Oil Slinger

Finally nailed down the leak in the front of my newly rebuilt T86 tranny with T90 parts. The rebuilder left out something on the schematic called a front bearing washer. I spoke with Herm the overdrive guy and he calls it an oil slinger. Looks like a big 4" to 5" diameter washer that fits around the main drive gear, contoured to fit up against the bearing/casing. At any rate, it was left out in the rebuild and when I get out on the open road and wind it up to it's max speed and run it for a while, when I get home, the gear oil is literally streaming out of the bottom of the bell housing. Seems the gear oil runs out the end of the main drive gear, so it spills out in the area of the clutch and pressure plate etc. and leaks out down thru the bootom of the bell housing.
Going to have to pull everything out again, what a mess.....
Anybody have a similar experience?

 

I don't think that's your problem.
The oil slinger does just that: sling oil.
Oil has to get through/around it to lube the front bearing.
I would suspect the seal inside of the bearing retainer myself.
with no disrespect to Herm.

 

I would agree except that the first time I pulled the tranny back off, after the rebuild, there was no oil on the front of the tranny casing, no oil in the adaptor, (V6 adaptor), no oil anywhere except in the bottom of the bel housing. It has to be coming out of the end of the main drive gear out beyond the adaptor. If it were the seal, wouldn't it leak out around the front of the casing and down into the adaptor?

 

Can't this transmission be fitted with a neoprene seal in the bearing retainer? Or wasn't there something on Dr. Verne's page about a sealed front bearing? You don't realy need oil beyond the bearing, other than to lubricate the (felt?) seal.

 

The rebuilder said the casing appeared to have been machined for a rubber seal that fit in behind the bearing. Another reason why we think it's the oil out the end of the main drive gear. Make sense?

 

the T86 retainer is machined for a seal (not felt) and there should be one installed.
hence my comment about the seal is either bad, or was left out.
if you don't stop it coming thru the retainer, you will continue to have a big mess on your hands.
The slinger may shield some oil, and will throw it like it's supposed to.
The bearing retainer should have a paper gasket between it and the case as well.

 

are you using a T86 retainer ?
the T90 retainer uses felt and has reverse spirals inside to help drain the oil back to the trans

 

I'm just curious why your having to deal with this? Shouldn't your rebuilder be fixing his mistake?

 

He's 4 hours away and in denial.... Anybody know a rebuilder in the Northern VA area, PA, MD, etc.?

 

very good point