Stupid Idea

OK, I know you guys think I lost it a long time ago but I have some ideas I want you all to think about.
Tonight I had a revelation...(enter bright light and singing)...
The biggest problem I am having driving the "pimpster" as an everyday car is not the fact that I have to fill it up with 100 octane or the replacing the tires after every 2000 miles...no, the biggest problem I am facing is the continued transmission leak from that drops about a quart of oil in an hour of driving.
Over the past weeks I have searched for the source of the leak hoping that it might be easily fixed. Well its not going to be an easy fix because it is dripping from the bell housing drain hole which leads me to believe that it is the transmission imput seal at fault.
So now I am faced with a couple options.
One, I can remove the engine/tranny, seperate the two and replace the seal and put everything back together.
F*ck that... I am NOT spending that much time and energy on this Nissan because I absolutely DO NOT care about it. I just don't want to drive a rolling environmental hazard followed by a large plume of smelly smoke from the fluid dripping on the pipe that I have to pull over every hour and dump more oil into the tranny.
Two, I could come up with some crazy ass half cocked idea of "recurculating the transmission fluid. (this is where it gets pretty stupid) .
Please keep in mind that I do not think this is a good idea or that it will really last that long. I kept thinking to myself..."recirculation, recirculation...how can I get the oil dripping out of a small drain hole under the tranny back into the tranny".
Enter "mad scientist":
AHH HAAA!
How about I fabricate a small funnel shaped device that bolts around the area of the leak sheilding it from the wind and elements containing a small size resevoir capable of holding maybe half a quart of oil that it seems to drip when stopped. This device/funnel would narrow to a small enough diameter opening and be fabricated as such to allow a small diameter hose to be fastened in such a way that would allow pick up of the oil from the device/funnel thing.
From there I buy a small cheap 12V inline fuel pump (like the kind you get from JC Whitney) and wire it up with either a switch or ignition to basically suck this captured oil back into the transmission fill tube atop the motor.
"It's so crazy it just might work!"
Here is what I do and don't know.
First off can one of these cheap solid state pumps run dry or will they seize? Obviously there wouldn't be a constant supply of oil to be pumped so there would be definate times that the pump would be dry.
Second do you think a pump designed for fuel transfer could move transmission fluid. I know it's thicker than gasoline but definately thinner than motor oil. I don't think for a minute that it would be great for the pump to try to move oil but I'm just wondering if it could work. The total distance the pump would have to push the oil is less than 36".
By now half of you are either laughing your asses off, closed this thread thinking "moron" or are kind of intrigued by this dumb ass idea? "hmmmmmm....interesting but I'd never try that with my car".
Again, we are talking about a half ass temporary fix here.
What do you all think?


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Leland Pate
----79SC Targa and one hell of a piece of **** Nissan

[This message has been edited by Leland Pate (edited 10-17-2000).]

I admire the vision and the daring, but... it's a Nissan! Fill it with fluid, and then get a friend to weld the plug shut!

Long before the car actually needs another transmission fluid change, you'll be back in the car that suits you best.

Then again, if you do come up with a transmission re-irrigation scheme, it might merit another go-fast sticker -- since I've heard that re-circulating the tranny fluid's good for at least another 40 hp.

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Jack Olsen
1973 911 T sunroof coupe

You, my friend are a madman

I have to agree. You are crazy Leland. But that's not necessarily going to be a problem. Get yourself a nice spooky castle on a distant hill top and you can work uniterruptedly on your FranCARstein Nissan. Maybe you can find a way to reuse the windshield cleaner fluid too That way you never need to pop the hood to refill.

Try some transmission stop leak,some are guaranteed or your money back, fill the whole thing with it if it makes you feel better,it may slow your leak if not place a stick of C-4 under your gas tank light a cigar and have a beer and enjoy.

Well I think that the 911.....OH Wait a minute....I'm sorry. I thought I was in the 911 Tech forum. (Just kidding. )

Well, I thought you all would say that.

Here's the first problem Jack,
The drain hole it is leaking from is not intended to be a sealed surface. If I plug up the drain hole with JB Weld (which I thought of) the fluid would just fill up inside the housing until it reached the opening for the right side CV joint opening and just spill over there.
Like I said, there is no real way to prevent it from leaking.

As for the transmission stop leak....been there done that...this is a pretty major leak...not some slightly shrunken seal.
The C4 is definately a better alternative but I can't blow it up until the fire restrictions are lifted in Idaho...

You all saw the wing I built from scrap. I shouldn't have any problem fabricating something that would work well even if it took a couple tries. The pump is still the major concern to me. I think it's time to give Schucks a call.



And I know this is a 911 forum and please, trust me, I'd much rather be talking about my 911 than this tub 'o shiesser car but I have to get it to where it'll get me from point A to B before I can really get to work on my baby.

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Leland Pate

___79 SC Targa

How about putting a switch on the pump, accessible from the inside, should solve the dry pump problem. Go one step further and put a sensor at the top of the resevoir.Gotta be impressed with your creativity!

The answer is "Peanut Butter" just add that to the tranny fluid and the "Rice Rocket" would have a true peanut butter tranny. Have to use chunky style so the chunks plug up the holes. Didn't you learn nothin' as a kid.

Jimmy Carter
1971 911

Leland - I had a simmilar problem with my '73T. The oil tank was cracked and couldn't be quickly replaced. I used metal strapping material (like for hanging pipes) and a deep tupperware pan. I drilled a hole in the bottom of the pan and installed a cheap drain valve. About once a week I drained the quart of oil out and put a fresh quart in. It ended up taking me many months to find a new/used tank for a reasonable price. This contraption worked well, just cost a lot in fresh oil!!

Leland, ever read the labels on the cans: "USE IN A WELL-VENTILATED PLACE"!!!!! They are serious!

[This message has been edited by Jim T (edited 10-18-2000).]

Do you want my 75 914?
It's kinda wasted (inner rust mainly), but it runs!
What are your emission standards like out there?

Just thought I'd let you know I'll help out a fellow Porscheter in need. If you want it, let me know. Here's a pic of how it looked not long ago (but it's been sitting for a year and half or so...started once a month with starter fluid etc).

www.geocities.com/porscheracer911



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Kurt B
1984 911 Carrera Cabriolet
75 914 1.8

The Parts

Alright, here's how you can do it. Go to a sheet metal shop and have them fabricate you a small pan with a horizontal hole in it with a 1/8 female thread. (make them a sketch, they don't follow directions too well) Make sure the pan is at least 1" high. Go to a heating and air conditioning supply house and ask for a overflow drain pan switch, along with an inline check valve for a condensate pump. The floats are used to shut the a/c down when the overflow drain pan fills with water. Next, purchase a inline pump from JC Whitney. Get yourself some 3/8 clear plastic tubing and a 1/8 nipple to connect everything together. Don't forget small hose clamps.

The installation

Attach the float inside the pan and mount the pan to the underside of the transmission. Next, screw in a 1/8" nipple (ace hardeware has them if the A/C supply house doesn't) into the 1/8" female thread. Attach the hose with hose clamps to the nipple and then attach the pump to the hose. Make sure it is close to the pan. On the discharge side of the pump, attach hose and run it to the fill tube on the transmission.

The wiring

bring a 12v (+) source to one wire on the float switch. Connect the other wire from the float switch to the (+)wire on the pump. Connect the (-) wire from the pump to the negative termal on the battery or to ground.

The Operation


As the pan fills up with water, the float will start to rise and turn the pump on. The pump will then pump the fluid back to the fill tube on your transmission. When the level goes down in the pan, the float will shut off the pump. The check valve will keep the fluid in the line from coming back to the pan causing it to cycle on and off unecessarily. There you have it.

Steve

There was an old used car dealer here in Charlotte that was busted for adding sawdust to the tranny's of some cars to stop leaks... Don't know how long they lasted, but I'll bet it makes a hell of a paste!!!!

How about driving it to the next porsche event and sell tickets to anyone that wants to have a go at it with sledgehammers?
Then you could use that money to by another Nissan. Bobby

The castle on a hill shrouded in fog complete with lightning may be the lab ya need. "It is ALIVE"!!!!! Frau Bucher...(as the horses whinny)!!! Leleand, the military gives you to much free time! But trust me I do love the "fix it" creativity you're showing.

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Howie
79SC