leak

[tmurph]

Hello,
I've got a slight leak in the area pointed at.

Fluid level dropped about 3/8 " at our event.

I'm thinking save it for off season, keep checking fluid level for now.

How difficult is it going to be to open that up?

It is showing signs of being sealed with red rtv.

Does break cleaner break down the seal down on that or on halomar ? I ve cleaned the case of a few times with it , the seemed to leak got worse.

2 stooges racing

[MosesSmithRacing]

This is very common. Here is what is going on. The dif is pushing against this side of the gearbox (Side cover). 2 things happen, first the vibration (harmonics) loosen the three rear nuts, this allows the rtv seal to be broken. Once this happens, you can keep retightening the nuts to slow the leak, but the seal is broken, so it will never actually seal tight again. Also, over time the 3 studs will start to pull out of the case. They will just need to be heli-coiled.

Best thing to do is pull the gearbox, remove the side covers (plural) check all the studs for tightness, helicoil the three that keep coming loose, and any others that seem to be less than tight, reseal both covers, and replace all the nuts (with new nuts).

In addition to this, relocate the ground strap to one of the four available 3/8x16 holes with a bolt, instead of one of the side cover studs. This will allow you to properly torque all the nuts.

Hope this helps!

Moses

[tmurph]

once again, thank you Moses !

[Wizco]

OK.

It's the off season, and we're trying to pull the side plates.

How do you get the drive shaft out of the gear box? From the drawings it looks like an e clip on the shaft. Before I break something, can anyone confirm how to do it?

[Fred Michael]

If I remember correctly, unbolt the side cover and the drive flange will come with it.

[Wizco]

Thanks.

I was thinking the shaft had to come out in order to pull the side plates.

That will make things much simpler then.

[sflaten]

I have also found a solution to the nuts coming loose that seems to have worked over the last couple seasons. Locktite mow makes a tape material. when you reassemble, clean the studs really well with brake cleaner. It may require a toothbrush to get in the grooves. put on a wrap of the tape about an inch and a half long and squeeze it into the grooves. The stuff is like a cross between Teflon tape and jello. Then just thread on the nuts like normal.