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Speedometer drive seal?


KFunk740

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Anybody have any luck finding something that works for a seal in the speedometer drive?

 

Is it just felt or a rubber o-ring?  I've found several part numbers in the old parts catalogs for 320s and 520s, but can't find anything via google when I search for a source.

 

I've got a lot of gear oil coming out of mine and onto the exhaust.  It's in a '65, 4-speed floor shift, with the dipstick.  I'm not sure if this is an original 320 transmission or something from a 520 (truck has a J13 swapped by PO, not sure if they swapped transmission too).  

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Post a picture of the transmission. I can get you the O ring for the speedometer sleeve for a 520 with J13. The dipstick is new to me and handy for ID ing it. Bet I have a picture of it... there were floor and column shift ones.

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Sorry, its parked outside at work and a bit tough to get a good pic.  I assumed all 320s had the dipstick, or is mine just a weirdo?  I love it, its right by the gas pedal.

 

https://imgur.com/a/fknSw1L

 

The shifter sits up in a weird little housing of its own, which leaks a lot of oil too.  At least its up high, and I can check my dipstick regularly.  

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There are two O rings. Only used through '65 on the 520 and on a three speed used in the 510.

 

32710-04100

32709-04100 maybe in stock.

 

What I would do is take both to an auto supply or machine shop and have them match them up.

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There are two O rings. Only used through '65 on the 520 and on a three speed used in the 510.

 

32710-04100

32709-04100 maybe in stock.

 

What I would do is take both to an auto supply or machine shop and have them match them up.

 

Hey, at least that gets me to some webpages now! I think I tried those numbers before when I looked in the 320 parts catalog, but got zero results, not sure what I did wrong.

This transmission certainly looks like mine: http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/bluebird-1964-1965/power-train/transmission-case/4-speed

I actually think the J13 in my truck may have came from a 410 and not a 520, forget how I reached that conclusion, maybe the number on the block.  So, my tranny could be original or from the donor.

 

So, they're just simple rubber o-rings?  By those figures, the speedo drive gear itself will slide right out without any further disassembly of transmission?  So I can slide speedo gear out, then take it to hardware store and find some suitable o-rings, then pop it back in?  That's not too bad at all, then.  

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Not sure if oil will pour out or not, so be ready. I'm guessing the O rings themselves are round and not square edge. Machine shops have boxes and boxes or every O ting size imaginable.

 

 

Contact Mklotz70 he will know how it comes out

The drive sleeve will be secured with a bolt (usually) but I'm not sure on this, maybe it unscrews.

 

PV14YeO.jpg

 

Here's the column shift variant

 

gAgT1dZ.jpg

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Finally got around to taking it out. When I first put a wrench on it, realized it wasn’t in very tight, so I tightened it up and saw if it would hold for a week or two. It did not.

 

When I took cable off, realized a weird seal at end of cable was real busted up. Doubt I can find a generic for that. I further took the speedo drive gear out, with a 1 1/8” socket, it all slid right out. A quart or 2 of gear oil did drain out, woo. The internal and external o rings didn’t look terrible. No signs outer was leaking, all oil was coming out center. Internal ring seems ok, but some has to be getting past it. A refresh on that will help it from getting to that outer weird seal until I can find another one of those. I’ll get a pic of the assembly shortly.

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So, googling other Datsun speedo cables to see if there's similar, I found this Z car thread, in which the cable end and grommet looks exactly the same as mine:

https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/55640-speedometer-cable-grommet-trans/

 

No good source for that grommet alone, but one guy said you can just use a flat rubber washer.  I'll probably do that for near future, and see if it leaks anymore.  If it still leaks, order a new Zcar cable and steal the grommet out of it.  I've found some for $30 to $50 incl. shipping.  

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Speedocable006Large.jpg

 

Ha ha those are my pictures!!!

 

 

I called that seal a 'top hat'. Pretty sure if you get any '70s speedometer cable it will have this. That 'top hat' should be pushed on from the gauge end, I don't think it will fit over the transmission end. It prevents the spinning cable to auger oil up to the gauge and drip on the floor. If dripping on the transmission end maybe Teflon plumber's tape on the threads???

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wait, are you DaveR or did he grab pics from you? Hah.

 

Seems like if rubber is fairly pliable, should slip on from bottom. The old one slipped right off of bottom. Center ring not damaged, only outer ring. Don’t think Teflon tape would help on threads much, it’s not leakin from threads. It’s coming right down the middle along the cable housing. It eventually drips onto my exhaust, which is the real problem. Stinks like hell, and probably a fire hazard.

 

I might consider packing some rtv around the cable housing as well before tightening it down.

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I picked up a whole bunch of o-rings, rubber washers, grommets, and ultra black RTV; and we'll see what works after I get done mowing the grass tonight.  With any luck, I may have to drive truck a couple hours to pick up a swing set this weekend.  

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New o-rings from hardware store fit fine, but of a pain to wrestle inner one in and out, but it’s in there. I ended up just using a rubber washer between the drive and cable housing. The fit was pretty loose around the inner cable, but I figured out that seal just keeps oil from getting into the cable housing. The outer portion is the one that keeps gear oil from getting to outside, of which the flat rubber washer should do the job. I also put some ultra black rtv around the end of cable housing before tightening it down, just for good measure.

I drove it around a little to make sure Speedo works, and then let it sit all day. No signs of gear oil leaking down cable anymore.

If I get some gear oil inside my speedo cable housing, hey, free lubrication? Not sure how much/if it can hurt, and I’ll keep my eye out for a replacement for that top hat grommet. I almost had something that would work at the hardware store, some rubber cord protectors I could cut up. Inner diameter wasn’t quite small enough and outer flange not quite big enough, though.

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