On November 27, 2021 we started the car up. This has been no real problem so far. It is starting remarkably easily -usually 1/4 turn of the crank, once the engine is primed. And drove to the nearest gas station for a fill up. Reverse gear out of the garage was a bit noisy with a distinct whirring, but there were no horrid crunching munching grinding noises. That’s good. However when stopped to fill up and on looking at the ground wherever the car was briefly stopped. There was a little puddle of oil – specifically – transmission oil.

Look for the line of little shiny drips under the car. That’s our transmission fluid.

So, back to the garage where I would investigate why we were losing so much fluid so quickly. On our way, Janet & I delighted in the smoothness of the gear changes – with or without a transmission full of oil.

Inspection showed that the transmission output seal was not doing its job – at all. There was wear on one of the surfaces that simply didn’t want to seal with a felt washer.

Output shaft seal plate was scoured and rough. The single felt seal was not adequate.

So I made a large brass washer on the lathe and put that in.  It seems to have slowed the drips.

Brass washer installed with thicker felt washer and an O-ring on the U-joint side.