Ive only got 1 drain plug under my gear box? Photos Leak

[Sprackers]

Evenning Chaps,

Can this be right?

All the books and threads I have read say there should be 2 drain plugs.....for and aft.

I found the filler plug fine.

Mine is a R4 GTL 1984 Spanish. It also has a splodge of yellow paint by the 1 and only drain plug.

I think that has somehting to do with the insides being made of a certain metal.

I found all this because I was going to attempt to change the drive shaft and when I got under I saw this oil dripping off and all over the bottom of the transmission unit.



Its all cleaned up now and thats when I couldnt find the 2nd drain plug.

I am going to change the Gearbox oil bit worried that theres something missing.

Cheers

Sprackers

 

[harbourseal]

Hey sprackers,

Your missing some gearbox oil I'm afraid.

There should be a same plug a little forward of the differential.

It might be wise to change the "Cardan" gaskets. That will help to stop the leaking.

grtz, Robert

 

[mr-reno-139]

The later 354 Ha0 box only has 1 drain plug there are no gaskets on cardan/ driveshaft either on this type of box only seals on driveshaft
Without cleaning everything and using car for a day it will be difficult to confirm source of leak
On the smaller engined models if the sump to gearbox 13 mm bolts are loose or missing it will Leak at the joint
very few old cars don't leak oil from somewhere

 

[Sprackers]

Hi all

Excellent info. Ive cleaned all the underside last night and I will take your advice and take it for a run and try and see where the leak is coming from.

P

 

[Sprackers]

Hey Mr Reno

Here we go a few photos of the cleaned up underside of the gear box and confirmation of the model number and year.
Photos are taken from the front looking back.

And you can see from the photo only two bolts, filler on the side and the only one on the bottom.

Ive also cleaned up the top of the drive shafts to see if the oil is coming out of there and therfore to see if I can find out where the leak is coming from.

More later

Sprackers

 

[harbourseal]

there are no gaskets on cardan/ driveshaft either on this type of box only seals on driveshaft

Excuse my bad English had no better word then gasket handy. I stand corrected. ;-)

Good luck with finding the leak Sprackers. On my gearbox both the seals were leaking.
Its a fiddly job that can be done with the gearbox in situ.

 

[daviddb]

Hmm, I seem to recall only finding one drain plug on my 1977 R1126 TL of 845cc lhd with a '354' four speed box. I took the reference to twin drain plugs just to be Mr Haynes being playful. In my defence all I can plead is that next door's cat was being a distraction and I think the refill took nearly two litres of oil????

 

[Sprackers]

What was the cat doing to be a distraction, I can only imagine dancing with flags and letting off fireworks? crafty them cats.

So just to confirm or has anyone got any helful tips:

Take it for a drive to heat up oil
There are no brass washers to replace (unlike engine oil)
Put it in reverse to ease extraction of oil
Pour in oill in the filler hole with ( im guessing here) a funnel and a rubber tube
Fill until the oil starts coming out of the filler hole
Tighten filler plug and drain plug
Release cat fom box


Cheers

Sprackers

 

[Piet]

The two drain plugs was on the earlier 334 gearbox (July 1967 to early seventies) when they basically made a 4 speed out of a 3 speed by adding an extra section at the front. Because there were areas that couldn't drain to the main plug, the extra one was required. The later 354 gb has a single casting and hence only one plug. Haynes talks about 2 plugs but if you have the later edition with the '80s car supplement it covers it in the supplement.

 

[Sprackers]

Hi Harbourseal.....when you said both seals were leaking, seals where?

Why I ask as I think that my leak isnt coming from the drain plug as initially thouoght. its more serious

I cleaned the drain plug and under the gearbox and after 24/48 hours I looked again and noticed a trail of what looked, and felt like, dirty oil coming from where the drive shaft goes into the gear box dribbling down and then along the bottom of the gearbox to the drain plug. See Photos

The drive shaft itself looks a bit messy with both gators split. But the knocking noise I get when turning and driving up hill is from the opposite side?

Whats confusing is the opposite side looks perfect condition...gators all intact and no sign of any oil/grease leakage.

I am puzzled and frustrated. So any hints of way of testing the drive shafts or has anyone had a simliar problem. would be great.

 

[Sprackers]

I have just been reading many French and English threads on this subject and it sounds like my gearbox oil seal has gone or is going. So just ordered two R4 gearbox oil seals , with dimensions of 36 X 54 X 7.5, from Melun Retro Passion €4.90 each + postage.

I hope these are the right dimensions, although Melun said one size fits all R4's I checked on Der Fransoze (€7.90) and it did say there that these dimensions are for the last model. mine being a 1984 model GTL My gearbox is an model HAO. I should be OK.


Gearbox oil seal = (In French) Joint spi

 

[Azazello]

Change the o-ring that stands out of the oil seal, just tappped in a channel of the piece you take out to reach the seals..., too...

 

[Sprackers]

Hi yes I found this link with photos on how to change them.

http://www.la4ldesylvie.fr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13