Box back in

Today, I reassembled the transmission and replaced the gearbox - sounds simple, but it has taken 8 hours so far.

The gearbox jack did make life very simple, and it was far easier to align than a manual box. All the lower engine to gearbox bolts are done up, the breather pipe is connected (so I shouldn't have an incontinent box anymore) wiring to the starter inhibit switch is done, gear change linkage etc etc, BUT I haven't been able to get at the top bell housing bolts to the engine. There is clearance above the box, but the issue is that even with 3 socket extensions I cannot reach the bolts, its a trip to Halford's to get a fourth one - the length of the FF parts causes this issue. Anyway, when I have these done up a final day should see it all back together and ready for road test.

I am also going to change the quill shaft bearing - I had replaced it with an el cheapo one, but reading Nick's postings on the CT forum about a cheap bearing failing within 2500 miles has made me recall that I did purchase a new RHP one, which is in my box of spares, and while the propshaft is out, its easy to change, better now than while doing the RBRR.

One other small issue while refitting the box, an oil cooler pipe fractured - internal rust - the walls were paper thin, better now though, than when on the road, as the fluid would soon pump out

I made up a replacement with 8mm copper pipe

FF box rebuilt

All the bearings had arrived, so I rebuilt the FF transfer box today, all went as planned, and its very very shiny inside now - tailshaft spins without noise too, I really hope that's it now.

The autobox has also been rebuilt and awaits my collection. So I just have to reassemble the whole thing, which may be a few weeks due to business commitments.

I noticed that I haven't updated hours and money for a while so the grand totals are now

Time spent 1053 

32 bonnet painting, 12, hours on box removal and power steering pump, 6 hours on rebuilding the FF box

Money spent 

£185 paint and materials

£60 quarter bumper

£30 extended speedo cable

£195 SKF bearings for FF box

£20 pump seals

£850 on full autobox rebuild including torque converter (this was a little painful!)

Total now £22331

FF Box Complete Stripdown

Bell housing removal was simple and quick all nuts and bolts easily accessible, Torque Converter was not simple, remove vacuum tank, remove exhaust manifold, remove starter motor - except the starter motor still won't come out until the engine mount is removed and the engine tipped over a little, then you can get at the 4 bolts on the rear of the flexiplate which attaches the torque converter. 

While removing these, I dropped one behind the flexiplate, so I subsequently had to remove that from the crankshaft - grrrrr - next time there is a rag going in the hole to catch errant bolts.

Anyway with the torque converter off and ready for dispatch to the gearbox people I commenced a full strip down of the FF system

The first thing that you need to know is that the internal nuts that secure bearings on shafts are left hand thread - undo them normally and you tighten them up! Its really good engineering as the shaft rotation will cause them to tighten - a sign of quality and good engineering.

Anyway, all stripped, there are a few other tiny rust marks on some ball races, so as planned I am going to replace all bearings, these were ordered online today, all SKF for about £195. They are a mix of deep groove ball bearings and cylindrical thrusts bearings

I thought that you lucky readers may wish to see the full internals of the FF box, so apart from the input shaft from the auto box here it all is, followed by pictures of a strip down of the individual components

As assembled in the casings - note the space for a second morse chain for engines with more torque (big american V8's I guess)

 

front propshaft removed from transfer gears

front transfer gear assembly stripped.

Take off from viscous coupling to morse chain

tailshaft assembly taking drive from mainshaft gears - "the funny" ring with 2 cups, splashes oil from a little reservoir (fed from the scroll pick up in the VC housing) to lubricate the rear bearings

epicycle gear set in rear of viscous coupling

That's it rebuild time sometime next week - I wish I had done this originally

Autobox news

I took the gearbox into "the automatic gearbox company" in Rochdale on Tuesday. They have now stripped the box, and found that the bulk of the oil discolouration has come from the friction plates / clutch plates which all need replacing, together with the bearings and a few other bits and pieces.

They also want the torque converter to strip and inspect this, which is a bit of a pain because I thought that I had managed to avoid undoing all the bell housing bolts, hey ho, that's a few more hours on my back under the car, and a longer reinstall.

More money too.

I have completely stripped the FF box too, so pictures of this to follow tomorrow, I am just waiting for replacement bearings for this.

Well it wasn't as bad as I thought

Started gearbox removal at 10.30, all out by 1.30 - 3 hours, don't know why I worried, easier than a manual box in a Stag ! - I suspect it will be a little awkward to replace, but time will tell.

Before removal I drained all the oil, here's the oil from the FF a little dirty but no metal

Here's the oil from the auto box, with some swarf in it.

Here's a better picture of the swarf - looks like alloy to me I haven't bothered to drop the sump on the autobox

and box out

I was still worrying about the FF parts so I stripped the FF box down, and all is fine apart from the tailshaft bearings - they have gone rough and noisy

Still I have learnt my lesson, while its out I am replacing ALL the bearings, and the auto box is going off for a full strip down. I was going to do this myself, but I simply cannot find anyone who will sell me a seal and bearing kit, so I admit defeat here, and a reconditioner can do the work. In the scheme of things its not been that large a setback, although I still wish that I had done it when it was all originally apart.

Anyway, that done I am off to Malvern in the morning to see the TR International.

Back to the Estate

I managed to get a few jobs done on the estate this afternoon.

Fitted the passenger window nos weatherstrip.

Replaced the power steering pump front oil seal - the old one looked ok on removal so I am not sure why that leaked, still time will now show if that fault is fixed.

I was going to fit the rear bumper, now I have the complete item, and spent a happy ? hour or so removing Stanparts protective covering from the chrome. It finally took cellulose thinners to shift, and then I found that although I could locate all the bumper mountings and brackets I couldn't find the joiner strips that fit between the bumper sections - I know they are here somewhere.

Tomorrow I am going to remove the auto box and FF system ( I hope) to help with this I have purchased a transmission jack - there's no way one person, even me!, is going to be able to take the weight of the FF system and autobox. I hope that when the propshaft and exhausts are removed, I can lower the rear of the box enough to unbolt the FF system, and that will then allow room to get the autobox off the bellhousing - at least being an auto the torque converter and gearbox to engine bellhousing can stay in place, and starter motor too.

Finally my new 123ignition dissy arrived, its basically megajolt built into the dizzy housing, so no points, points scatter or floating baseplate - you can also reprogram advance curves, vacuum advance etc, so I'll be having fun with this at some point, but I am not fitting it to the car until the gearbox is back in - only change one thing at a time.

I have also realised why I have had small puddles of autobox fluid under the car, there's no breather pipe on the gearbox - what a plank to forget that - that will certainly be fitted when the box goes back in.

And finally I have started to put my RBRR spares together - no drive shafts or similar items - if those fail we are out, but sensible stuff, alternator, plugs, dizzy cap and leads, rotor arm, drive belts, windscreen wipers, spare set of radiator hoses and jubilee clips etc