Gear oil around shift linkage

[Kevin]

I noticed a few spots of what must be gear oil in my garage today. I jacked it up and noticed it seems to be coming from where the shift linkage attaches to the shift mechanism by the gear box. I've attached a picture.

Anyone know a possible cause? Is it the half bushings that go around the control shaft?

Thanks!

[David T]

Make sure it is not overfilled and filled with the right stuff. There is a vent on the bell housing. Make sure it is not plugged up.
David Teitelbaum





I noticed a few spots of what must be gear oil in my garage today. I jacked it up and noticed it seems to be coming from where the shift linkage attaches to the shift mechanism by the gear box. I've attached a picture.

Anyone know a possible cause? Is it the half bushings that go around the control shaft?

Thanks!

[DMCMW Dave]

There is a vent on the bell housing. Make sure it is not plugged up.
David Teitelbaum

Second that! I've seen a couple of cars with really strange trans leaks, and it's because the vent is plugged. when it gets hot oil goes out other places that would not normally leak. It's strange to leak that high up because it is way above the oil level.

The vent baffle is rubber that seems to be turning in to mush now. Find this hole on the trans and poke a small pick into it to be sure the hole is clear.

10500

[Kevin]

It's strange to leak that high up because it is way above the oil level.

I figured that was odd!

Thanks a lot for the photo, Dave. However, I don't seem to have a vent in that location, it seems to just be a hole, and doesn't seem to even be as big as the rubber baffle in the photo. There's not a hole on the other side either. I stuck a pin in the hole that was about 3/4 of an inch long and didn't feel anything. Could my vent be somewhere else? Or is this my vent? Or is this strange?

I'll have check my fluid level later, I had trouble getting the filler nut off with my little 10mm wrench, the nut is on there good, I'll try again later. Having to lay on my back doesn't help either, my kingdom for a lift!

[DMCMW Dave]

I figured that was odd!

Thanks a lot for the photo, Dave. However, I don't seem to have a vent in that location, it seems to just be a hole, and doesn't seem to even be as big as the rubber baffle in the photo. There's not a hole on the other side either. I stuck a pin in the hole that was about 3/4 of an inch long and didn't feel anything. Could my vent be somewhere else? Or is this my vent? Or is this strange?

I'll have check my fluid level later, I had trouble getting the filler nut off with my little 10mm wrench, the nut is on there good, I'll try again later. Having to lay on my back doesn't help either, my kingdom for a lift!

That hole is the vent. The rubber baffle is gone (good!). If you can get the pin to the bottom of it, it's most likely clear. DO NOT Use an open end wrench on that oil plug, you'll round it off. There is a correct 10mm square socket but it's hard to come by (Snap-On PMM10).

If you can get the plug out, and try blowing air into the trans filler hole you can see if the vent is really clear. This will be hard without the right tools though.

[Kevin]

That hole is the vent. The rubber baffle is gone (good!). If you can get the pin to the bottom of it, it's most likely clear. DO NOT Use an open end wrench on that oil plug, you'll round it off. There is a correct 10mm square socket but it's hard to come by (Snap-On PMM10).

If you can get the plug out, and try blowing air into the trans filler hole you can see if the vent is really clear. This will be hard without the right tools though.

Thanks, Dave. I ended up getting the nut off with a Gator Grip, as recommended here: http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?671-Changing-the-gear-oil-in-a-5-Speed&p=6331&viewfull=1#post6331 Pretty neat little tool.

Once the nut was off, a little bit of gear oil did drip out slowly, but it didn't seem excessive, probably just due to the angle my car was sitting.

I blew air through the filler hole using my mouth and some plastic tubing. At first I didn't feel anything, not sure if I didn't have the tube positioned right or if I eventually knocked something loose, because the second time I tried it I did feel air coming out of the vent as I blew.

The gear oil looked good too, a nice golden brown. So given all of this, I think I'll take it on a long drive and see if it happens again, maybe I knocked a small clog loose. Thanks again for your help, and let me know if you have any other ideas, of course!

[Ron]

Probably one of these dude's work:

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