Help! How to remove leaky selector shaft on th400

[76cj7chick]

Hi everyone,

I've noticed my selector shaft on the GM Turbo 400 turbo hydra-matic tranny is leaking oil....

The po installed a older ford (mustang?) shifter and a "special" lever arm on the tranny.

Since the selector shaft seal is leaking I am thinking of removing the lever (possibly keeping the ford shifter--unless someone knows where I can get a great deal on a lokar or b+m or another type of shifter)

Please let me know how I would remove the selector shaft arm and bolt, install a new seal and selector arm as well as what economical shift lever would work...



PS... I recently purchased a LOKAR BL-1400U backup light or n/s kit.. I plan on using as backup ...

Thanks and hope to hear from you veterans soon...

 

[76cj7chick]

Bump...... Anyone?

Would I have to drop the pan in order to remove/reseal the shifter shaft (is that the right name for it?

PLEASE anyone?

 

[76cj7chick]

By the way, i noticed this is in the wrong threading, so i posted in cj build...

 

[jamie]

you might be able to take the linkage off the shaft and get the seal out that way, but its easier to drop the pan.

 

[Niedhogg]

That is some pretty nice "lever" work there... have you got it fixed yet?

 

[76cj7chick]

I know the po really did a bang up job on the cj...

Its not fixed yet...

I ordered a lokar gm lever kit and just received the lokar Transmission mounted backup switch... Today I ordered a shaft seal remover tool from Napa...

I just need to find the seal now... Anyone know a good part # and where to find one?

Thanks for your suggestions and comments...

 

[76cj7chick]

you might be able to take the linkage off the shaft and get the seal out that way, but its easier to drop the pan.

I hope to buy a deep tranny pan soon but would like to warm up the tranny fluid before I drain it and put fresh oil in... especially, since I don't know when it was drained last...

However, before I can do that, I have to finish installing the wiring harness... I am almost finished but have a few challenges...

 

[76cj7chick]

I'm still waiting on the part to remove the seal from the tranny should have it by Monday...

In the meantime, I rebuilt the steering column.. Yes, rebuilt it... (I hope it will work correctly.. ) The column looks good. New bottom (grease packed) bearings, donor parts from another column someone (thanks James!!) traded me for some other cj parts, and new chrome/aluminum column 2 piece kit, etc...

I know its off subject but here are a few pics of my steering column build... (I have wayyyyy more pics..):drool:

 

[Niedhogg]

Nice work, looks good! I just threw mine back in, didn't really have time to do any more..

 

[76cj7chick]

Thanks for your kind comment... I know what you mean though... About not having enough time.. I love my Jeep but it is taking lots of time and money (and research) in getting it together... On the bright side, I am learning a great deal about him..

 

[76cj7chick]

HELP PLEASE!!!!!! I picked up the seal tool remover and a seal for the shifter shaft but after I removed the shifter lever, I didn't see a seal.. Maybe that was why it was leaking??. ---UNLESS, it is jammed in the shaft...

I got a picture (horrible one)... Can anyone tell if the seal is shoved up in the seal??????????

I may have to drop the pan to get the seal out... I really wanted to wait until the jeep was running and once warmed up I was going to drain the aft and do it right...

PLEASE Can anyone tell if the seal is in the shaft hole??? Or is it part of the shaft lever?


I got the Napa gm Transmission seal tool Part # 776-9250 -$6.99
I also bought a Napa Shaft seal ATP 13887
Before I install the seal please let me know if I got the right tool and seal... As always THANKS to all of you for your help!!
PS.....I finally got the steering column in the jeep..

 

[Niedhogg]

Wish I could help, it's kinda one of those things I've never seen go bad.. Have you tried looking at, or even have a Chilton's or Haynes repair manual?? I usually get on line, type in my problem and then check everything that comes up to see if it helps...

P.S. I don't see how it could fall into the tranny, most seals run up against a machined lip... just an observation

 

[76cj7chick]

Hmmm.. It appears something is IN the shaft hole -- besides the shaft lever :O So I thought it might be the seal... Or is that silly?

 

[DHugg]

PLEASE Can anyone tell if the seal is in the shaft hole??? Or is it part of the shaft lever?


This may not be any help at all, but tearing down my Dana 300 Transfer Case I find, after I had scraped a buncha crud off the TF999 Transmission extender, I was seeing Transmission fluid coming out of a weep hole onto the Transfer Case , including a lot being blown onto or thrown onto the shifter mechanism.

Vibration has likely trashed the seal on the output shaft end of the auto tranny, allowing fluid to leak. I'll install a new seal and hope to find the leak stopped.

Luck with your work.

 

[76cj7chick]

Hmm....
I think you're talking about the main shaft seal, right?
I'm referring to the Shifter Shaft Seal...
But thanks for your response..

 

[Niedhogg]

Hmmm.. It appears something is IN the shaft hole -- besides the shaft lever :O So I thought it might be the seal... Or is that silly?

Could be what you're looking for.. I'm sure you have the new seal, does it have any resemblance of a seal left? May be nothing but a metal ring left.. The directions for the seal remover reads ...


Removes and installs shift selector shaft Transmission seal without draining fluid Works on G.M. Transmissions. Instructions 1 Disconnect Shift Linkage 2 Unscrew Remover Screw a Few Turns And Place Remover Over Selector shaft. 3. Push And Turn Remover Threads Into Seal 4.Turn Remover Screw Inward To Pull Seal. To Install New Seal 1. Put new Seal Over Selector Shaft 2. Put Installer Over selector shaft And gently Tap seal Into Place 3 Reconnect shift Linkage.

 

[76cj7chick]

[QUOTE=Niedhogg May be nothing but a metal ring left.."

I think you may be right.. (It may just have a metal ring.--but it still leaks.. is that right?.)
The tranny seal I got from Napa fits in the shifter shaft hole but wants to slide in a ways.. Is that normal on 400s?

What do you think? Here is pic.

I dropped the tranny pan to take a look inside and it looks real clean. Could it have been rebuilt? Plus in one of the pics (I don't know the name of the part) there is white stamped "16J". Any one know what that means?
Also I have found on the (valve body?) an embossed number : 8626577A.


Any/all help is ALWAYS appreciated



ps.
In the mean time I ordered a new finned deep tranny pan (same depth as mine but with a drain plug-- I got wayyyyyyy to oily when I drained the ATF and the plug will be warmly welcomed.) and a new filter pickup extender.. :drool:

 

[Niedhogg]

The drain plug will be very nice, I'll be getting one of those pans someday..

Have you tried using the seal removal tool yet to see if it will remove anything? Hrd to see in the pic, but it almost looks like there's no seal at all.

 

[76cj7chick]

The drain plug will be very nice, I'll be getting one of those pans someday..

Have you tried using the seal removal tool yet to see if it will remove anything? Hrd to see in the pic, but it almost looks like there's no seal at all.

Hi Niedhogg, Yes, I tried the shaft seal tool extractor but it doesn't attach to anything... So, you may be right about not having any seal in the hole! :dunno:

:ty: for your assistance! :rock:
Now I am just waiting for the pan and a new filter extension then I can put him back together. :grinjeep: