It's perfectly OK to re-use brake bands, unless, of course, they show tearing/wear at their tips. Also, they should be replaced if they have a wear imprint transferred from the grooves on the inside of the synchro ring.

Gear "offset" is normal.

Glad to hear that your vise "support leg" worked out!

Well, when I noticed this I thought about shortening (my local Porsche transmission shop has a surface grinder - what a machine) the spacer between 1st and 2d. That would have lined 2d and 3d up better. But then there is 4th, and what might be the effect on the main bearings, and, and,,, and . . . .

Factory manual is silent about it. When knowing nothing, doing nothing seems a reasonable approach.

It does look like it keeps them back a bit farther from the dog teeth.

Now that Peter says it is normal, for whatever reason, I can breathe easier.

Another Rookie mistake
 

Another Saturday to spend some time assembling this gearbox and another rookie mistake !

Despite Peter's words of caution in his tutorial, I managed to partially tear the intermediate cover to differential gasket.

One of the posts on the intermediate cover caught and tore the paper gasket at the outer perimeter of the stud. The gasket remains continuous at the inner side so I do not think this should leak. I smeared a little extra curil T and bolted it up.

Now I am wondering, is this a recipe for disaster ? If so my hope to get this all back together over the holidays is dashed as I will need to order another gasket asap.

Experience anyone ?

You could forgo the gasket altogether and assemble using your favorite 911 engine case sealant. I've had no problems doing that.

Walt, I did a search and Loctite 574 was mentioned a few times. Does not sound like the popular approach but no-one who used indicated problems.
Matt Monsoon indicated his shop no longer uses the gaskets .

I will try and source some locally.

Thanks

curil T works fine. Don't worry.
I tore that gasket 2 times. Finally, putting the transmission face down while assembling that part of it helped a lot. THen you have to put it back up on the stand though

That darned gasket!!! I order the gaskets independent of the gasket set, and my rule is if I nick the hole, but the gasket still lays flat, I use it. If the gasket is torn from the hole to either the inside, or outside, edge, I throw it away.

I've been sorely tempted to try Loctite 574 (no gaskets), but the "T" works so well I've been hesitant to. I would want to do the trans in my own car first, and then monitor it for a year to see how it does.

Well I think I will pull it apart and replace the gasket.

I have some options:

1. Use Permatex #515 Anaerobic Flange Sealant available locally without paper gaskets. Also available is Permatex " The Right Stuff" gasket making material .

2. I can get Loctite #574 or #518 from German Supply in a couple of days. I am thinking the 518 be the better product for tranny but not sure. Again , the idea would be to skip the paper gaskets.

3. I can order replacement paper gaskets from pelican and try the Curil T/paper gasket approach again.

Any votes for one approach over another ?

Vote for 3.

Well, I've used 574 (if that is the Loctite orange the factory recommends for engine cases). No problems. I first used it when I had to remove the shift fork cover to make emergency internal repairs (which, mirabilu dictu, I was able to do) and had no replacement gasket nor time to get one, as the race in which my wife was to drive the car was the next day. Worked for years until rebuild time, after which I still left the gasket off. At rebuild I left off this pesky gasket also.

Guys are using other sealants - 3bonds, Yamabond, others. The engine building list has a very lengthy discussion about the ultimate sealant (q.v. if you have time and a passion), though it is directed at engines. Don't see why a transmission should be different, though. Thicker fluid which generally does not get quite as hot. Probably a bit less internal pressure, too.

My local tranny shop said they like Hondabond (semi-drying liquid gasket, it says), so that's what I used on my rebuild this spring. I've got a weep from somewhere I can't locate (but can live with), but it is not from this joint with its full porcupine set of gasket tearing studs. I think I bought a tube from the local motorcycle place.

I have trouble thinking I'd want to use Curil T and that fragile paper gasket for a flange which is structural as well as needing to seal. Won't help the tearing potential, will it? And if it doesn't tear, you shouldn't need anything else (my first rebuild used the gasket, I was lucky about tearing, and it never leaked). At least if you have a clean surface (as you should have) and haven't scratched it.

Bruce Anderson in his books claims using anything with a gasket is a bad idea because it lubricates the gasket, allowing it more easily to slide away from where it needs to be. Sounds logical, though I have used Hylomar gasket dressing to possible good effect (no bad issues, anyway) on valve cover gaskets.

Maybe if I tried Curil with gasket I'd like it, but it doesn't get my vote.

So, like many, I vote from my experience (which is real, but hardly up there with the professional engine/tranny builders) for 574 or - now - Hondabond.

Or any sealant used on 911 cases by, say, Henry Schmidt or Steve Weiner or Aaron from Florida or Bruce Abbott or John Walker or the others who make a living doing this stuff and pay an unpleasant consequence if their work leaks.

I picked up a tube of threebond 1194 from a local motorcycle shop. I believe I read here somewhere that this product is the same product as the Hondabond or Yamabond stuff.

I also was able to pick up Loctite 518 locally so I have 2 options to finish this without having to order the gaskets so I will go without paper gasket and hope for the best.

I am leaning towards the threebond 1194. I believe it is spread on both case flanges as thin as possible but I will see that I can find regarding proper installation technique for this case ?

I will read a little tonight and if anyone else chimes in supporting one over the other , please do

3bond 1194 or Loctite 518 ? Vote now !!

I thought I would post an update. I used the threebond 1194 for the intermediate cover. It seemed to work well and I would think that this product should perform better than the paper gasket approach if there were any imperfections. With that in mind I used it on the nose cover and shift fork plate cover as well.

If nothing else it will be a test . I will report back when the car is on the road next spring with leakage reports.

The gearbox refresh is now complete. At the end of the day my refresh was only the replacement of all synchro rings, 1-2/3-4 sliders, and the proper repair of the spun pinion bearing race. I am glad I opened it up just to get that spun race repaired if nothing else. I learned a great deal about the inner workings of the 915. I just hope it shifts fine when it hits the road.

I need to replace my clutch next before reassembly as the broken pressure plate is the reason I took the engine out in the first place. That job, and engine clean-up /vacuum leaks repair will keep me busy for the rest of the winter up here in the Great White North !

A big thanks to everyone who posted and helped me along the way, especially Peter Zimmermann for his comments and tutorial as it was my bible for this project.

Ross

Good job, and I hope the trans works perfect for you! Regarding the clutch, be sure to order a pilot shaft bearing, as well as the crankshaft seal behind the flywheel. Flywheel condition is important, as well as what you do with the TOB release fork. Don't freeze to death in your garage!

Pete,

For the clutch I ordered the complete rebuild kit from our host including all seals, bearings, clutch release fork etc. I also ordered a new flywheel and bolts, main seal.

I believe I have all the parts now to do a proper job so hopefully I will finish the clutch assembly this week. We are in the middle of a snowstorm right now so it is a good time to spend in the garage.

I do have a question regarding the clutch release folk if anyone has the answer. My car in an 84 and I am wondering if it requires the shaft seals on each end of the clutch release fork. The bentley manual only indicates one seal on the clutch release fork shaft outside the bell housing. I believe there was at least one badly worn seal at the clutch release fork when I took it apart. I have several of these seals on hand.

Ross

I believe just one on the fork. The one which looks like it fits without squishing. I recall trying to use two, and things didn't fit well or move smoothly. They really aren't seals in the usual sense, are they?

Here is a picture someone posted recently on another discussion.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1293833763.jpg

Thanks Walt for the picture and clarification, I appreciate it . I have another question that someone following this thread can probably answer. I posted in a separate thread but got no response yet.

I am onto the clutch replacement and am ready to install a new flywheel seal. The existing seal is not leaking but the engine has 130k miles so I plan to replace the seal.

I have read numerous threads on the subject but am not sure what the concensus is regarding sealing the OD of the new seal. I have read where some recommend Curil T or Yamabond and many who recommend installing dry.

Is there a general concensus on this subject ?

I understand that a lubricant that does not dry may cause the seal to pop out under pressure in operation so I question the curil T .

I would think that a very thin coat of Threebond 1194 might be a good idea to ensure a good seal and act as an assembly lube that will dry sufficiently to keep the seal in place.

Thoughts ? Should I just press it in dry ?

Ross

Dry is how I do it. You want it to stay put after it goes on so anything that lubes it is bad.

If it were my motor I'd leave a non-leaking seal alone. Unless you have the expensive factory seal installation tool, it is tricky to install without damaging it. At least it has been for me. I've installed a number of them, and damaged several trying to install them. Can be frustrating.

When you start pressing it in, as you push on one point, the opposite side wants to go the other way. Pressing on all sides evenly is not as easy as it seems. Tapping gently in a circle around the edges does not sneak it into place the way one might hope.

Lubricating the seal can help with installation, but can have the problems you fear, though others have made it work fine. But the seal should not need a sealant in order to do its job. The factory did not apply sealant to the one in your engine.

One method of getting the seal to start in involves putting a little dab of something sticky, like Gaskacinch, on one side of the seal and the case and letting them dry a bit. Then start the seal on that side a little, and then start pressing or tapping on the other side. With luck the sticky stuff will keep its edge down until you get the seal started all the way around.

Walt,
Its too late to take your advice. I removed the old seal yesterday. I made a homemade press tool I will try today, dry.

I welded a 16mm bolt to the old pilot bearing and got an abs cleanout cover from the hardware store which matches the diameter of the oil seal. I drilled a hole in the cleanout cover and will try using this press as a substitute for the factory tool. If it works I will post some pictures. It cost about $8 so worth a shot.

I'm from the opposite school when it comes to these engines. I replace any easily accessed seal/gasket/keep the oil in the engine part I can when given the chance. To me taking the flywheel area apart and not doing a new RMS would be a mistake.. though I do understand the fear of damaging it.