Hello! Log in or Register   |  Help  |  Donate  |  Buy Shirts See all banner ads | Advertise on TheSamba.com  
TheSamba.com
 
would you drive 2k miles with leaky shift shaft seal?
Forum Index -> Vanagon Share: Facebook Twitter
Reply to topic
Print View
Quick sort: Show newest posts on top | Show oldest posts on top View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
jslew
Samba Member


Joined: March 03, 2008
Posts: 55
Location: Trinidad, CO
jslew is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 4:20 pm    Post subject: would you drive 2k miles with leaky shift shaft seal? Reply with quote

89 manual GL. Getting ready to head out to Buses by the bridge. Noticed a couple of drops of oil on garage floor this morning coming from shift shaft seal. Transaxle is the only part of the van I haven't rebuilt yet - unknown miles. I drove it this morning and it leaked a couple of drops within 2 hours of parking it.

I found the thread on the breather hole... mine was completely clogged. Cleaned it out & went for a drive... no leak in the last 2 hours.

Just wanted to get a consensus on if this is a big deal or not. Reading threads, it seems like a common issue. Am I probably good for a 2000mi round trip, or if I keep driving will it most likely become a gusher?
_________________
Current Garage:
'67 Cal Look Bug
'70 Westy
'73 Baja
'74 Spec Ed Love Bug - my first car bought in '86!
'89 Vanagon GL
'92 Corrado SLC
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
MacLeod Willy
Samba Member


Joined: February 18, 2014
Posts: 933
Location: Ontario Canada
MacLeod Willy is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 4:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As long as it is full your good to go. Im sure you will be checking for leaks often.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
bluefirefly
Samba Member


Joined: March 16, 2011
Posts: 438
Location: Calgary, Ab
bluefirefly is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 4:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

X2, you should be good to go.
I would check the oil level in the trans for peace of mind....
_________________
86 Syncro Tintop G60
work in progress ...as always!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
newfisher
Samba Member


Joined: January 05, 2012
Posts: 1764
Location: The wet spot--Oregon
newfisher is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 5:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

AAA and a cell phone. Have fun
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
gears
Samba Member


Joined: October 28, 2002
Posts: 4391
Location: Tamarack, Bend, Kailua
gears is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 5:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The shift shaft bushing is possibly the slowest leaker there is. Barely any splash up there.
_________________
aka Pablo, Geary
9.36 @ 146 in '86 Hot & Sticky
'90 Syncro Westy SVX
'87 Syncro GL 2.5
https://guardtransaxle.com
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website Gallery Classifieds Feedback
dobryan
Samba Member


Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16474
Location: Brookeville, MD
dobryan is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 5:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

X3. Drive it and have fun. Wish I could be there. Very Happy
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
jslew
Samba Member


Joined: March 03, 2008
Posts: 55
Location: Trinidad, CO
jslew is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 6:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks guys. We're going for it. AAA card and several quarts of gear oil close at hand!
_________________
Current Garage:
'67 Cal Look Bug
'70 Westy
'73 Baja
'74 Spec Ed Love Bug - my first car bought in '86!
'89 Vanagon GL
'92 Corrado SLC
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
IdahoDoug
Samba Member


Joined: June 12, 2010
Posts: 10239
Location: N. Idaho
IdahoDoug is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 7:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Agree, I'd drive and monitor.

More important than having gear oil aboard would be a way to get it in the transaxle. If you have never filled a Vanagon, it can be quite a pain. I'd also clean off the filler area and crack the filler plug loose while you are home with tools if it fights you. Then carry the huge allen tool to do it on the road.

One of those hand pumps would do in a pinch, but you'll find two things. 1 - the hand pump won't fit the gear oil bottle screw top. 2 - there is no vertical room under there to pump up and down atop a tall gear oil bottle even if it did happen to fit (it wont). So familiarize yourself with the tedious process by topping it off successfully before leaving, then tossing the oily mess into a large tupperware box to carry with you. You'll need to have a hose on the pickup end of the pump, one on the output end, a buddy to lay under there and hold the hoses while you use both hands to hold the pump and pump it. Then you will have a half pint of oil in the hoses and the pump when you get it full. So, don't do it where you'll cause a mess. About a roll of papertowels should do it....!!

DougM
_________________
1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
dobryan
Samba Member


Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16474
Location: Brookeville, MD
dobryan is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 8:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The squeeze bottles of gear oil work just fine. No need for a pump system on the road. But x2 on checking that the filler plug can be removed.
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
joseph928
Samba Member


Joined: September 22, 2011
Posts: 2114
Location: flagstaff az.
joseph928 is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 9:20 pm    Post subject: trans oil Reply with quote

bluefirefly wrote:
X2, you should be good to go.
I would check the oil level in the trans for peace of mind....
X-3. We will be at BBB oil,pump,and tools. Very Happy
_________________
1987 syncro westy tin top sun roof , GW2.3, rear locker, decoupler, Gary Lee tire rack & winch mount, lift, south african grill, big brakes , rhein alloy ,15 BFG AT, Fiamma 10 foot awning ,140 watt rear 85 watt front solar , mppt, truckfridge, automatic fire extinguishing system, tencent oil cooler, And a RMW SS exhaust! - 1971 bug convertible 1776 engine- 2010 Subaru turbo - 1993 Toyota 4x4 truck - 1999 Harley 95 CI, big bore, Andrews cams . Also 80-84- vans. Stock 65 sunroof bug.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
jslew
Samba Member


Joined: March 03, 2008
Posts: 55
Location: Trinidad, CO
jslew is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 9:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I topped it off. Forgot how much fun it is squeezing under there and using the pump on the jug! I checked to see if a quart bottle with a hose on the tip would fit up in there and flow downhill... it does.
_________________
Current Garage:
'67 Cal Look Bug
'70 Westy
'73 Baja
'74 Spec Ed Love Bug - my first car bought in '86!
'89 Vanagon GL
'92 Corrado SLC
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
1vw4x4
Banned


Joined: June 22, 2005
Posts: 472
Location: Pgh. PA
1vw4x4 is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 9:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Check the gear oil before you go and forget about it for the next
10,000 miles. I've seen several vanagon in my shop with NO gear oil.
DRY, nothing in them. Drove 1/2 hour to my place without a problem.
One even drove in from across the country. I had to fix several leak and refill, but none of them needed replaced.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
IdahoDoug
Samba Member


Joined: June 12, 2010
Posts: 10239
Location: N. Idaho
IdahoDoug is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 9:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good call. I use a 7 foot or so clear hose duct taped to a funnel at drip rail. Funnel held up with duct tape. Hose goes in wheel well to trans filler. If hose has no flat spots, it will all drain into trans. I pour a quart in and go do something else for 5 minutes. Repeat. Squeeze bottle with hose is a great idea. Did not know there was room. Mine was a Syncro - mebbe that's why I didn't see room for it with the skidplates in the way.
_________________
1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Abscate Premium Member
Samba Member


Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22568
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
Abscate is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Jan 14, 2015 4:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can tell you from experience that Dexron VI flows at about 50 ml per minute at 10 F. I rigged a jug with a spout that could hang like an IV bag rather than sit in the cold with a funnel in my hand.

Hyoid oil will flow even slower. If you are in cold country, warm it carefully in the engine bay or put it near the heater blower first.

I've successfully used a kerosene filler pump (2 bucks) to transfer gear oil, also you can get a transfer pump from a marine store, designed for filling out drives on outboards with quart bottle of hypoid oil too.
_________________
.ssS!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
djkeev
Samba Moderator


Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32433
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
djkeev is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Jan 14, 2015 5:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Check for dirt/grease buildup on the top vents, if they clog you will have leaks where you've never had leaks before!

Dave
_________________
Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Forum Index -> Vanagon All times are Mountain Standard Time/Pacific Daylight Savings Time
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

About | Help! | Advertise | Donate | Premium Membership | Privacy/Terms of Use | Contact Us | Site Map
Copyright © 1996-2023, Everett Barnes. All Rights Reserved.
Not affiliated with or sponsored by Volkswagen of America | Forum powered by phpBB
Links to eBay or other vendor sites may be affiliate links where the site receives compensation.