1981 Fiat 124 - Replacing the Gearbox Cover

[seventil]

Hello everyone,

For those that remember me, I was planning on buying a lovely 81 Spider back this Spring. I had some health issues (tore out my ankle ligaments) so the gentleman was nice enough to hold on to it for me.

We found a problem with an oil leak in the gearbox casing. The owner ordered a new one, it arrived, and then took the old casing off.

Problem is, now he's too busy to put the other one back on. Might not be able too til September.

I would like to have this in the next couple weeks to work on it in August.

Anyone know if it would be possible with limited mechanical knowledge to put the casing back on? Am I crazy to try and do it myself? I can't find any mechanic willing to travel there and do it as it's immobile.

Thanks in advance,

Dan from France

[katsi]

Why not just buy a new tranny and pop her in? I don't think rebuilding is very expensive. Under 200 bones.

[seventil]

Why not just buy a new tranny and pop her in? I don't think rebuilding is very expensive. Under 200 bones.

I live in France, stuff is harder to get and more expensive here!

I typod on the post title... should have been 'gearbox case cover'.

Basically it's the cover that the drainplug is in on the bottom of the gearbox. Sounds simple but you have to rip half of it apart to get it off of course. Unfortunately I didnt rip it apart, someone else did, and now I have to try and put it back on.

[seventil]

BTW here are a couple pictures of it before it came off:

[manoa matt]

You mean the stamped steel cover painted black in the first picture with 10 or so 10mm bolts around the perimeter? Or the aluminum piece your finger is on in the second picture?

If its the stamped steel cover all you need is a 10mm socket, and about 10 minutes.

[dantye]

Then you need to know how to re-fill the transmission - much trickier!

On mine, I found the best way was with a length of fuel hose to connect the 90 wt oil bottle to the fill hole from above a drain hole in the passenger side floor pan. You could perhaps do it from under the car if you have a pump that will handle 90 wt non-synthetic oil.

You mean the stamped steel cover painted black in the first picture with 10 or so 10mm bolts around the perimeter? Or the aluminum piece your finger is on in the second picture?

If its the stamped steel cover all you need is a 10mm socket, and about 10 minutes.

[2ndwind]

I changed mine this past Sunday. After draining, took off pan (Ten 10mm bolts) to ensure it was clean inside. Cleaned up with wire brush, replaced gasket ($7.49 from Vick's) then refilled with 90W GL-1, also from Vick's ($7.50/quart.). I took a long, large-diameter, fuel hose down alongside the passenger side of the engine compartment down to the filler on the side of the tranny, funnel on top. Kept drain pan underneath for overflow,I had it filled with 1.5 quarts in less than 10 min.

Edit: Unfortunately, as you can see from my new posting, the seal leaked. I will probably use high-quality gasket maker.