"early" 915 input shaft seal....

darkbeer · 08-11-2006, 03:47 AM

looks like the 72-76??? 915's don't have the removable sleeve on the input shaft ....to replace the seal you gotz to gut the tranny to get to it ??? I've been told that you can also use a "special tool" (piece of correct size pipe) & just tap the old one back down the shaft into the tranny & tap a new one in to replace it...no harm, no foul, no $$$$$ to gut & reseal the whole tamn dranny !!!! anyone know 'bout this or have experience??? my 915 is a '75...shifts "like butta" & only leaks a little from the seal...hate to tear into it !!!

vash · vash's Garage

on my past 75 car, i did it while leaving the tranny in place. you disconnect the coupler via the set screw, then climb under the car with various tools. picks, small screwdrivers, etc. then pick away like a man posessed. you want to be careful not to mar any sealing surfaces, but with patients, you will pop that sucker out. believe me, you wont know whether to cry or laugh. it is a good feeling. took me about 30 minutes of picking. and the second you start, you get the "point of no return" feeling. once it is out, you put the new one over the shaft with a little bit of silicon lube and push it on. it is way easier on, than off. i didnt have any special tools. i just work slowly around with a flat blade screwdriver and pressed it on.

Jim Sims · 08-11-2006, 11:03 AM

"looks like the 72-76??? 915's don't have the removable sleeve on the input shaft ....to replace the seal you gotz to gut the tranny to get to it ??? I've been told that you can also use a "special tool" (piece of correct size pipe) & just tap the old one back down the shaft into the tranny & tap a new one in to replace it...no harm, no foul, no $$$$$ to gut & reseal the whole tamn dranny !!!! anyone know 'bout this or have experience??? my 915 is a '75...shifts "like butta" & only leaks a little from the seal...hate to tear into it !!!"

I assume you are referring to the input shaft seal (input shaft being the one carrying power from the engine to the transmission) as opposed to the to the shift shaft seal which is what I believe Vash is describing. The special "apple corer" tool is required to do the input seals from the outside on the some of the '72- early '73 915s and is supposedly helpful on some of the later fixed sleeved 915's. I've always replaced the fixed sleeve (this is the sleeve the clutch throw out bearing operates on) input shaft seals when I've had the transmissions apart. On my '76 915 the sleeve was removable which might also be the case on your '75. I don't recall when the transition to the removable sleeve was made. Whatever the case, to replace this seal you will need to at least drop the engine - I prefer to drop the engine and transmission as a unit.

darkbeer · 08-13-2006, 01:50 AM

Yes Jim...thanks, I am referring to the input shaft seal!!! I've already pulled the 2.7 & trans in prep to install my new 2.7....the tranny has already been through the steam washer & is all shinny clean..er, make that dull grey clean ( magnesium don't shine much). Now's the time to replace that seal & a P-car guy I know told me @ the trick way of replacing it as I state above...was just hoping there were other sucesses with this technique out there in Pelican Land....

darkbeer · 08-17-2006, 07:50 AM

It's done !!! & it worked just fine.... now, is there ANY way to make magnesium look good ????

MikeR90S · 08-17-2006, 07:59 AM

My 2 cents to round out this thread... '72 & 73 can only change the seal from the inside (no clearance for the coring tool). '74 & 75 can use the coring tool. '76 on (?) have a removable snout.

darkbeer · 08-18-2006, 01:56 AM

so does, I think, Michael Jackson !!!!

Bobboloo · Bobboloo's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by MikeR90S
My 2 cents to round out this thread... '72 & 73 can only change the seal from the inside (no clearance for the coring tool). '74 & 75 can use the coring tool. '76 on (?) have a removable snout.

Actually the early 72' 915 is the only 915 where you have to disassemble the tranny to replace the input shaft seal. The seal is inserted from the back side of the bell housing inside the transfer case. This problem was fixed mid-way through 72' production. Ask me how I know...

Mid 72', trannies numbered 733 7375, 783 0838, 793 1031, and onward all have seals that are inserted from the clutch side.

Randy W · Randy W's Garage

Late to this thread. It was actually mid '73 (3/73 production) when the input shaft seal was changed, at least for the 915 5 speeds. I've seen an original '73 CIS T with the earlier input shaft seal gearbox. #733 7375 is a mid '73 production number, as indicated in the factory manual.