Reverse Idler Shaft B-7140 Leaks, 1932 Model B

[Ed in Maine]

I should have known better when I rebuilt the transmission but I did not modify this shaft with an o-ring. To keep the rebuild moving along, I just lathered the shaft up with Permatex. The transmission is all new and I started using heavy gear oil, 600W but the transmission was stiff to shift. Ford Barn suggested 85-140W gear oil so I changed it and now it leaks too much! Is there anything I can do at this point to reduce this gear oil leak? Thanks for your comments. Ed

[Walt Dupont--Me.]

Seems somewhere I've seen somebody makes a thick rubber gasket that covers those 2 shafts and is held on with that plate goes between 2 shafts. Walt

[David J]

Might give SAE 140 a try . This time of year called for SAE 160 but SAE 140 is a good sub [ ford service info ] . Big difference between 85-140 compared to straight 140 .

[Charlie ny]

Ed,
You might try the following....drain the lube,preferably after you've run the
car a good distance to thin the lube out. Now the tricky part....remove the cross pin
that retains the cluster shaft and the idler shaft....go into the retaining hole that
is adjacent to the idler shaft bore with a cut off allen wrench and CAREFULLY work
the idler shaft out far enough to see the retaining hole in the shaft, no further for
obvious reasons. Take a really good solvent like lacquer thinner and clean the
exposed end of the shaft and hopefully get some of the bore in the case cleaned too.
Use some RED locktite and coat the shaft real nice and sloppy with the locktite. Push
the idler shaft back into place and let things dry for a couple days. Coat the re-
taining pin too before reinstalling it.
Cross your fingers and hope for the best.
Charlie ny

[George/Maine]

There were some grounds to far under size.To late now but the size was
+ .000 -.0005

[Ed in Maine]

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Thank you for your suggestions. I like Charlie's suggestion but that is really scary! I will try changing the oil viscosity first then think about slightly withdrawing the reverse shaft. I am working on a 1931 Cabriolet and I have noticed that vendors do carry A-7140 cut for an o-ring. Ed

[expavr]

I use a 50-50 blend of Napa 90 wt. GL 1 and Lucas Heavy Duty Oil stabilizer to deal with a leaky idler shaft on a 49 Merc O/D. That combo has cut the leak down to a slight weep. The Lucas stabilizer is a mineral blend that looks to be 600 wt. - very sticky. Maybe if you were to try a blend of the 600 wt and the 90 wt. GL1 you would get the same results.

[B_man_Al]

I sealed mine up with JB weld when I reassembled it, also the cross shaft at both ends and both ends of the cluster shaft. It has'nt seen the road yet but its not leaking at this time. Can always burn the stuff off with a torch to tear it down some time in the future ( hopefully not by me)
Al

[columbiA]

When you have the shaft(s) out a bit, you could tin the ends with solder & tap them back in.

[chuck stevens]

right stuff, by permatex, works real good, it turns to a rubber like seal when it hardens. Of coarse you must get everything very clean or it will not stick.Good luck, Chuck.

[Steve/IL]

If the reverse idler shaft and cluster gear shaft are machined for o-rings, is the o-ring groove inboard of the retaining pin hole? If anyone has done this successfully, can you post the o-ring dimensions and the width and depth of the o-ring groove? Thanks!

[BoxCar Tom]

We are right in the middle of a 32 trans rebuild, o-rings would be a big improvement. Any follow up information on the o-ring dimensions, width, depth, a source? Thanks in advance,

[B_man_Al]

I've heard of concerns about machining the shafts for O rings and causing a weakness. Have no first hand experience with this but its FYI.
Al