself but read about how high you had to jack up your car and I was not going to do that in my garage by myself. I think they recommend 20 inches of clearance to drop tranny. I watched them do the repair twice at the transmission shop and they had to take off the exhaust. They of course had a lift. Be safe.

Jway

Yep, it is an automatic 4L60-E transmission. The shifter shaft is located on the side of the transmission. The drivers side exhaust pipe runs to the side of the trans. and below the shaft. The pipe diameter looks like it is over 2" plus there is a heat shield that runs along the top of the exh. pipe.

The one thing that a bought that worked like it was supposed to was tie seal removal tool. I had the seal out in about 5 minutes. Now it appears that it is going to take a couple of hours to get the new one installed. At the speed that I work at it will probably be longer. Just glad this puppy is not my everyday driver. If I run into a problem I can sit back and think about it and not feel pressured.

Jway

After looking under the hood I think removing the exhaust system from behind the cats back will be the easiest way to get to the shifter shaft. With all the stuff on the drivers side I would have to move some things to get to the manifold flanges. On earlier model C4s I think it would maybe be less of a problem. The 96 is loaded with lots of electronics that get in the way. I can put my floor jack under the resonator to hold things in place. There is one flange connection on the drivers side, a slip on connection on the passenger side, a hanger at each end of the
resonator and a hanger on each of the mufflers at the back.

I appreciate your Idea and it was worth checking out. One thing I have decided...any more work that requires getting under the car except maybe an oil change I am going take it somewhere to get it done! I am getting way to old for this.

toptechx6

Yeah, I can relate to that old part, next birthday for me will be 70.
Jackstands and creeper were fine when I was 30, but no more, I am fortunate to have a lift and it makes all the difference. Check out the picture below and see if your 96 is the same, this is a 93. Looks to me like you could disconnect the right side cat at the manifold without too much aggravation, and the left side at the flange behind the cat. Just another approach, best of luck.

Jway

It looks like it is identical to mine so you know what I am into. It must be nice to have the lift. It sure would make things a lot easier. I am still going to remove the exh. system. I think it will be easier overall than trying to wrestle the cat back into place. It may be possible to lower the pipes enough after I get the get the resonator hangers unbolted. I will know tomorrow.

Jway

I have the exhaust removed and the new seal in place. Total time to remove old seal and install new seal about 15 minutes. It took about 1 1/2 hours to remove the exhaust. Somewhere along the line the original mufflers were replaced with Magnaflow mufflers. Instead of have the threaded stud welded to the back of the mufflers there is an angled piece the slides into the existing hanger. After I got the mufflers removed The rest of the system came off without too much trouble. I will start getting things back together tomorrow.

Jway

I finally got everything back together Monday afternoon. I had some other things going on so couldn't work on getting everything assembled. My floor jack came in handy getting the exh. pipes and resonator in place. I had a little trouble getting the nut on the shifter shaft tightened.

I drove the car yesterday and checked the transmission fluid level and it was fine. This evening I took a look under the car and there was transmission fluid on the floor. Somewhere I remember reading about using RTV or something similar around the outer edge of the seal. Can anyone tell me if they have used anything like this?
Thanks.

Indio Monk

I have never done this myself but I did read that some put some rtv on the seal. It was a post on this forum. Did you use a tool to put in the seal or just hammer it in? I googled this and supposedly there is a special tool that helps drive in the seal or even extracts the seal.
https://www.amazon.com/Transmission-...4SMQ96Q3JMZZKE

Not an expert by any means. Hope you get it fixed. i had to take my auto c4 into the tranny shop several times for them to get the front seal leak fixed and they are the experts.

good luck.

WVZR-1

OP - we did a shift shaft seal not long ago(not in a C4 and NOT a 4L60) but the same seal and procedure. We used GM# 12345879 grease for both the shift shaft and the metal clad to case surface. The thought is that to allow the tool to work in a subsequent replacement, using an RTV or other would actually make the removal of the seal difficult or IMPOSSIBLE using the tool.

We use that grease nearly every where on the seal lip surfaces, the OD of whatever is being sealed, slip-yoke internal lubrication. It's Silicone base and temperature resistant to higher temps that are needed. We use it like SJW has displayed in his ZF bushing/seal install in this link and also on the splined shaft or internally to the slip-yoke.

If link doesn't go directly to #21 check that post. This is how we deal with all seals, pinion, extension and have used on timing cover and one-piece rear mains.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1593408556

The grease is expensive - if you've a friend that's maybe a GM tech it's on all of their benches. You only need a finger swipe for your needs if you elect to redo it. I'd maybe drive it and give it an opportunity to seal.

Jway

I did use the removal and installation tool set. The removal tool works great. I did have to open up the holes in the tools to fit over the transmission shifter shaft. I had them opened up .015"

Jway

Had I known about this I would have done it. It looks like a good idea. This is the first time I have had seal do this. Your right the grease is expensive even from the discounters. I have some Mercury 2-4-C grease that might work. I am try your suggestion of driving it for a while and see if it stops. If it doesn't I will put the front end up on the ramps and grease the seal. Thanks for the help.