One step up, two steps back

[e9Leveque]

One other thought - I transferred over my speedo drive shaft from my 4-speed to the 5-speed. I alternatively have read that this is a challenging vs very easy process. In my case, i undid one retaining bolt, pulled out the drive and was able to just insert it into the 5-speed and secure the retaining bolt. It's been a few months since I did this so I don't have a perfect memory, but in looking at the parts diagram for the speedo drive, there is an O-ring and a spacer. I know that I ordered a new shaft seal (part 23121490192, labelled part 4 on the image below) as well as a new O-ring (part 11431740045, labelled part 2) because I can see both of those in my FCP Euro order history. That O-ring is called an oil dipstick tube O-ring on the FCP Euro site - I suspect it shares a part number with the ring on the oil dipstick tube. I'm half suspicious that I still have that O-ring sitting in a plastic package in my bag of parts because I seem to remember looking at it thinking "why did I order an O-ring to re-seal the oil dipstick tube? I don't need this!". When re-assembling I tried to follow the schematics fully along the way, but perhaps this was one that got missed. In which case this is a classic example of putting things back together and having one extra part left over. But yes, that's one more hole in the transmission casing that I hadn't accounted for above and another place to check...
Of course it would be an O-ring. Ever since the space shuttle I think we have a new appreciation for these little stupid pieces of rubber.

 

[Honolulu]

FWIW and based on my 2002 experience(s), have a close look at the selector shaft seal at the top rear of the trans. Bad news is that it's above the driveshaft and you may need eyes on stalks to get a good look, but spray some cleaner and wipe the area to see if the leak makes itself known there. I think if you unbolt the crossmember supporting the trans and carefully tilt the engine to the rear it may be visible. Selector shaft seal replacement would be easier than removing the trans to replace a front seal.

This assumes that the cost of leaking fluid exceeds the trouble of replacing the seal.

 

[e9Leveque]

Ok transmission came out, replaced all seals. I think the bad one was the selector shaft seal - the rubber was like plastic. Got the car running around the block and no major transmission leaks so - success! At least for now…
Other issues though
An oil leak of my own doing because I tried to add an oil pressure sender and the hose that I used was clearly not up to the task. Just going to add it directly in place of the current oil sender gauge.
Coolant leak at the thermostat housing bleed bolt and I think early on that bolt got over tightened and may have cracked an internal thread on the housing. New housing incoming.
No speed showing on the speedometer. I am going to check both ends of the cable but I know I can turn the end that goes into the transmission easily. I moved the full pinion from my old 4-speed to the new 5-speed and it went in there well (with new O-ring) and I secured both the pinion and the cable with the lock screw. BUT, now in researching I realize that there is a chance that I don’t have the gear inside the transmission that interfaces with the pinion. I’m planning to remove the pinion and peer down in there with boroscope since I imagine it will be obvious. Hoping that it’s there since I literally had transmission out with flange and locknut off to change the rear transmission seal so I was right there. I didn’t realize that some of these may have come without that gear. When I bought the trans there was just a plastic plug in the speedo hole which suggests that someone removed a pinion drive for themselves, suggesting that the gear is there. But! Shall see.

But it was good to get the car going around the block. I also had a small fuel leak which was an easy fix where a portion of the contitech hose we have been talking about on another thread had torn where I think it got clamped weirdly. Fixed now. Car was not wanting to accelerate quickly but I wonder if that was due to the leak - give it pedal and the engine never was getting the additional gas.

Thanks for the help on the transmission. One step closer.