So I just got my coupe together and im chasing down the small issues to get it buttoned up. One thing im noticing is that the oil from my rear diff. is coming out at the coupler at the transmission. Im running a 59AB with a '35 transmision and a cut down 41 Merc rearend. Has anyone experienced this problem? Any advice? Do i need some kind of baffle in my torque tube? HELP, its ruining my garage floor!
The most common areas of leakage are the u-joint cover at the front of the torque tube and if the car is lowered in the front the differential oil running down the drive shaft/torque tube. Bill's Rod Shop in Spring, Texas, makes a oil seal plate that mounts between the torque tube and the differential. That stops the axle leak. Call them at 281-376-5932. If your u-joint cover is leaking Hot Rod John Kovar sells a o-ring type seal for the cover. He's in Ohio but I don't have a number for him. I am using both of these seals on my '32 Roadster and no leaks. Good luck, The FOGGER
I thought i had heard of others having the same problem. Ill probably grab both to fix the issue. Thanks for the advice.
I didn't read anything that said for sure that the U-joint end of the torque tube was lower than the diff. If we have close to stock height, I'd suspect a transmission leak as well. A '35 transmission can leak lots especially if it's been "rebuilt" and some extra effort was not put into slowing the leaks. The stock rear bearing is open and unsealed. Nothing to stop oil from flowing into the "clamshell." I'm getting ready to pull my own '35 coupe's transmission which really pours oil. I know where mine is coming from.
HOOP- My car is relatively level. I was assuming it was the rear diff., but could very well be the transmission. hmmmmm...
Take a look. If someone has been into the transmission, there's a good chance it's even leaking from the where the countershaft and the idler shaft exit the rear. Once the transmission has been apart, they tend to seep since there's no seal. To quote one expert about leaks from the rear bearing, "it's a little extra lubrication for the U-joint ... " Sealed bearings are available and can be used ... but check everything out first. I gave up on my garage floor a long time ago.
Also...seal at clamshell rear is probably cork and probably doesn't fit very well. Get a proper felt one from Nacewicz bolts. Be sure seal behind speedo gear area is good...it keeps trans from overfilling rear! Unless cluster shaft was brutalized during rebuild, big trans leak may just be overfilling allowing oil to run out bearing. Sealed bearings for the app exist, but usually are not needed. U joint does bot get normal chassis grease but probably that is what was put in ...zerk fitting got blasted with whatever was in the gun. It needs in lieu of whatever the hell the Ford spec stuff was a soft low-melt point grease...hard high melt stuff can't possibly get into the bushings, but joint is usually saved by the leakage of trans oil into that area and the near indestructability of the bushing type trunnions. That area CAN be sealed with the stock parts...some people fill the area with 140 by deliberately overfilling trans and run on that, trapped between bell and the speedo gear seal.
By clamshell I mean the 4520, the big outer cover of the ball. And make sure you have the inner bell it slides on...I have seen those left out! Nacewicz has the good gasket set with felt seal that conforms properly to the 3 dimensional curve there. Cork just doesn't like following the twist...at least be sure the meeting point of cork strip is at top. Find a picture of speedo area parts in any '28-48 repair manual...there is a stack of parts there, backed by a seal put in the direction that stops leakage fron trans/U area back. I wonder if there are double lip seals out there in the world with a lip in each direction...
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