What preventive maintenance to do while gearbox out?
 

My transmission has finally gone pop. I’ll run some codes off, but was wondering what I should get done with the improved access to the back of the engine bay that is afforded by the removal of the box? Happy to do whatever preventive maintenance necessary.

Does anyone have a list please?

Cheers,
Zip

PS. If you’re interested, moving from neutral to drive after a 100mile drive, massive thump, initially thinking that someone had driven into me, then almost undriveable slipping as I pull away. No problem in reverse. Managed to get to my destination. Still a mild thump moving box into gear, then massive slipping until moving. Suspect clutch drum A has gone bang…

Ah poop. That does sound like the clutch drum or the thrust bearing in front of it.

Really the only thing back there is the bottom of the scuttle drains, so you can get a piece of hose pipe attached to a vacuum cleaner up there.

Its marginally easier to get to the power steering pipes, should they need attention, but that's not particularly difficult with it all together either.

Sounds exactly hoiw my 4.2 QS behaved back in the day when its gearbox gave up.

I can't help with the maintenance, other than giving it all a good clean. Good luck with the repair.

Is the dreaded oil cooler pipe back there? Any hoses likely to have perished?

Nearly 14 years and 100k miles (in my hands…now on 155k), and I can’t complain…it doesn’t owe me anything. Only one transmission oil change in that time…

ZIP

The oil cooler pipe is at the front, between the alternator and the block.

Hoses is a good idea actually - its possible to get to the header tank hose and the two heater core hoses while the box is out so might be worth inspecting them. Getting more is a challenge of course...

Crankshaft seal? Or they never fail?

Very rare that the rear crank seal leaks, although not unheard of. Usually oil down the back of the engine is from the valley gasket.

Thanks for your advice, all.

It’s going to Stephens Engineering in Ware. They know these boxes well.

Zip