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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ How to deal with transmission oil leak.

Posted by: scoobie Jan 30 2006, 05:32 PM

Hi folks, newbie to this forum, so if I inadvertently commit bad netiquette please give me some slack.

I have a 1972 1.7, I've noticed drops of oil on my driveway ever since I got the car 4 and 1/2 years ago, it's coming from the rear near the gear that drives the speedometer (so I am told, I'm not a 914 expert). I've recently changed the transmission oil (as I started noticing a whine in 4th gear and I suspect its due to the gear oil leak) and the tech told me I had only 1 quart of oil in there, where normally there should be 6 quarts.

So, my conclusion is that it leaked about 5 quarts in about 11000 miles (I filled the gear oil when I first got the car, and have driven 11000 miles since).

My questions are: am I correct in my assumption about the leakage, and if so, can I get away with not fixing it (at the present time) and just do the occasional gear oil service. Am I doing anything detrimental to the transmission or other parts of the car ?

Thanks for your inputs.

Posted by: 914Jr. Jan 30 2006, 08:24 PM

Sounds like the speedo drive o-ring. The o-ring is almost free and the job only requires a 13mm wrench and five minuets of your time.

Posted by: bd1308 Jan 30 2006, 08:27 PM

i fill mine up every two weeks. ~300 miles. dont sweat the small stuff....

i'd buy the o-ring and just have it installed at the next check.

b

Posted by: Dr Evil Jan 30 2006, 08:31 PM

Not sure about the amount of oil quoted, but you should fill the tranny to the bottom of the fill hole. It does sound like the O-ring which is like $.99-1.50. All you need to do is take out the keeper nut on the drive and change it.

!!!WARNING!!! you do not need to tighten the hell out of the bolt when you re-install it. It is only there to keep the drive from sliding out. Just snug it. This is a common problem with our trannies; both the oil leak and the stripped hole from some guy over tightening the dang nut.

Posted by: scoobie Jan 31 2006, 01:00 AM

You folks make it sound sooooo easy :-) Ok, let's say I've manage to locate the keeper nut, and have the 13 mm wrench. Do I have to drain the gear oil first before I attempt to loosen the nut (otherwise wouldn't the gear oil spurt all over my face) ? If I need to drain the oil first, what is the recommended procedure ?

I'm sorry if this line of questions seem juvenile, the most challenging mechanical task I've done on this car is changing the motor oil.

Posted by: Mueller Jan 31 2006, 01:04 AM

QUOTE (scoobie @ Jan 31 2006, 12:00 AM)
You folks make it sound sooooo easy :-) Ok, let's say I've manage to locate the keeper nut, and have the 13 mm wrench. Do I have to drain the gear oil first before I attempt to loosen the nut (otherwise wouldn't the gear oil spurt all over my face) ? If I need to drain the oil first, what is the recommended procedure ?

I'm sorry if this line of questions seem juvenile, the most challenging mechanical task I've done on this car is changing the motor oil.

you "could" jack up the back of the car so that the @ss end of the transmission is higher than the fill hole

Posted by: Dr Evil Jan 31 2006, 07:08 AM

You could drain the oil from the gear drive hole. Just keep a pan under it. It probably will not drain all out. Two recommendations, though. 1. Do as Mike said and jack up the rear of the car to help save the oil, 2. before you do anything, remove the fill plug on the tranny (upper plug) so that you can be sure to have the ability to refill it before you drain it.

Don't worry about "juvenile" questions. We all were not born with wrenches in our hands and had to learn some where. This place is a kind, friendly place to learn so feel free to ask what everyou are unsure about

Posted by: cary Jan 31 2006, 02:14 PM

I've done mine twice in the last couple weeks. Only a spoonful comes out if your not overfilled. Thats level on the lift.

Why twice ? I didn't have the correct o-ring. I tried one out of my $9.99 0-ring box from Harbor Freight. NOT.
So when I got the right one I put that and a different speedo drive in. Doesn't leak from there any more.

I did have a drop coming off the bottom nut of the end cover. I assume there is a bad spot in the gasket or seal in that spot. So a new nylock and some permatex fixed that.

Posted by: Demick Jan 31 2006, 03:05 PM

With the exception of the mainshaft seal, all of the seals and gaskets on the transmission are easy to replace with the tranny in the car (well, except the rear cover and intermediate plate gaskets, but those don't usually leak). Just figure out where the leak is and get it fixed.

Demick

Posted by: scoobie Jan 31 2006, 06:26 PM

Thanks for all the advice and tips. I searched for speedometer o-ring and found this on Pelican Parts, is that the o-ring I need ?

http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/ksearch/PEL_search.cgi?command=show_part_page&please_wait=N&make=POR&model=9144§ion=TRANSM&page=2&bookmark=8&part_number=999-701-084-50-M104

How about the fill plug ? Do I need a special tool to remove that ? (As is needed for the drain plug, apparently.)

Posted by: Dr Evil Jan 31 2006, 08:16 PM

That one sounded like it was for the side shifter console, but I cross checked it with another section and 999-701-084-50-M104 is the right part number. You can also try GPR (German Parts and Restoration).

The tool for the filler plug is a 17mm alle wrench IIRC. You can get the tool for those at the local VW shop usually, or through pelican or GPR as well.

There are many vendors that will have these items, I was just naming a few.

Here is a part number for one of the tools on pelican:PEL-DPR-5773

Look here:http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/shopcart/9144/POR_9144_TOLtol_pg2.htm#item10